Mexico tightens travel requirements for South American visitors

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Mexican immigration authorities have recently decided to reinstate a visa requirement for travelers from Venezuela, Ecuador, and Brazil after it was detected that large numbers of those alleged tourists were in fact seeking to go overland and attempt to cross into the United States. .

The latest addition to the list was that of Venezuelan citizens after it was determined that the number of those who entered Mexican territory to reach the United States had increased by more than 1000%. Between January and October 2021, some 2,228 Venezuelans were detained and transferred to the National Migration Institute stations, the highest number for any country outside of Central America and the Caribbean, it was reported. Venezuela was added to the website of the Interior Ministry last Friday.

In August 2021, a similar measure had been applied to Brazilian and Ecuadorian passport holders.

Some 38,000 Brazilians had been detected who tried to cross into the United States illegally between April and August. The profile of Brazilians “does not coincide with that of the genuine visitor or tourist and they present inconsistencies” in their documents, the Mexican authorities pointed out.

The measure on Brazilian citizens, who were exempt from Mexican visas since 2004, has been in force since December 11, while it will take effect from March 2022 for citizens of Ecuador, who had just been exempted from visas in 2018 .

The Mexican government said that “there has been a substantial increase in Ecuadorians who enter the national territory under the aforementioned instrument, with a purpose other than that allowed by the condition of stay of a visitor without permission to carry out paid activities.”

“Networks of criminal organizations dedicated to illicit trafficking” of Ecuadorians have been detected who made use of this document for profit with the intention of emigrating irregularly using Mexico as a transit country, the Foreign Ministry continued, explaining that the decision “to safeguard the integrity and life of migrants, as well as to help combat networks of human traffickers.”

Some 190,000 migrants have been detained by Mexican authorities between January and September, three times more than the previous year when 74,300 were deported. The new measures are believed to be the result of pressure from the government of US President Joseph Biden.

Americans seeking to visit Mexico will need to present a series of documents.  / Photography: Millennium Digital Design.

The border between Mexico and the United States is known as the busiest in the world and represents one of the main sources of income for binational tourism. However, these two countries have their own requirements to enter their territories. While Mexicans apply for a tourist visa issued for ten years, the American population requires different paperwork. 

Are you planning to visit Mexico? Take into account that the requirements will vary depending on whether you enter the country by air or land,  but before explaining what documents you need, it is important that you know the list of countries and regions that do not require a visa to enter the United States of Mexico by clicking HERE.

These are the requirements to enter Mexico: 

Airway

 

  • Have a passport, it must be valid before and during the stay in the country.
  • Fill out the Multiple Immigration Form, it will be found within the airport facilities or you can obtain it digitally by clicking HERE .
  • Check reason for visit, either by presenting hotel reservation, employment letter, school letter. In the case of educational plans, present a document that verifies the study plan for a period of no more than 180 days. 

Land route: 

  • Have a valid passport before and during the stay in the country.
  • Comply with a payment of 20 dollars in case of not carrying out activities that will be remunerated.
  • In case of traveling with luggage that exceeds the national limit and that has a value greater than 75 dollars, they must be declared. 
  • Process a temporary vehicle permit, this will be necessary to drive in Mexican territory. 
  • Other requirements will be necessary in case of traveling with a pet, transporting merchandise from the United States to Mexico or traveling with medications.

Mexico Daily Post