Aside from Mexico, no other country has such a unique documentation desideratum for its visitors. There’s Mexico Visa, Mexico Tourist Card (also called the FMM card), and the ETA for Mexico!
With a range of visas and the documents required to apply for them, it might get confusing for naive applications to know who needs what?
Let’s dispel the doubts away and make the overall picture crystal clear!
Mexico Tourist Card
All tourists arriving by air or land need to hold the Mexico Tourist Card, also known as the FMM Card.
Coming to the specifics of the Mexico Tourist Card, formally known as the FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple); for any travel purposes such as tourism, business, or leisure, all foreign nationals must carry it.
Introduced by the Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM) to keep a credible record of all travelers to the country, the FMM card permits a single entry for a period of a maximum of 180 days, commencing from the day the immigration seal is stamped on your passport upon your arrival in the country.
As some airlines are no longer facilitating the travelers with this documentation, we recommend that you get it online conveniently at Natvisa!
The process of obtaining it will include submitting some customary information and depending on your nationality, brief information about your stay in Mexico. The entire application takes no more than two minutes to complete!
After being approved by the Mexican authorities, your FMM Card will be sent to your email, which must be printed as the border control authorities expect you to show a hard copy instead of a digital version.
Lastly, please keep in mind that the Mexico Tourist Card doesn’t allow you to work or engage in business activities in the country. You can tour the colorful streets and beaches of Mexico City but not seek employment.
Mexico Visa
First things first, an FMM Card is NOT the same as a Mexico Visa!
The Mexico Visa is required if your stay in the country exceeds a duration of 180 days or if you’re from a specific set of nationalities.
All depending on your nationality or country of origin, Mexico
grants different kinds of visas and demands varying travel documents as prerequisites for their visa.
The foreign nationals of less than 70 countries can get visa-free access to Mexico for short visits — either up to 30 days to transit through or 180 days for tourism.
Check with a nearby Mexican embassy or your local airlines to know if you are allowed visa-free access.
For other travelers of about 170 countries, there is a requirement of applying for a consular visa to set foot inside the Mexican borders. Furthermore, a Mexico visa is not obtainable online! This means that you must complete the visa application for getting this travel document by physically going to the nearest embassy or consulate.
Please note that even if you’re among the foreign nationals that are exempt from needing a Mexico visa to enter Mexico, you still may need to get the Tourist Card!
Do I need Both?
Most people who want to travel to Mexico will only need the Mexico Tourist card. No visa needed!
Some travelers would require both: the Tourist Card as well as a Mexico visa to enter Mexico. As an example, if you hold a Cuban passport, you’ll be required to get a Mexico visa in addition to getting the Tourist Card.
Know that all tourists must possess an FMM Card to head to Mexico.
In the case of children, their parents or legal guardians may perform all the necessities of its application procedure.
Apply for Tourist Card at Natvisa.com
With Natvisa, applying for the Mexico Tourist Card is as straightforward as it can be. What’s more, the requirements are nothing you can’t easily meet.
When you click on “Apply Now” at the Mexico Tourist Card page on Natvisa, you’ll be asked to produce the following:
Valid passport: A Mexico Tourist Card application process cannot advance without a valid passport. Besides, the passport needs to be valid for at least 6 months from the date of your arrival in Mexico. Make sure to verify its expiry date before you apply!
Return or outbound tickets: You need to provide proof of plans of exiting Mexico within the authorized stay duration.
Debit/Credit Cards or PayPal: Unlike the Mexico Visa, the process of obtaining the Mexico Tourist Card is entirely online. The fee for the same can be paid via PayPal or any internationally serviceable debit or credit card.
Valid E-mail address: Natvisa will deliver you the FMM Card as a .pdf document to your email address. If your email ID isn’t functional or accurate, you won’t receive the document.
Our application form asks for your usual information, passport/identification data, and some specifics about your visit to Mexico.
You’ll also be prompted to select the Tourist Card type, between Mexico Tourist Card Air and Mexico Tourist Card Land; you can select the one that suits your itinerary the best.
Visiting Mexico
If someone tells you there are 1000 reasons to visit the magnetizing Mexico, tell them they are wrong!
There are many more!
From mesmerizing beaches to a delectable fine food scene, to the festive customs and ancient pyramids — all make Mexico an increasingly popular tourist destination with each passing day!
This tantalizing land of colors and diversity has famous beaches that lead into serene colonial cities while the resort townships open their gateways to beautiful oak forests buzzing with the chirps of parrots and mockingbirds.
With the folkloric pueblo houses sitting in the lap of hypnotic mountains that slope down to remote deserts near Spanish haciendas, and the remains of the Aztec empire and the Mayan cities lying unearthed outside of advanced cosmopolises, Mexico has so much to offer!
Let’s get working towards ticking off all your bucket list goals! Click on “Apply Now” today to get started with the journey of your dreams, which will be the perfect escape in these trying pandemic times!
Finally, if there are any questions or complications, feel free to get in touch with us via e-mail or social media, and we’ll love to help you out!
