Passport for Mexico

[jyager]

Help!!! I am going to Puerto Vallarta on March 4th. My passport expires on 6/30/06. I had heard that Mexico is going to start requiring passports. Does anyone know the specifics of this?? I had heard you need a six month cushion on your travel dates and the expiration date. Do you know when this starts??? Thanks!!!

 

[ripshion]

You should be fine! If you want you can bring along your birth certificate for backup. They say to allow about 6 weeks for passport renewals so if you sent yours in today there is a possibility you could not receive a new one back in time. Anyway, you should be good to go with the present one you have.

 

[debraxh]

A current passport for US citizens is not needed to travel to/from Mexico. An official birth certificate plus official photo id, or a passport which has expired less than 5 years ago is acceptable.

The new law which will require a current passport for travel to the caribbean, Mexico & Canada will go into effect in 2007.

 

[Jim in Cancun]

Passport

It is not Mexico who is requiring passports to get into Mexico. It is the U.S. government that is requiring passports for U.S. citizens TO GET BACK INTO THEIR OWN COUNTRY.

The link with info from the U.S. Government is http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

and most specifically in the FAQ at http://travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2225.html
which says among other things:

"When will the Travel Initiative be implemented?

In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:

December 31, 2006 – Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel."

And it is still not 100% sure it will have to be a passport since it also says:
"The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require all travelers, including U.S. citizens, to and from the Americas, the Caribbean, and Bermuda to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer’s identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the United States."

Also, this unilateral action on the part of the U.S. govenrment has been protested by Mexican, Canadian and Caribbean nations and is still not set in stone. Keep an eye on the U.S. official travel site.

Another interesting article is at:
http://www.jamaicaobserver.com/news...R_TRAVELLERS_ENTERING_FROM_CANADA__MEXICO.asp

 

[KarenK]

HOWEVER, on a trip to Mexico City in early 2004, I think, I was wisked away toa private office to explain why I did not have a current passport. I had taken an expired one, partly in error. The agent there asked me if I was not aware that a current passport was required to enter Mexico. Maybe Mexico City and the resort towns have different rules. But to be on the safe side, take as much proper ID as you have, just in case.

 

[geoffb]

Entry requirements for Mexico

http://www.frommers.com/destinations/mexico/0231020032.html

 

[Jim in Cancun]

passports

Mexico City and resort towns do not have different rules. The person who told you that either didn't know the rules or--most likely--was trying to scare you in the hopes of receiving a gratuity(mordida)for helping you out. Common practice I am afraid.

 

[KarenK]

Jim, I know that.
He asked me a lot of questions that were pertinent to nothing.
I showed him my driver's license and the only other photo OD I had was my Sam's Club card. He asked me a zillion questions about how much it cost for an annual membership, etc.
I offered him the half-sandwich I had left from the flight and he accepted it.

 

[Lerose]

It is not Mexico who is requiring passports to get into Mexico. It is the U.S. government that is requiring passports for U.S. citizens TO GET BACK INTO THEIR OWN COUNTRY.

"When will the Travel Initiative be implemented?

In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed timeline will be as follows:

December 31, 2006 – Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel."
[/url]

OK, so now I'm confused. We went to Canada (Whistler) for Christmas. We just had birth certificates. No problem going in to Canada but on the way back in to the US, the lady at the custom's desk didn't seem to like that we had birth certificates. She told us that starting January 24, 2006, we would need a passport to travel to Canada or Mexico. We're going to Cancun in June 2006 so I applied for a passport for myself and my daughter on a day I had to take her to a doctor's appointment. I didn't have time to get my son out of school too since the office is only open from 9-3 M-F. I was kind of bummed out with the fees because my son turns 16 in May. If I got the passport now, it's only good for 5 years for a child and we wouuld have to reapply again and pay the full adult fees. If I could wait until he's 16, we'd pay the adult fee but it would be good for 10 years. So if the new rule doesn't take effect until Dec 2006, I can still use my son's birth certificate to go to Mexico and get back into the US right? I don't know where the Customs lady came up with the January 24 date. I could have waited on the passports for me and my daughter too if that is the case since we don't have anything else international planned this year. I wonder if Customs will give us a hard time if me and my daughter have passports but my son only has a birth certificate?

Linda

 

[quiltergal]

Linda, just like everything else at DHS the right hand doesn't know what the left is doing. I believe Jim in Cancun is correct, it has been delayed until 2007. That said, traveling with a passport out of the country is soooo much easier. I've done it both ways and by far prefer traveling with a passport.

 

[geekette]

My understanding is that "some areas" require a passport to be valid for at least the next 6 months. Find out if you are going to such an area.

If you are that concerned about it, renew it expedited. I recently had to expedite because it was going to take a whole extra month BEYOND the 6 weeks "maximum". Showed up within 4 days.

 

[Jim in Cancun]

???

Why is that your "understanding?" Did you hear that? Read it? See it somewhere?

 

[Dave M]

geekette is correct, at least with respect to some countries. The U.S. State Department site makes that clear, typically discussing that fact in the Consular Information Sheeets for applicable countries. Here, for example, is an excerpt from the Japan CIS:

U.S. citizens entering or transiting Japan should ensure that their passports and visas are up to date before leaving the United States. Many Asian countries deny entry to travelers whose passports are valid for less than six months. It is not usually possible to obtain a new U.S. passport and foreign visa during a brief stopover while transiting Japan, as tourist passport processing in Japan can take approximately two weeks. Airlines in Japan will deny boarding to Americans who seek to transit Japan without the required travel documents for their final destinations in Asia.

In context with the message that preceded hers, I don't think she was referring to Mexico.

 

[Dave M]

Also, see this thread for more on the six-months rule.

 

[Jim in Cancun]

And Mexico?

So does this 6-month rule apply to Mexico?

 

[jyager]

Thanks for all the input!!!