MEXICAN IMMIGRATION RULES AND REGULATIONS

february 8, 2005

The following summary will give you an insight into the complexities of our Immigration regulations and, if in the travel business, the importance of a close relationship with our Consulates in the area where you have your residence or you operate your business.

Each individual nationality has got a set of regulations deriving from accords and treaties negotiated, or inexistent, between that particular government and our government. Those agreements deal with each individual immigration status, such as tourists, students, technical personnel, scholarship holders,retirees, company counselors, sometimes clergy, and so forth. These change from time to time according to international situations or renegotiation of certain aspects.

Some nationalities require a Mexican consular stamp or stick-on called a visa, in addition to their immigration documents; some require it in a certain status but not in others, some nationalities pay for the visa while others do not; some pay in certain categories but not in others, some can travel without a special order from Mexico, other require this special permit in certain categories but not in others, etcetera. All of this depends on reciprocity or whether that country has negotiated with Mexico a visa agreement or not, and under what terms, as those treaties or accords shed light on the applicant’s document to be issued according to the stated specific purpose of his or her trip.

GENERAL INFORMATION ON VISAE

Traditionally, Mexico has been  a tourist, business and student destination for nationals of North America, Western Europe, Japan and Latin America (although some of the latter nationalities can only be documented in their respective countries of origin). These travelers do not have to apply to Mexico City for their entry permits, if they travel as  tourists, students or on business. Certain Latin American countries have negotiated duty-free visae for their nationals but not their exemption. Other fellow Latins do not require a visa and can also be given the tourist card on board an aircraft carrier but some, if not legal residents in the country where the application is filed, should follow the rule of a previous okay from Mexico City.

All Western countries and some Asian countries, because of their investments and bulk of trade with Mexico, have visa exemption agreements and enjoy certain facilities in some categories, tourists being the easiest of all as they can get their tourist card from the airline. However, they need to come personally to our Consular offices for their travel documents if they intend to carry out a profitable business (ordinary business contacts can be done on the tourist card issued by the airline), or perform technical counseling for a Mexican firm; this rule also applies to students  and some other categories such as foreign correspondents. They cannot accept a job in Mexico, nor engage in a paid activity without a special permit from the INM.