MOST FREQUENT QUESTION
Can I take medicines with me to Mexico?
Some medications, mainly those based on opiates and psychotropic substances, are duly regulated in Mexico. However, you are allowed to bring them with you as long as you can prove it is for your personal use (quantity must match your traveling period). A valid medical prescription MUST be shown at the request of the authorities (it is advisable to have your prescription written in English or have it translated into Spanish for better understanding of relevant local authorities).
The Embassy of Mexico is neither qualified nor has the authority to endorse any medical certificates.
VISAS
No. Dutch nationals do not require visa to enter Mexico as tourists, for as long as 180 days. See full information here
A Mexican visa is not necessary if you can prove permanent residency status in the Netherlands or in any other member country of the European Schengen Area. It is advisable to have your residency card translated to Spanish, to simplify understanding by Mexican immigration authorities.
Additionally, as part of Mexico´s visa exemption program, current Mexican immigration regulations allow foreign nationals to travel to Mexico for tourism purposes without the need to apply for a Mexican visa if you are a holder of a valid visa from USA, Canada, Japan, Great Britain or any of the Schengen area countries. Please refer to the information provided in the following link (only in Spanish): Visa exemption program.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- A Residency Card valid for 5 years is not considered as permanent.
- Please be aware that the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is not a visa and therefore you cannot use this for the purpose of traveling to Mexico under the Mexican visa exemption benefits.
As part of Mexico´s visa exemption program, current Mexican immigration regulations allow foreign nationals to travel to Mexico without the need to apply for a Mexican visa if you are a holder of a valid visa from USA, Canada, Japan, Great Britain or any of the Schengen area countries. Please refer to the information provided in the following link (only in Spanish): Visa exemption program.
Only citizens from Russia, Turkey and Ukraine are eligible to apply for an Electronic Authorization (electronic visa) to travel to Mexico. Apply here.
Full information is available for:
Current Mexican immigration regulations do not allow a transit without a visa. Therefore, before you travel to Mexico you must be sure you either: 1) do not need a visa because you can benefit from any of the conditions included in the visa exemption program, or 2) have a valid visa according to your nationality and the activity you will perform in Mexico.
Notwithstanding the above, some airline companies have negotiated specific agreements with Mexican immigration authorities with the purpose of granting a transit without a visa for their passengers. You will need to ask your airline company if they have such an agreement.
No, a Mexican visa is not required if you arrive in Mexico on board a cruise ship.
Immigration officials will issue the necessary documentation upon disembarkation. Please refer to Article 89 of the Mexican Immigration Law´s secondary legislation (only in Spanish), which reads as follows:
Artículo 89 del Reglamento de la Ley de Migración… “Cuando se trate de cruceros turísticos en navegación de altura, el Instituto documentará individualmente a los pasajeros y tripulantes que desembarquen de manera definitiva y podrá autorizar el desembarco provisional de forma colectiva o individual, de aquellas personas que deseen visitar los puertos o zonas aledañas del territorio nacional y continúen su travesía a bordo de la embarcación en la que arribaron”.
TEMPORARY / PERMANENT RESIDENT CARDS
Regardless of their nationality, every foreign national wishing to stay in Mexico longer than 180 days needs to apply for either a Termporary or a Permanent Residency visa.
Please refer to information available at Visas.
Yes. Please contact the Embassy of Mexico in order to receive specific information on the procedure to follow. Send an email to Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.
TRAVELING TO MEXICO
The FMM has become a nonmandatory document. Most international airports in Mexico do not request it at point of entry. In case the airport or migration staff ask for it, it will probably be provided to you by your airline or migration staff at point of entry. The FMM is a free migration document, you should not pay any fees to get this document.
*Please remember that admittance to Mexico (as to any other country) is subject to the final approval of immigration officials at the point of entry, whom have the authority to verify the authenticity of all the documents and the truthfulness of the information you provide. They will also confirm that no outright restrictions exist for your admittance.
It is always advisable to travel with a passport with a validity of at least six months from the arrival date in Mexico, in order to avoid any inconveniences at the port of entry.
Dutch nationals do not require a visa to enter Mexico as tourists, but you should be prepared to accurately answer questions from the immigration authorities in regards to your traveling purposes, and provide proof that you do not intend to overstay in the country.
Please remember that admittance to Mexico (as to any other country) is subject to the final approval of immigration officials at the point of entry, whom have the authority to verify the authenticity of all the documents and the truthfulness of the information you provide. They will also confirm that no outright restrictions exist for your admittance.
Mexican immigration regulations do not make a distinction between regular and/or emergency passports. To be eligible to enter the country foreign nationals must produce a valid passport according to international standards.
It is also highly recommended that passports have at least a six-month validity.
Current regulations allow international travelers to introduce up to USD 10,000 in cash or the equivalent in other foreign currencies, without the need to file a customs declaration. To exceed this amount does not constitute a felony, but not declaring it does.
