In the coming weeks, Mexico will roll out an electronic visa (e-Visa) system for foreign travelers who require a visa and enter the country by air.
Currently, foreign nationals who need a visa to visit Mexico must apply in person at a Mexican embassy or consulate. This process is about to change.
On July 25, Mexican authorities approved the launch of a new e-Visa system for certain categories of travelers arriving by plane.
As of today, the e-Visa application portal is not yet live, but it is expected to open in the next few weeks.
Who will need an electronic visa to travel to Mexico?
Details of the new online visa system were published in the Diario Oficial de la Federación (Mexico’s Official Gazette), stating that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will soon release the list of nationalities eligible for the new e-Visa process.
For those travelers, the e-Visa will replace the traditional visa application process at Mexican diplomatic missions. The application will be completed entirely online: applicants will fill out a form, upload their documents, and pay the fee through a dedicated portal.
Once approved, the visa will be issued as an electronic document with a QR code, which travelers must present at airport immigration control. This move is part of Mexico’s effort to align its entry requirements with international standards already in place in many other countries.
The electronic visa will be available only to travelers arriving in Mexico by air without permission to carry out paid activities such as tourism, business, or visiting friends and family. Entries by land or sea will not be covered by this system and will still require the traditional procedures.
Travelers exempt from the electronic visa requirement
Many visitors will not be affected by this change. Citizens of the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, the United States, Japan, and South Korea can already enter Mexico without a visa for short stays.
Also exempt are travelers holding a valid permanent residence permit or a valid multiple-entry visitor visa issued by the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Japan, or a Schengen Area country. These documents already allow visa-free entry into Mexico.
Mexico e-Visa: Validity and required documents
The e-Visa will be valid for 180 days from the date of issuance and will allow a single entry into Mexico by air.
To request the electronic visa, applicants will need to provide:
- A completed online application form with all information required by the immigration authority.
- A recent digital photograph, without glasses, on a white background, in .jpg, .jpeg, or .png format, and weighing 2 to 5 MB.
- A scanned image of the identification page of a valid passport or travel document, in .jpg, .jpeg, or .png format, also between 2 MB and 5 MB, properly cropped and clearly legible.
- Online payment of the administrative fee, set at USD 54, covering processing, authorization, and issuance of the visa.
It is important to note that having a visa does not guarantee entry into Mexico. It only allows the traveler to present themselves at a border inspection point to request admission. Entry is still subject to approval by health and immigration authorities, who may verify compliance with legal requirements and question travelers about the purpose of their visit.
