Mexico Visa Types

In 2020 Mexico ranked 3rd in the world with 51 million tourists arriving in its territory. Most of this amount of people need to apply for a visa before arriving in the country.

The Mexican government implemented different visa types to adjust the entry and stay rules to travelers' needs.

In this article, you will find a short description of various Mexican visa types, such as:

• Mexico Visitor Visa
• Electronic Visa (SAE)
• Mexico Work Visa
• Mexico Temporary Resident Visa
• Mexico Resident Visa
• Mexico Tourist Card (FMM)

Mexico Visitor Visa

Mexico visitor visa is the best option for foreign travelers who plan to arrive in Mexico and stay there for a short time of up to 6 months. They cannot get paid for activities undertaken during the travel. These may include only tourism-related purposes, transit, business, training, or volunteering.

Mexico tourist visa

Mexican tourist visa is addressed to tourists from eligible countries. Applicants may deal with formalities at the nearest embassy or consulate. Among required documents are a passport, personal details, the purpose of the visit, evidence of sufficient financial resources for travel, criminal record (if applicable), and details of previous travels to Mexico (if applicable)

Mexico business visa

Business Mexico visa is granted to business people who travel to Canada for business-related reasons like conferences, business meetings, negotiations, etc. Eligible applicants go to the Mexican embassy and submit a visa application with supporting documents. They may be asked to prove their professional skills and show an invitation letter from the Mexican company.

Mexico transit visa

If you transit through Mexico to another location, and your stay will last more than 24 hours, or you leave the transit hall of the Mexico International Airport, you will need a transit Mexico visa. Besides the basic documents required for visa application, the Mexican authorities require a copy of the onward travel ticket to let the traveler into the country.

Electronic Visa (SAE)

Travelers of eligible nationalities have another option to visit Mexico. It is electronic travel authorization, named Sistema de Autorización Electrónica (SAE). The application process is very convenient and saves a lot of time. You can deal with formalities from home. Requirements are minimized to make the application as easy as possible.

Mexico Work Visa

Those who want to work and earn money in Mexico must apply for a work visa. The most popular in this visa category is a temporary work visa. To enter Mexico, an applicant must provide a completed application form and supporting documents like proof of work contract or received a job offer and tax payments evidence.

Mexico Temporary Resident Visa

The Temporary Resident Visa allows visitors to enter Mexico multiple times within a maximum 4-year validity time. To receive this visa, applicants must fulfill financial requirements and prove they have enough financial means to live in Mexico.

The document is not issued by consulates outside Mexico like other visas. Instead, an applicant gets pre-approval of the application and must go to the immigration office in Mexico to receive the final approval. It should be done within 30 days after arrival into the country.

After 4 years of temporary residence, visa holders working in Mexico may ask to change the visa into a permanent stay permit.

Mexico Resident Visa

Unlike the resident visa, the permanent resident visa to Mexico is addressed to foreign visitors who wish to settle down in this country, work, and start a family there. This visa type is the next step to obtaining citizenship in Mexico.

The permanent visa may be transformed from a temporary one, but it is not required. It also doesn't have to equal a work permit. Everything depends on an individual's status and living circumstances. Investors and professionals are welcome when it comes to people who want to earn money in Mexico.

The Mexico Resident Visa is also available for those with an independent income. They may be retirees or visitors who will live with their relatives from Mexico.

Mexico Tourist Card (FMM)

The Mexico Tourist Card (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) is a document issued to the eligible traveler who intends to arrive in Mexico by air or land. Although it is not a visa, it allows its holders to stay in Mexico for up to 180 days. The government of Mexico implemented this single-entry permit in 2015 to facilitate entry procedures for tourists from outside the country.

The Mexico Tourist Card is an electronic document that applicants can apply for without leaving home. The approved FMM is delivered in a PDF file to the traveler's email given in the application form.

A valid passport and a flight ticket are enough to deal with formalities. The process of processing and approving the permit takes up to 3 business days, so it is great facilitation and safeness of time for travelers coming to Mexico for tourism purposes.