There are 195 countries in the world. Each of those countries has something special. It can be religion, cuisine, traditions, nature, and so on. Such kinds of differences make us visit those destinations. Human beings have an unstoppable desire to experience something new. Today, we will travel to Mexico, the country which is famous for its delicious and hot cuisine, etc. The cuisine of Mexico has worldwide fame. Famous actress Karla Souza said the following words about Mexican food: " Mexican cuisine is one of the most mesmerizing experiences which people must try." Of course, there is more than just food in this country. Millions of people travel to Mexico per year, and there is no doubt that some readers want to discover this land. Considering this, we decided to talk about tourist visa for Mexico. In this blog, you will get answers to these questions:
• Do I need a tourist visa for Mexico?
• How to get a tourist visa for Mexico?
• How long does Mexico tourist visa processing time take?
• What are the requirements for tourist visa to Mexico?
• Which documents required for Mexico tourist visa?
• How much is Mexico tourist visa fee?
Mexico Visa Policy
First of all, let's get some general information about the visa policy of Mexico. Today, citizens of 65 countries can travel to the country without a visa. If you are not from one of those countries, you must apply for Mexico tourist visa (or other visa types). Generally, there are various visa types depending on the purpose of the visit and stay duration. We can divide visa types into the following categories:
• Tourist Visa
• Business Visa
• Visa with an invitation by a Mexican organization that will sponsor the trip
• Student Visa (for people who will stay less than 180 days)
• Invitation by the Government of Mexico (Federal Level)
• Work visa (for people who will stay less than 180 days)
• Work visa
• Family Reunion (for spouse and children)
• Student Visa (for people who will stay more than 180 days)
• Visa with an invitation by a Mexican organization that will sponsor the stay in the country
Who Needs A Visa?
Do I need a tourist visa for Mexico? As we said above, only residents from visa-waiver countries can visit Mexico without a visa. Which countries are they? People who have any valid Canada, Japan, USA, United Kingdom, Schengen visas (any nationality) or permanent residence of USA, Canada, Japan, United Kingdom, Schengen, Pacific Alliance (Colombia, Peru, Chile) do not require a Mexican visa. They can travel on business, tourism, or transit reasons for or less than six months as long as they show any of the mentioned documents at the entry. If you want to check the complete list, go to the visa policy sections of our website.
Mexico Tourist visa
People who want to see sightseeing places and enjoy all of the wonders of Mexico must have a tourist visa for Mexico. How long is the Mexico tourist visa duration? Mexico tourist visa duration lasts for a maximum of 180 days. People who want to stay more than six months must leave the country temporarily and apply for a new visa. What to do in Mexico? There are plenty of things to do and see during your journey. We advise you to taste the delicious local cuisine. Some of the most famous foods are Chilaquiles, Tacos al pastor, Pozole, Tostadas, Chiles en nogada, etc. Also, there are plenty of places to see, such as Tulum, Playa del Carmen, Cancun, Guanajuato, Puebla, etc.
How To Get A Tourist Visa?
How to get a tourist visa for Mexico? There are two ways to get a visa to Mexico; a Mexico tourist visa online application and a paper-based one. People who want a Mexico tourist visa online application can realize it through the Electronic Travel Authorization (Sistema de Autorizacion Electronica). If you plan to get an Electronic Travel Authorization, you will need to travel to the country by air. On the other hand, people who will apply for standard (paper-based) applications will follow the following steps:
• Setting up an appointment
• Collecting the documents
• Paying the fee
• Participating in the interview
• Waiting for processing time
Tourist Visa Requirements
Everyone who wants to get a visa must answer the requirements for tourist visa to Mexico. It is one of the most crucial steps of the visa application process. The documents required for Mexico tourist visa are:
• Mexico tourist visa application form. All tourists must do it. Mexico tourist visa application form must be fully completed, signed, and dated by the applicant.
• Passport. You must provide a valid passport (at least six months) with a clear photocopy of the main page.
• National identity card and resident permit or visa copy - if the applicant is not a citizen of the country where he (she) applies, he (she) must provide a residence permit card.
• Photo. All applicants should give a new photograph. Your face must cover 80% of the photo, and you mustn't wear any glasses. Furthermore, try to avoid dressing in clothes that match the background (it should be white).
• Employer letter. You will get this letter from your employer. The letter must show the date of joining.
• Original payslips for the last 90 days
• Personal bank statement or passbook. Both of them must be certified by the bank for the last 90 days. You will need them as proof of financial means.
• Document for spouses: People who are financially dependent on the applicant, must show a marriage certificate.
• Papers for children and applicants under 25 years old: People who are financially dependent on the applicant will need the birth certificate.
• Document for parents of the applicant. Here, applicants must show the birth certificate to prove the parent-child relationship.
You may need to provide some additional papers in the embassy. So, get in touch with them to be sure that you have all the wanted papers.
Mexico Tourist Visa Fee
The next step is paying the Mexico tourist visa fee. How much does it cost? The charge that you will need to give changes between 15-35 USD. The fee changes depending on the applicants' country. A tourist visa is a subcategory of Mexico Short-term Visa, and payments for all subcategories are the same.
Mexico Tourist Interview
As a part of the standard visa application process, you will need to take part in a visa interview. During the interview, you will need to answer some questions to show your purpose of the visit and prove that your aim is just tourism. Regardless of the question, you must give only honest and right answers. Keep in mind that the person that asks questions already has information about you. So, do not try to cheat. Examples of interview questions are:
• Are you traveling alone? If you travel with parents, spouse or children, mention them.
• Are you working somewhere?
• What is the purpose of your visit? Of course, your aim is tourism. It would be great to give some location names while answering this question.
• Can you show your bank statement?
• How long do you plan to stay in the country?
• Some general information about your life, job, etc
Mexico Tourist Visa Processing Time
After finishing all the subsequent steps that we mentioned, you will need to wait for the Mexico tourist visa processing time. Probably, most of you will agree that it is the most annoying and exciting step of the visa application process. During the processing time, we create thousands of disastrous ends in our minds. How long will I wait? The average processing time for tourist visas changes between 2-15 days. Of course, such as a fee, the charge may vary depending on the country.
Where To Apply For A Visa?
As we said, there is an option to apply online. If this option is not reachable, you can apply for Mexico tourist visa in visa application centers, embassies, or consulates (whichever is responsible for visa applications in your country of residency). If none of them are reachable in your country, you must apply to the closest embassy or consulate to your location.
Reasons For Mexico Tourist Visa Rejection
Millions of people have a dream of visiting Mexico. Of course, not all of them reach their dreams. There can be various reasons for this, and one of them is getting a rejection from visa applications. That is why all applicants must be careful. Some of the reasons are:
• Financial means. While traveling to any country, you must have enough money to cover all of your expenses. You can calculate the estimated amount of money that you will need in any country. There are various websites for this.
• Criminal record. It may seem unfair for most people, but having a criminal background may cause problems. So, try to stay away from such kinds of illegal activities.
• Incorrect or lack of documents. Providing false or not giving any documents will end with rejection. Sometimes people just forget to present some documents. To avoid such problems, we advise you to write down all needed documents (as a checklist).
• The passport may not have enough validity.