PASSPORT
AND VISA REQUIREMENTS FOR MEXICO
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1. If
you are a United States
citizen there are new requirements for travel to Mexico. Please visit the U.S. State Dept. website for details.
Passports are now a requirement for U.S.
citizens traveling to Mexico
and there is a back-up in issuing them. If you need a passport or need to
renew, please begin at least 4-6 months in advance.
2. If
you are a citizen of another country and traveling to Mexico you need
to go to a Mexican consulate abroad to ask about the requirements and to take
the necessary steps to get your visa. The requirements differ from country to
country.
However,
if you are a citizen of Andorra, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium,
Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France,
Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Island, Israel, Italy, Japan,
Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland,
Portugal, Puerto Rico, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, South Korea,
Sweden, Switzerland, Uruguay or Venezuela, you don't need a visa to enter
Mexico, although you must present a valid passport and fill out an immigration
form for tourists and business trips, which can be obtained in travel agencies,
airlines or at the point where you enter Mexico.
The
governmental agency in charge of immigration control and policy in Mexico is the National Immigration Institute (INM
in Spanish). The INM is part of the Ministry of the Interior (Segob). We
recommend that you visit
their web site for further information.
3. If you are residing in the U.S.
but hold a J-1 or H-1B visa the following information provided by the National
Postdoc Association will be helpful in organizing your documents for travel to
the III PAPMBW. For individuals on J-1 visa it is important to make sure that
your DS-2019 is current. You may travel with an expired visa stamp if all your
other documents are in order.
See the tables below on
travel to Mexico.
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J-1
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H-1B
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I
plan to travel to Canada
or Mexico.
My passport has an expired visa stamp but my other USCIS documents have been
revalidated and will be current when traveling. Can I re-enter the United States
without getting a new visa stamp in my passport?
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If
you travel to Mexico or other contiguous island territories for less than 30
days, it is not necessary to re-enter with a valid J-1 visa if the following
conditions are met:
1) you re-enter with a valid I-94 card;
2) your passport is valid for at least six months from date of re-entry;
3) you possess your original DS-2019 that has been properly endorsed for
travel and re-entry within the past ten months; and,
4) you do not apply for the visa at the U.S. consulate.
NOTE:
If you are flying to Mexico,
make sure that the airline does not take your I-94 upon your departure. Provide the airline with a photocopy of
your I-94.
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If
you travel to Mexico or other contiguous island territories for less than 30
days, it is not necessary to re-enter with a valid H-1B visa if the following
conditions are met:
1) you re-enter with a valid I-94 card;
2) your passport is valid for at least six months from date of re-entry;
3) you possess your Notice of Approval; and,
4) you do not apply for the visa at the U.S. consulate.
For
appropriate travel documents and instructions, contact your
employer's/institution's international office.
NOTE:
If you are flying to Mexico,
make sure that the airline does not take your I-94 upon your departure. Provide the airline with a photocopy of
your I-94.
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How long can I stay in Mexico with an expired visa stamp
but revalidated USCIS documents?
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Up to 30 days.
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Up to 30 days.
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What other documentation should I take to Mexico so that there will be no problem when I
re-enter the U.S.?
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You are strongly advised to carry recent evidence of
financial support for the total duration of your stay in the U.S.
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You are strongly advised to carry a letter from your
employer/institution confirming your employment, job title and salary as well
as your original H-1B Notice of Approval.
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