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Whether you’re planning a trip to Mexico for two weeks or two months, it’s important to be aware of the details surrounding your FMM tourist visa before you set off on your travels.
We’ll cover the essential things you need to know about traveling in Mexico in 2022 in this post.
Can I Travel To Mexico Now?
If you’re a citizen of the U.S., Canada, the EU or Schengen Area, the UK or Australia you don’t need to apply for a tourist visa before traveling to Mexico in 2022. On your flight or upon arrival, you will receive your FMM tourist visa that you will be responsible for during your trip.
Mexico has been one of the destinations over the past two years without any strict entry restrictions for travelers. At the time of writing, you don’t need to show a negative Covid test or any proof of vaccination in order to visit Mexico.
And most recently, Mexico removed the official Health Form that tourists needed to be filled out upon arrival, which was essentially the country’s only entry requirement.
How Many Days Can I Stay In Mexico?
Upon arrival in Mexico by air or land, international visitors will get a stamp in their passport indicating their day of arrival in the country. You can visit Mexico for tourist purposes for no longer than 180 consecutive days, so keep note of your arrival day to make sure you don’t overstay your tourist visa.
However, please note that 180 days in Mexico won’t always be guaranteed. As we reported back in December, it is up to the discretion of the immigration agent to write in the days allowed to stay in Mexico on the tourist card.
Millions of people visit Mexico every month without any issues, but we recommend to always be prepared, especially if you plan on visiting Mexico for a longer period of time. With more so-called “digital nomads” visiting Mexico for months at a time while they work online, the 180-day allotment is currently at top of mind for many tourists.
Mexico FMM Tourist Card: All You Need To Know In 2022
Your tourist visa for Mexico is an arrival slip/tourist card that you will receive by the immigration officer at your point of entry. It’s official called the Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM). Please note that it is extremely important to KEEP THIS visa paper. If you need one important tip for traveling to Mexico, it’s this one.
You will be given the tourist card to fill out upon arrival in Mexico and you’ll have to write in your name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, and airline and flight number.
The immigration officer may ask you a few questions about your trip, including where you’ll be staying and how long you plan on traveling in Mexico for. The officer will then check off the purpose of trip on the slip and write the number of days you’ll be allowed to stay in Mexico at the bottom of the slip. You’ll have to leave Mexico before the number of days are up or you will risk paying any overstay fines.
When you get your tourist card, keep it in a safe place (we can’t stress this enough) because you will be asked to present it to immigration upon departure. If you have a passport holder, try putting the card in the sleeve of the holder so that it’s always with your physical passport.
There’s also some travel advisories written in English and Spanish at the back of your tourist card, so it’s worth a look once you’ve arrived and have been stamped in. Most importantly, it’s noted that travelers may not pursue any remunerated activities while staying in Mexico if you don’t have the immigration status in which to do so.
Travel To Mexico In 2022: Checklist
Take a screenshot of this list! Here’s all you need to remember when it comes to traveling in Mexico as an American or Canadian.
- Know your itinerary for your trip. You don’t need to have every specific detail planned out, but you might be asked things like where you’ll be staying (address) after you arrive, the cities you plan on visiting while you’re there, and how long you plan on staying in Mexico.
- Keep your FMM (Tourist card) in a safe place throughout your trip.
- Check your date of arrival in Mexico and make sure you don’t overstay your visa.
- Make sure your passport is still valid for six months or more, so your passport won’t expire during your trip.
- Travel medical insurance in case of emergencies. We especially recommend purchasing supplemental travel insurance if you plan on doing any adventure or extreme sports when visiting Mexico.
Traveling Around Mexico – Practical Info For Tourists
As we mentioned before, millions of people visit Mexico every month and it’s a generally safe and wonderful place to travel. If you want to stay safe and make the most of your trip it’s important to stay mindful and aware of your surroundings, as in your home country or any other place in the world.
When traveling by long distance (ADO, for instance), don’t store important documents like your passport in your suitcase that will be placed in the luggage compartment of the bus. Always carry important papers on your person if you’re taking a bus trip.
Masks are still required to be worn in many public indoor spaces like grocery stores, convenience stores, museums, public transportation and when entering a restaurant or hotel. Many people in Mexico still wear masks on the street, so be aware that locals will appreciate it when tourists make an effort.
And last but not least, try to learn some basic Spanish before your trip and don’t be afraid to practice it on your trip. It’s been our experience that many people in Mexico are happy to help you improve your Spanish, whether it be when you’re getting your morning coffee or ordering at a restaurant.
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This article originally appeared on TravelOffPath.com
Elisa
Sunday 3rd of April 2022
Nobody was asking for our VISA paper when we left Mexico...? Upon arrivel they also didn't care about our return ticket, booked hotels or whatever. They just asked how long we were planning to stay and we got that exact number of days :-).
Sherri Stevens
Monday 20th of June 2022
@Elisa, they want our business and thankfully I can still go there with peace of mind! Definately a big guess what end December 2022 through April travel will be like? Hopeful that the airlines will have there chit together by then. A traveling nightmare right now!!
sunny
Saturday 19th of February 2022
DO YOU NEED A RETURN TICKET?
Kashlee Kucheran
Saturday 19th of February 2022
sometimes they will ask for one so its always best to be prepared
HealthFreedom
Saturday 19th of February 2022
"may not pursue any remunerated activities"
Doesn't apply to Digital Nomads, who work ONLINE (ie, not taking jobs from locals/legals and such work is outside Mexico too), right ?
(I have permanent residency anyway)
HealthFreedom
Saturday 19th of February 2022
Great article
Those new difficulties of not getting full 180 day is because of all the past ABUSE of the FMM
(ie, those living in Mexico doing border runs) GET RESIDENCY!
roberto
Saturday 19th of February 2022
excellent advice