Mexico, officially known as the United States of Mexico, is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world. People come from all over to visit sunny beaches or ancient historical sites. Plus, its cultural festivals, colonial towns and architecture, and natural beauty make it more than just a place to go when you want to lounge on the beach and a memorable place to visit. Depending on your nationality, if you want to visit Mexico, you may first need to apply for a Mexican visa.
However, not everyone must apply for a visa before coming to Mexico. There is a list of countries whose citizens are allowed to enter Mexico without a visa for stays of up to 180 days. This includes the United States, European Union and EFTA member states, Canada, Australia, etc.
Citizens of visa-exempt countries can travel to Mexico with just their passport and receive a tourist card upon arrival.
No, Mexico does not issue transit visas. If you change planes at a Mexican airport and your transit is less than 24 hours, when your plane lands, immigration officers will take your passport and escort you to the airport’s transit hall , where you can wait for your connecting flight. If you want to enter Mexico for any reason, even just for transit, you must have a valid Mexican tourist visa and tourist card.
You can apply for a Mexican visa at a Mexican embassy abroad. However, if you are from Turkey or Russia, you may be eligible to apply for a Mexican tourist visa online through an Electronic Travel Authorization (Sistema de Autorización Electrónica, SAE).
There are three main types of visas to Mexico, depending on the length of your stay:
You cannot get a Mexican visa upon arrival. What you are probably referring to is a Mexican tourist card, which is typically issued at the point of entry into Mexico – yes, upon arrival. Any foreigner coming to Mexico as a tourist, whether they need a visa or not, must have a Mexican tourist card before they can enter the country.
However, if you are from a country that grants a Mexican visa, you must apply for a visa before arriving in Mexico.
Only citizens of the following countries can apply for a Mexican visa online:
The online Mexican visa is called an Electronic Travel Authorization (Sistema de Autorización Electrónica , SAE) and is valid for entry allows its holder to stay in Mexico for up to 180 days.
However, you can only apply for a Mexico visa online if you intend to travel by air. If you enter the country by sea or land, you will not be eligible for SAE.
Mexico visa processing time depends on the specific embassy you apply to. Some only take about two days to process your visa, while others can take up to four weeks. You should check the website of the Mexican embassy you will be applying to or contact them to find out how long it will take to process your visa.
This is because not all embassies work at the same speed and while one embassy may process your visa within 2 working days, another may take 10 working days. This is why some embassies recommend making an appointment at least four weeks before your trip.
The duration of your Mexican visa depends on the type of visa you have. The validity of a tourist visa to Mexico is a maximum of 180 days.
However, when you arrive at the point of entry into Mexico, immigration officials may issue you a tourist card that is valid for 30, 60, or 90 days, not the full 180 days. Temporary residence visas in Mexico are valid for one year but can be renewed and renewed for up to four years. After four years of temporary residence, you can apply for permanent residence.
Whether or not you can extend your Mexico visa depends on the type of visa you have. If you receive a tourist card stating that the number of days you are allowed to stay in Mexico is less than 180, you can get an extension of up to 180 days.
However, you cannot extend your visa/tourist card beyond 180 days. You can apply to renew your tourist card at an immigration center in Mexico, but keep in mind that immigration officials usually do not allow visa extensions.
On the other hand, if you have a temporary residence visa in Mexico, you can renew/renew the visa for up to four years, at which point you will be eligible to become a permanent resident.
If you overstay your Mexican tourist card, you must go to an immigration office in Mexico or an airport immigration center and pay a fine, calculated based on the number of days you have overstayed. Next, you must arrange to obtain an exit visa before departure.
If you lose your Mexican tourist card, you must go to an immigration office to get a replacement card. You will also have to pay a replacement fee.
To work (legally) in Mexico, you need a job offer as well as a Mexican work permit. Your employer must obtain a work permit for you from the National Institute of Migration (Instituto Nacional de Migración, INM).
Next, you need to apply for a work visa to be able to enter the country for work purposes and apply for a temporary residence card.
Anyone wishing to stay in Mexico for more than six months, regardless of nationality, must obtain a Mexican temporary residence permit, valid for one year and renewable for up to four years.
In addition, if they want to work, they must have a work permit. You cannot enter the country on a tourist visa or tourist card and then extend it for more than six months. Although some visa-exempt nationals enter Mexico with a tourist card, leave before the card expires, then re-enter and gain an additional 180 days of residency, this is not recommended.
This is because you cannot work while holding a tourist pass, meaning any work you do during this time will be illegal. So if you want to live and work legally in Mexico, you need a temporary residence visa and a work permit.
https://visaguide.world/north-america-caribbean/mexico-visa/
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