Dutch nationals do not require visa to enter Mexico as tourists and/or businesspeople (Visitor without permission to conduct gainful activities) for as long as 180 days. See for more information (only in Spanish): http://www.inm.gob.mx/gobmx/word/index.php/paises-no-requieren-visa-para-mexico/.
Nevertheless, you should be prepared to accurately answer questions from the immigration authorities in regards to your traveling purposes, and provide proof that you do not intend to overstay the permitted 180 days. Therefore, it is not advisable to travel on a one-way ticket, unless you can demonstrate by other means that you will leave the country before that period (plane/bus tickets to other destinations, hotel reservations in other countries, etc.). Please remember that admittance to Mexico (as to any other country) is subject to the final approval of immigration officials at the point of entry, whom have the authority to verify the authenticity of all the documents and the truthfulness of the information you provide. They will also confirm that no outright restrictions exist for your admittance.
Please note that when entering Mexico, it is advisable that your passport is still valid for at least 6 months
Be aware, in Mexico only cats and dogs are considered pets. A list of requirements can be found on the following website (only in Spanish): Importing pets to Mexico
We also advise to contact your airline for any specific requirements. See for more information: Traveler´s pet corner.
All international passengers traveling to Mexico can introduce, free of taxes, new or used merchandise that is considered a part of their personal luggage and goods in franchise, in accordance with the provisions of the customs authorities.
Click here for full information.
Article 50 of Mexico´s Customs Act requires international passengers to declare in case they are introducing goods other than the ones in their personal luggage.
This declaration can be made online through an electronic customs system.
Find relevant information in the following sites:
Introduction and operation of drones in Mexico is highly regulated. Two important aspects need to be considered:
Temporary import for recreational use. Drones are not considered a part of the personal luggage, nor of the allowed franchise. Its import must be done in accordance with Rule 3.2.2, of Mexico´s "General Foreign Trade Rules", with a "Simplified Import" form, without the need of a customs agent. Owner will make a single payment of 16% of the overall value, as long as the value of the drone does not exceed the equivalent of USD 3,000. A valid invoice must be presented to the authorities. In the case of a higher value, a customs broker must be hired for the admission of the drone.
Use of the drone in national territory. Operation of these devices is regulated by the directive "CO AV-23/10 R4" of the General Directorate of Civil Aeronautics (DGAC). This directive establishes three categories of drones according to their weight: Micro (with less than 2 kilos of weight), Lightweight (from 2 to 25 kilos), and Heavy (more than 25 kilos), both for recreational and commercial use.
Micro drones do not require authorization with certain limitations such as neither flying more than 122 meters high nor beyond the 457 meters horizontal distance of the pilot. They should always keep a distance greater than 9.2 km from any airport and cannot be used less than 46 meters away from people.
Light and heavy drones must be registered and request authorization from the DGAC. To obtain the registration and the specific operation license, you must write to following email address: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.
Your exit was registered via the airline´s boarding control and passenger list which is delivered to immigration authorities upon departure.
Mexico´s National Health Safety and Agrofood Quality Administration (SENASICA) has established that introduction of milk and meat derivatives is prohibited. However, it is possible to bring cheese and serrano ham for personal consumption as long as they are properly packaged, labeled in Spanish or English, and contain the country of origin´s health authority original seal. It is neither allowed to introduce hams, sausages and cheeses produced in an artisanal way, nor fresh cheeses.
It is recommended to read the following electronic links:
Ingresa a México con jamones y quesos.
Productos agroalimentarios que puedes o no ingresar a México.
Productos agroalimentarios para importación turística.
The driver's license of any country is valid in Mexico, as long as you have a valid tourist status and/or a tourist visa. This entitles you even to drive a rental car. When the visa expires, and you wish to continue in the country, you must process the appropriate residency permit and obtain the legal immigration status which will allow you to apply for a regular Mexican driver's license.
If arriving from a European port, Mexican authorities will not ask for specific vaccinations. We suggest you visit your own local physician in order to receive specific recommendations that may apply to your particular case, depending on your own personal health status and immunology condition.
DOCUMENTS
Civil registry procedures in Mexico are of local (not Federal) authority. Therefore, requirements may differ depending on the State in which you wish to get married. It will be necessary for you to get in contact directly with the civil registry authorities in the State of your choice in order to get the proper advise and information.
The Embassy of Mexico does not offer translation services. We suggest contacting any of the professional offices which are part of the Dutch Society of Interpreters and Translators (The Embassy of Mexico cannot assume responsibility for the quality of their services).
For Dutch documents that will be used in Mexico, it is advisable to employ the services of an officially recognized translator (“perito traductor”) duly certified by Mexico´s Judicial Council.
For clarifications please contact: Esta dirección de correo electrónico está siendo protegida contra los robots de spam. Necesita tener JavaScript habilitado para poder verlo.
