Entry/Exit Requirements
"All Americans traveling by air outside the United States are
required to present a passport or other valid travel document to
enter or re-enter the United States. This requirement will be extended
to sea travel (except closed loop cruises), including ferry service,
by the summer of 2009. Until then, U.S. citizens traveling by sea
must have government-issued photo identification and a document
showing their U.S. citizenship (for example, a birth certificate
or certificate of nationalization), or other WHTI
compliant document such as a passport card for entry or re-entry
to the U.S.
Minors
Mexican law requires that any non-Mexican citizen under the age
of 18 departing Mexico must carry notarized written permission from
any parent or guardian not traveling with the child to or from Mexico.
This permission must include the name of the parent, the name of
the child, the name of anyone traveling with the child, and the
notarized signature(s) of the absent parent(s). The State Department
recommends that the permission should include travel dates, destinations,
airlines and a brief summary of the circumstances surrounding the
travel. The child must be carrying the original letter – not
a facsimile or scanned copy – as well as proof of the parent/child
relationship (usually a birth certificate or court document) –
and an original custody decree, if applicable. Travelers should
contact the Mexican Embassy or closest Mexican Consulate for current
information.
Tourist Travel
U.S. citizens do not require a visa or a tourist card for tourist
stays of 72 hours or less within "the border zone," defined
as an area between 20 to 30 kilometers of the border with the U.S.,
depending on the location. U.S. citizens traveling as tourists beyond
the border zone or entering Mexico by air must pay a fee to obtain
a tourist card, also known as an FM-T, available from Mexican consulates,
Mexican border crossing points, Mexican tourism offices, airports
within the border zone and most airlines serving Mexico. The fee
for the tourist card is generally included in the price of a plane
ticket for travelers arriving by air.
Business Travel
Upon arrival in Mexico, business travelers must complete and submit
a form (Form FM-N) authorizing the conduct of business, but not
employment, for a 30-day period. Travelers entering Mexico for purposes
other than tourism or business or for stays of longer than 180 days
require a visa and must carry a valid U.S. passport. U.S. citizens
planning to work or live in Mexico should apply for the appropriate
Mexican visa at the Mexican Embassy in Washington, D.C., or nearest
Mexican consulate in the United States." - US State Dept
For non-US Citizen requirements, please contact
us for updated information.
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