Genvisec advises that all business and leisure travel should continue to Mexico. Higher risk visitors may require specific security advice.

 

Crime

 

Crime and violence are serious problems in Mexico. Most victims are Mexicans, many of them believed to be involved in criminal activity, but the security situation also poses risks for foreigners. Many Mexican and foreign businesses choose to hire private security. You should research your destination thoroughly and only travel during daylight hours. Monitor local media and inform trusted contacts of your travel plans.

 

The Mexican government makes efforts to protect major tourist destinations like Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta and these areas have not seen the levels of drug-related violence and crime experienced elsewhere. There have been several instances of armed crime both within and outside tourist areas in Acapulco.

 

When driving, avoid isolated roads and use toll roads (‘cuotas’) whenever possible. Keep car doors locked and windows closed, especially at traffic lights. There have been a number of violent car-jackings and robberies along the Pacific Highway and you should be careful when travelling on this route. Those travelling in large camper vans or sports utility vehicles (SUVs) have been targeted in the past. If you suspect you’re being followed or watched, drive to a police station or other safe place.

 

Be particularly alert on public transport, at airports and in bus stations. Theft on buses is common so keep an eye on your belongings at all times. Buses have also been hijacked. Where possible, travel on first-class buses using toll roads, which have a lower rate of incidents than second and third class buses travelling on the less secure free (‘libre’) roads. Most first-class bus companies perform security checks when passengers board the bus.

 

Passengers have been robbed and assaulted by unlicensed taxi drivers including in Mexico City. In Mexico City, use the better regulated ‘sitio’ taxis from authorised cab ranks. At airports, use only authorised pre-paid airport taxi services.

 

Women travelling on their own should be particularly alert when travelling on public transport. There have been incidents of rape on urban buses (‘micros’) on routes in the south of Mexico City. Most attacks have occurred early in the morning or late at night. Several serious sexual offences have also occurred in tourist areas outside of Mexico City. Take care even in areas close to hotels, and especially after dark.

 

Don’t leave food and drinks unattended in bars and restaurants. Travellers have been robbed or assaulted after being drugged.

 

Street crime is a serious problem in major cities and tourist resort areas. Pick-pocketing is common on the Mexico City Metro. Dress down and avoid wearing expensive jewellery or watches. Limit the amount of cash or credit/debit cards you carry with you. Keep a close watch on briefcases and luggage, even in apparently secure places like the lobby of your hotel.

 

Take care when withdrawing money from ATMs or exchanging money at Bureau de Change. It’s generally safer to use ATMs during daylight hours and inside shops or malls.

 

Be wary of people presenting themselves as police officers trying to fine or arrest you for no apparent reason. If in doubt, ask for identification and if possible note the officer’s name, badge number, and patrol car number.

 

Foreign visitors and residents may be targeted by scam artists. Be wary of strangers approaching you or contacting you by phone asking for personal information or financial help. If you or your relatives or friends are asked to transfer money to Mexico make absolutely sure that it is not part of a scam and that you have properly checked with the person receiving the money that they are requesting it.

 

Kidnapping

 

Short-term opportunistic kidnapping - called ‘express kidnapping’ - can occur, particularly in urban areas. Victims are forced to withdraw funds from credit or debit cards at a cash point to secure their release. Where victims have friends or relatives living locally, a ransom may be demanded from them. You should comply with requests and not attempt to resist such attacks.

 

Longer-term kidnapping for financial gain also occurs, and there have been allegations of police officers being involved. Be discreet about discussing your financial or business affairs in places where you may be overheard by others.

 

Violence

 

Drug-related violence in Mexico has increased over recent years. The violence is concentrated in specific areas, and some regions are almost completely spared. Make sure you research your destination thoroughly.

 

Many fatalities are suspected gang members killed in turf wars between the different organisations that compete for control of trafficking routes into the US. Drug-related violence is a particular problem in the northern states of Sonora, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Tamaulipas, Sinaloa and Durango, and also in Guerrero, Jalisco, Michoacán and Nayarit. Armed clashes between security forces and drug groups can occur at any time without warning. You should exercise extreme caution outside of tourist areas in all of these states.

 

In Ciudad Juarez you should take care, travel during daylight, inform relatives or friends of your travel plans and use reputable hotels only.

 

Outbursts of politically-motivated violence can occur across the country, with a recent increase in the states of Guerrero and Mexico City.

 

Road travel

You can drive in Mexico using a UK licence or an International Driving Permit. Driving standards are very different from the UK. Roads can be pot-holed. Be prepared to stop unexpectedly and beware of vehicles moving slowly, changing lane without indicating and going through red lights. Many local drivers don’t have any form of car insurance.

 

To reduce air pollution, Mexico City and some other parts of the country have introduced restrictions on driving. Cars may be forbidden from entering certain areas on particular days, based on their number plates. These regulations are strictly enforced and offenders face heavy fines and temporary confiscation of their vehicle. This only applies to older vehicles and not to newer models which are often used for car hire. Please double check with your car hire company directly.

 

There is an additional driving restriction in Mexico City, where vehicles without registration plates from the State of Mexico (Estado de Mexico) or the Federal District (DF) are not allowed to enter Mexico City from Monday to Friday between 5:00am and 11:00am.

 

You may come across unofficial roadblocks, including on main roads, manned by local groups seeking money for an unofficial local toll.

 

Swimming and water sports

 

Water sports equipment may not meet UK or international safety standards and you may not be covered by accident insurance. This applies particularly to scuba diving, parasailing and jet-skiing. Make sure the company meets the required safety standards. Check that you’re covered by your travel insurance.

