How to get a visa for Mexico: What visa types are available?

Do you need a visa to go to Mexico?

The visa for Mexico is compulsory depending on which nationality passport you hold. Nevertheless, the Mexico FMM form (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) is compulsory for all visitors to Mexico. 

The FMM is the official document that certifies your legal stay in the country. If you do not require a traditional visa for Mexico, you only need to complete the FMM online. Once approved, you must present it upon arrival in Mexico, where authorities will stamp it. It is crucial to keep your FMM until you leave the country, as you will need to present it again upon departure.

This document consists of 2 parts: one part will be retained by Mexican authorities as proof, and the other part must travel with you throughout your trip.

The validity of the FMM begins from the moment governmental authorities stamp your document upon entry. 

Depending on your nationality, you may need a visa for Mexico in addition to the FMM. If this applies to you, you must bring the approved FMM to a Mexican embassy to apply for the visa. Countries that need to obtain an FMM in order to apply for a visa at a Mexican embassy include:

Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Armenia, Antigua and Barbuda, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Botswana, Bangladesh, Brunei Darussalam, Belarus, Burkina Faso, Benin, Burundi, Bolivia, Bhutan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Cape Verde, Congo, Cambodia, Congo, Dem. Rep. (Zaire), Cameroon, Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, China, Cuba, Comoros, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Dominica, Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Fiji Islands, Gabon, Guatemala, Gambia, Guinea, Georgia, Guinea Bissau, Ghana, Philippines, Russian Federation, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, North Korea, Ghana, United Arab Emirates, Equatorial Guinea, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, India, Iraq, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kiribati, Kenya, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Liberia, Lesotho, Libya, Lebanon, Macedonia, Mauritania, Madagascar, Myanmar, Malawi, Moldova, Maldives, Mongolia, Mali, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique, Mauritius, Namibia, Central African Republic, Nicaragua, Nauru, Niger, Nepal, Nigeria, Oman, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Palestine, Qatar, Rwanda, Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Solomon Islands, Seychelles Islands, Western Samoa, Sierra Leone, St. Kitts and Nevis, Syria, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Somalia, St. Lucia, Sri Lanka, Holy See, South Africa, Sao Tome and Principe, Sudan, Senegal, Suriname, Serbia, Swaziland, Thailand, Tonga, Taiwan, Tunisia, Tanzania, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Turkey, Timor Leste, Tuvalu, Togo, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Uganda, Vanuatu, Vietnam, Yemen, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Types of visas

Mexico has a series of visas for foreigners: 

Mexico Tourist Card (FMM)

Don’t confuse a Mexican traditional visa with the Mexico Tourist Card (FMM). The Formula Migratoria Múltiple is a document that you must always apply for when travelling to Mexico, whether you need a visa or not. With this approved document, you can apply for a visa if your nationality or reason for travel requires it. If you are a citizen of a country which only requires the FMM to travel to Mexico as a tourist, once it is approved you will be able to travel without having to apply for any additional documents. 

The Mexico FMM card is requested online, allowing you to enjoy the benefits of the traditional FMM with a more agile and simple system. You will travel to the country with the approved document and without the need to wait in long queues at the border, as you will only need to wait to have it stamped.

There are 3 types of FMM:

• Electronic FMM for entry by land.
• Electronic FMM for entry by air.
• Traditional FMM.

Both electronic forms have the same validity as the traditional Mexico FMM. The only difference is that the traditional FMM must be filled out upon entering the country at the air, sea or land borders. 

The documents required to apply for the Mexico FMM are:

• Ordinary passport number.
• Bank card to pay the document fees and/or the handling fees.
• Valid email address to receive the FMM.

With the electronic FMM, you can stay for up to 180 days in Mexico.

Visitor visa (without permission to engage in paid activities)

The visitor visa (visado de visitante sin permiso para realizar actividades remuneradas) provides you with the same privileges as the FMM. You must apply for this visitor visa if your nationality is not compatible with the list of nationalities that can apply for the electronic FMM. This visa also allows you to stay in Mexico for a maximum of 180 days, but it does not allow you to perform any paid activity.

The documents required to apply for the visitor visa are:

• Application form.
• Passport.
• Recent photograph (with white background and taken within the last 30 days)
• Document that proves that you have the financial means to cover your stay in Mexico.
• Document that certifies your legal status in the country from which you are applying for the visa, if you are not a national of that country. 

The visitor visa can only be processed in person by appointment at a Mexican embassy or consulate.

Visitor visa (with permission to engage in remunerated activities)

This visa allows you to travel to the country and perform remunerated activities, provided that you enter the country with a valid offer of employment.

