Getting a Mexico Tourist Card may sound daunting, especially because most major airlines are no longer offering them onboard flights, but the process is actually easy. Here’s what travelers need to know to get this key document and travel to Mexico with ease.
What is the Mexico Tourist Card?
The Mexico Tourist Card is required for all foreigners entering Mexico. It simply tells the Mexican government who is in the country and what their travel plans are while they are there. It helps them keep everyone in the country safe and secure.
The Mexico Tourist Card can also help the government locate travelers if they need to. If there’s an emergency and a traveler must be notified, the tourist card provides information about where they may be contacted that can help expedite this process.
Requirements to Apply
The Mexican government recommends applying for the Mexico Tourist Card before travel. That way, no one has to panic or worry about it at the last minute and everyone has the documentation they need before they leave.
Fortunately, it’s an easy process. Here’s what visitors should expect from the application. Note that some of these items may not appear on the application in this order, as the application is subject to change.
Below are the requirements in order to succesfully get a Tourist Card to Mexico.
Personal Information
First, the application will ask for a traveler’s personal information. Note that, wherever this overlaps with information on the passport, it needs to match exactly.
If it does not, entry into Mexico may be denied or delayed, or the visitor may have to reapply for the card.
The Mexico Tourist Card application asks for more information than what is on the passport. This still needs to be accurate and up-to-date.
The personal information on the application includes:
First Name. This section includes the traveler’s middle name, if they have one and if it is included on their passport. Informal middle names that are not on the passport should not be included here.Last Name. Travelers with hyphenated last names or long last names need to take special care to ensure that this looks the same on the application as on the passport.
Minor Status. If the traveler is under the age of 18, they need to indicate here that they are a minor. Even if they are not a minor in their home country, they will be considered a minor in Mexico.
Date of Birth. The traveler should enter their date of birth in the following order: Month/Day/Year. The year needs to be the full four-digit year.
Gender. Travelers whose gender is not accurately represented on their passport will need to get a new one before they can complete this form.
Nationality. This is the country where the traveler holds citizenship, or the country that issued their passport. It may be different from the country where they are born or the one where they currently reside.
Country of Birth. Travelers should indicate the country on their birth certificate, even if it is different from their nationality or the country where they live now.
Address of Applicant. This is the applicant’s current home address. Travelers should take care to indicate their country when filling out the address, even if they don’t always use it when writing down their address at home.
Phone Number. This can be a landline or a mobile number, as long as it is a place where the traveler can be easily reached. It should be their phone number at home, not while they are traveling in Mexico.
Passport Information
The traveler will also need to enter information about the passport they carry. Note that this must be the same passport they use to both enter and leave Mexico. This information also needs to match exactly what is on the passport.
Type of Passport. Both passports and passport cards (now issued by some countries) are accepted when entering Mexico. Travelers simply need to note which one they are using on the application.Passport Number. This needs to match exactly what is indicated on the passport or the passport card.
Country of Issue. Note that this may be different from both nationality and current country of residence. Travelers can look in their passports to find out where they were issued if they are not sure.
Passport Issue Date. This is the date from which the passport is valid.
Passport Expiration Date. This is the date after which the passport is not valid. Note that the passport will need at least 6 months of validity in order for a visitor to use it to enter Mexico. If it does not have this, they will need to get a new passport before they travel.
Travel Details
Finally, travelers will need to share details about their trip to Mexico. These include:
Mexico Tourist Card Type. Travelers will need to indicate here whether they are entering Mexico via air or land. Anyone not entering via air should select “Land”.Date of Arrival. This is the date upon which the traveler plans to arrive in Mexico. Note that the government understands that flights may be delayed enroute, etc. Travelers should not be required to fill out another card if this date changes slightly because of unforeseen circumstances.
Date of Departure. This is the date upon which the traveler plans to leave Mexico.
Address in Mexico. This is the address where the traveler can be reached in Mexico. If they don’t know the exact address, they can put the name of the hotel or resort where they will be staying. They should add any information they can, like the city where the hotel is located.
Mexican State. This is the state where the traveler will be in Mexico. Travelers who are not sure can run an Internet search for the city where they will be staying to find the state information.
Reason for Trip. Travelers need to note whether they are traveling for tourism (to visit sites, family, etc., business (to conduct basic business functions or business research), crew (to fulfill their job as airline, boat, train, or other travel staff), or other (any other reason for visiting Mexico).
Point of Entry. This is the airport or other location where the traveler will be entering Mexico. Land travelers should include the name of the border crossing they plan to use, and people arriving by sea should put the name of their first port.
Airline Name. This is the name of the airline that provides the flight into Mexico. Any previous flights on other airlines do not need to be noted. Land travelers may need to note the bus or tourist company, and sea travelers should note the name of the line they will be on.
Flight Number. This should be easily available in the traveler’s flight documents. Land travelers may note their bus or route number, and sea travelers should note the name of the ship upon which they will be arriving.
Enjoy Mexico!
Travelers who have gotten their Mexico Tourist Card can sit back, relax, and enjoy everything Mexico has to offer. Before long, they’ll be enjoying pristine beaches, a relaxed culture, astounding food, and so much more!
