Most tourists don’t need to worry about jumping through any hoops on their visit to Mexico, and that includes obtaining a visa. If you’re a citizen or permanent resident of the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom or a country in the European Union’s Schengen area, all you need is a valid passport to enter Mexico for up to 180 days. Moreover, if you’re traveling to Mexico on a leisure cruise, you don’t need a visa, either, regardless of your nationality.
That said, visitors to Mexico who plan to stay there for longer than six months or who are traveling there from a country not included in the above-mentioned visa exemption list (except for those traveling by cruise) do need to obtain a tourist visa.
Requirements for Mexico Tourist Visa
If your visit to Mexico requires you to obtain a tourist visa, you’ll first have to make sure you’re eligible for one. To apply for a visa to Mexico, you must meet the following criteria:
- Have a passport that’s valid for at least three months past your planned departure date from Mexico.
- Have the financial ability to support yourself for the duration of your stay in Mexico and to pay for your transportation home. Mexico requires you to have $50 per day for your stay in Mexico.
- Show the bank statements from the past six months.
- Have a return flight home.
- Prove that you have permanent residence in the country from which you’re applying for a visa.
- Show that you intend to leave Mexico at the end of your authorized visit.
If you can meet these requirements, it’s time to start the visa application process.
How to Apply for a Visa
Start by downloading the visa application form, which should be available online at the website of your Mexican consulate. There are dozens of Mexican consulates in the United States in the following cities:
- Alaska: Anchorage
- Arkansas: Little Rock
- Arizona: Douglas, Nogales, Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma
- California: Calexico, Fresno, Los Angeles, Oxnard, Sacramento, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Ana
- Colorado: Denver
- Washington, D.C.
- Florida: Miami, Orlando
- Georgia: Atlanta
- Idaho: Boise
- Indiana: Indianapolis
- Illinois: Chicago
- Louisiana: New Orleans
- Massachusetts: Boston
- Michigan: Detroit
- Minnesota: Saint Paul
- Missouri: Kansas City
- Nebraska: Omaha
- Nevada: Las Vegas
- New Mexico: Albuquerque
- New York: New York City
- Oregon: Portland
- Pennsylvania: Philadelphia
- Texas: Austin, Brownsville, Dallas, Del Rio, Eagle Pass, El Paso, Houston, Laredo, McAllen, Presidio, San Antonio
- Utah: Salt Lake City
- Washington: Seattle
Once you’ve completed the application form, gather the rest of your required documents, including your passport, bank statements, travel itinerary and proof of permanent residence. You’ll also need to provide two copies of a recent photograph of yourself, along with an application fee, which is typical $22 but may vary depending on your consulate. When you have all your materials together, submit them in person at your closest Mexican consulate.