The documents required to apply for the visitor visa with permission to engage in remunerated activities:

• Application form.
• Passport.
• Authorization from the National Institute of Migration (Instituto Nacional de Migración)
• Recent photograph (with white background and taken within the last 30 days)
• Document that certifies your legal status in the country from which you are applying for the visa, if you are not a national of that country. 

It is essential that the authorization process by the National Institute of Migration (INM) is previously carried out by the employer.

Temporary Residence Visa

Under the category of temporary residence visas are those visas that allow staying in Mexico for a period longer than 180 days but less than 4 years.

General documents required to apply for a temporary residence visa:

• Application form.
• Valid passport during the period of stay.
• Recent photograph (with white background and taken within the last 30 days)
• Document that proves that you have the financial means to cover your stay in Mexico.

Temporary Resident Student Visa

The temporary resident visa for students is one of the main visas under the temporary resident category. It must be applied for with the purpose of studying in Mexican territory.

The documents required to apply for a temporary resident student visa:

• Application form.
• Passport.
• Recent photograph (with white background and taken within the last 30 days)
• Document that proves that you have the financial means to cover your stay in Mexico.
• Document that certifies your legal status in the country from which you are applying for the visa, if you are not a national of that country. 
• Original acceptance letter from an institution belonging to the National Educational System (Sistema Educativo Nacional) where you intend to study.

Permanent Resident Visa

Under the category of permanent residence visas are those visas that allow indefinite stay in the country.

The documents required to apply for a permanent residence visa:

• Application form.
• Passport.
• Recent photograph (with white background and taken within the last 30 days)
• Document that proves that you have the financial means to cover your stay in Mexico.
• Document that certifies your legal status in the country from which you are applying for the visa, if you are not a national of that country. 
• Specific documents if applying for a permanent resident visa based on family unity (visa de residente permanente por unidad familiar) or for a permanent resident visa as a retiree or pensioner (visa de residente permanente pensionista o jubilado).

How to get Mexico visa?

The FMM can be applied for online or in person once you arrive in Mexican territory. It is advisable to apply for it online so you can enter the country with the approved FMM and avoid any potential issues upon arrival. 

With the Visagov platform, you can apply for the FMM entirely online. To apply for this document online, you must:

• Complete the application form
• Attach the necessary documentation
• Pay the processing fee with a bank card (credit or debit)
• Wait for the application to be processed. You will receive the approved visa in your email in a few days.

If your visa is approved, you must print the document and present it along with your passport when you arrive in Mexico.

Once your FMM has been approved, if you need a traditional visa to enter Mexico, you can apply for it in person at one of the 150 Consulate Offices that Mexico has outside their territory. 

What do you need in order to apply for a visa to Mexico? 

You will need to provide different documents depending on the type of visa you are applying for.

To process the FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple), you will need:

• Ordinary passport number
• Bank card for fee and/or processing payment
• Email address to receive the FMM

However, please note that if you are traveling for 7 days or less, no documentation is needed to apply for the FMM.

Can the FMM for Mexico be changed once it has been processed? 

No, it is not possible to modify the FMM once it has been sent by the government authorities to our visa processing experts. If you have made a mistake, you will need to reapply and pay the fees again.

How much is a visa for Mexico? 

The price of a visa for Mexico will depend on the type of visa and the length of your stay in Mexico. For example, the FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple), if you travel for 7 days or less, will not have any government fees associated with it. However, if you travel for more than 7 days, you will need to pay government fees of 717 MXN (approximately 43 USD or 40 EUR).

If the visa is processed through a specialized agency such as Visagov.com, there will be a processing cost added to the cost of the visa.

How far in advance do I need to apply for a visa to travel to Mexico?

How far in advance you should apply for a visa to Mexico depends on the type of document required. In this regard, it is crucial not to confuse the Mexico Multiple Migratory Form (FMM) or the Mexico Tourist Card with specific Mexican visas, as obtaining the FMM for Mexico is usually a quicker process.

Applying for a Mexico FMM is a procedure that can be completed online and typically has a processing time of about 48 business hours. However, we recommend submitting the application approximately 15 days before your entry into Mexico.

If you need to process your visa through the embassy, however, you should initiate the process at least 3 months in advance and schedule an appointment. Please note that before scheduling your embassy appointment, you should have an approved FMM application.

What are Mexico's entry borders?

Mexico has 2 mainland borders. To the north, it borders with the United States, and to the south with Guatemala and Belize. Otherwise, the country is surrounded by water, namely the Caribbean Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

To apply for the FMM for land entry, you must enter Mexico exclusively through the borders of these states: Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo León, Sonora and Tamaulipas.

Do I need a transit visa to go to Mexico?

Yes, you will need a transit visa if your nationality requires you to have a visa to travel through Mexico.