US citizens do not need a visa for a tourist trip to Mexico. If you fly, you need a valid US passport book, because a passport card is not accepted for air travel. If you drive, walk across the border or arrive by sea, the passport card also works. When you land at a Mexican airport there is no paper tourist card any more: immigration records your stay digitally as an FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple). And if your trip includes Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen or anywhere else in the state of Quintana Roo, you also owe the state's Visitax before you leave.
Passport book or passport card: it depends how you arrive
- By air: a US passport book. The passport card is valid only for land and sea crossings, so an airline will not board you to Mexico with it.
- By land: a passport book or passport card is accepted as proof of US citizenship.
- By sea: a passport book or passport card. Cruise lines can set stricter rules, so check yours.
Mexico does not use the six-month validity rule that some countries apply. Your passport has to be valid when you enter and for the length of your stay, with a blank page for the entry stamp. Airlines sometimes apply their own checks, so a passport that expires mid-trip is a risk at check-in even if Mexico would accept it. Our passport validity guide explains how to check this before you book.
The digital FMM: what happens at the airport
The FMM is Mexico's visitor permit. For air arrivals, Mexico's immigration institute (INM) no longer hands out paper forms. At the immigration desk, or at self-service e-gates where an airport has them, your passport is checked, you may be asked why you are visiting, how long you will stay and where, and your entry is recorded. The officer stamps your passport and writes the date you must leave by.
Two points matter here:
- The officer decides how long you get. Tourist stays can run up to 180 days, but that is the maximum, not the default. Look at the date written on your stamp before you walk away from the desk, and have your return date and hotel address ready.
- You can download the record. INM's official site lets you register your passport and download the digital FMM (FMMd) after you arrive. Mexico's embassies say it can be downloaded for 60 days after you enter. Use only inm.gob.mx; look-alike sites charge for something that is free to download.
Driving or walking in
Land travel works differently. Travelers who go beyond the border zone, or stay longer than a short visit, need to get an FMM online before arriving or at the INM office at the crossing. Short visits that stay inside the border zone may not need one; check the current rule with INM or the US Embassy in Mexico before you go. A fee can apply to a land FMM; check the current amount on the INM site.
Visitax: the Quintana Roo tourist tax
Quintana Roo, the state that includes Cancun, Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos and Bacalar, charges a tax called Visitax. The official site, visitax.gob.mx, says it is mandatory and must be paid by every foreign tourist, whatever the way they leave. A few things to know:
- It is charged per person, and the official FAQ says children pay too.
- The amount is set each year in Mexican pesos. Check the current figure on visitax.gob.mx rather than on a blog.
- You can pay online before your trip or during your stay. Keep the receipt or its QR code on your phone, because you may be asked for it when you leave.
- Pay only on visitax.gob.mx or through a company the state has authorized. Mexican press has reported unofficial sellers charging well above the official rate.
Visitax is a state tax and has nothing to do with your FMM. Paying one does not cover the other.
Customs on arrival
After immigration you collect your bags and pass customs. If you carry only personal belongings within the duty-free allowance, you have nothing to declare, though your bags may be X-rayed or inspected. If you bring goods beyond your personal luggage or the allowance, declare them to Mexico's customs agency (ANAM) and pay any duty there; how you declare, on a form or at a declaration lane, depends on the airport. Large amounts of cash must be declared; check the threshold with ANAM before you travel with it.
Traveling with children
Every US child needs their own passport, and for flights that means a passport book, including babies. Mexico's exit-permission rule is often misunderstood. The SAM form, or a notarized letter from both parents, applies to children who are Mexican citizens, dual US-Mexican citizens, or foreign children who are residents of Mexico, when they travel alone or with an adult who is not a parent or legal guardian. A US-citizen child visiting as a tourist does not generally need Mexican exit permission.
Two situations still need care:
- Dual nationals. A child with both US and Mexican citizenship is treated as Mexican. If that child travels with grandparents, a school group or alone, plan for the SAM form or notarized consent.
- One parent traveling. Even when Mexico does not ask, US authorities recommend carrying a signed, preferably notarized, letter of consent from the parent who is not traveling. It answers the question quickly if a border officer or airline asks.
For seats, lap infants and bassinets, see our guide to flying with a baby.
Coming back to the US
On your return flight you clear US immigration and customs at the first US airport you land at. Global Entry members use their own lane, and other US citizens at many airports can use CBP's free Mobile Passport Control app. Our Global Entry vs TSA PreCheck guide explains which program helps on that leg.
Quick checklist
- Flying: passport book for every traveler, valid for your whole stay.
- Check the departure date written on your entry stamp.
- Download your FMMd from inm.gob.mx if you want a copy.
- Staying in Quintana Roo: pay Visitax on visitax.gob.mx and keep the QR code.
- Kids: their own passport, plus a consent letter if only one parent is traveling.
Planning the flight? Compare flights to Cancun from US cities.