 

Shark attacks are relatively rare in Mexico, but you should take care, particularly when surfing.

 

Hotel safety

 

In some hotels, balcony balustrades may not be as high as you expect and there could be a risk of falling.

 

Political situation

 

Mexico has an established multiparty democracy. Political demonstrations are common in Mexico City and can occur across the country. These can be tense and confrontational and could potentially turn violent. Onlookers can be quickly drawn in. You should monitor local media and avoid all demonstrations.

 

The Mexican constitution prohibits political activities by foreigners. Participation in demonstrations may result in detention and deportation.

 

The Mexico City Command and Control Centre (Centro de Atención a Emergencias y Proteción Ciudadana de la Ciudad de México) has information and advice on safety in Mexico City. Monitor their twitter page ‘Safe City’ for up-to-date information and advice on accidents, road blocks, demonstrations, etc in Mexico City.

 

 

Local laws and customs

 

The Mexican Police have the authority to ask for proof of legal status in Mexico and, on occasion, have detained Foreign nationals without documents. You should carry photocopies of the relevant pages of your passport and of the stamped ‘Forma Migratoria Múltiple’ (FMM) given to you on arrival in Mexico at all times. If you’re a resident you may be asked to provide your residency card issued by the Mexican government.

 

If you’re travelling between states or near international borders, you may be stopped by Mexican immigration authorities for immigration checks. You’ll need to be able to provide your passport and FMM slip. Copies are not accepted. If you’re unable to produce these documents, you may be detained, held at an immigration holding centre, and ultimately deported.

 

Don’t become involved with drugs of any kind. Penalties for drug offences are severe. Convictions carry sentences of up to 25 years. You also risk exposure to organised crime.

 

Although civil unions between same sex partners are now legal in Mexico City and the state of Coahuila, homosexuality in Mexico is generally tolerated, rather than accepted. Public displays of affection between same sex couples may be frowned upon.

 

 

Health

 

Not all hospitals will agree to deal directly with medical insurance companies. You should be prepared to pay for treatment yourself up front and then seek a refund. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.

 

Drink only boiled or bottled water and avoid ice in drinks.

 

On arrival in Mexico City and other high altitude areas, you may feel a lack of energy, shortness of breath or headaches. 

 

There have been cases of cholera in the State of Hidalgo.

 

Cases of Chikunyunga virus have been confirmed in Mexico and the number of reported cases in the region is increasing. You should take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. 

 

If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 060, 065, 066 or 068 and ask for an ambulance. In Mexico City, you can also use the emergency buttons on CCTV cameras visible across the city which will immediately connect you to the emergency services. You should contact your insurance/medical assistance company promptly if you are referred to a medical facility for treatment.

 

 

Money

 

 local currency is the Mexican Nuevo Peso, known colloquially as ‘Peso’. It’s easier to exchange US dollar travellers’ cheques and notes into local currency than Sterlin/Euro. Debit and credit cards are widely accepted for payment and in ATMs. It’s not usually possible to exchange cash at hotel receptions - this can only be done at banks and bureaux de change.

 

Natural Disasters

 

 Hurricanes

 

The hurricane season in Mexico normally runs from June to November and can affect both the Pacific and Atlantic coasts. Monitor local and international weather updates from the US National Hurricane Center, and check with the local authorities or your tour operator for any changes to your travel plans.

 

See our tropical cyclones page for information and advice about what to do if you’re caught up in a storm.

 

Earthquakes

 

Most of Mexico is occasionally subject to earthquakes. Tremors occur regularly, particularly in the states of Oaxaca and Guerrero.

 

The US Federal Emergency Management Agency has advice about what to do before, during and after an earthquake as does the Mexican Ministry of Civil Protection (in Spanish only).

 

Volcanoes

 

The Popocatepetl and Colima volcanoes are active and closed to the public. There are danger zones around both volcanoes, the size of which can change depending on the current level of activity. The latest information on the current status of the Colima volcano can be found on the website of the University of Colima’s Volcano Observatory. For updates on the Popocatepetl volcano, visit the website of the Mexican Disaster Prevention Centre.

 

 

Entry Requirements

 

Visas

 

If you’re visiting Mexico as a tourist you don’t need a visa, but you do need a tourist card, which you can get on arrival by completing an immigration form available at border crossings or on-board flights to Mexico.

 

If you’re crossing the border into Mexico from the US, there won’t be an immigration officer at the port of entry, but you’ll need to identify the nearest immigration office and clear your immigration status before you continue your journey into Mexico. The immigration office can usually be found close to the border area, and customs officials at the border should be able to tell you where to find it. If you fail to clear immigration at this point, it is often more complicated to do so once you have left the border area.

 

You need a tourist card to leave the country. If you lose your tourist card you can get it replaced at the immigration office at any international airport in Mexico. The cost of a replacement is $295 Mexican Pesos, which is payable at a bank.

 

There have been reports of bogus immigration officers operating within international airports. You should always refuse offers of help and head directly to the immigration office.

 

Tourists are not allowed to undertake voluntary (including human rights) work, or activity, or any form of paid employment. If you wish to carry out this type of work you must get the correct visa from the Mexican Embassy before you travel.

 

You may need a visa to undertake certain adventure or eco-tourism activities like caving, potholing or entomology, especially if they involve any scientific or technological research. The Mexican authorities may define scientific or technological research activities far more broadly than other countries. If you’re in any doubt, check with the Mexican Embassy in your home country well in advance of your visit and ask for written confirmation if necessary.

 

It is no longer possible to switch immigration status in-country. You can’t enter Mexico on a tourist visa and then change it for a work visa. You must apply at the Mexican Consulate of your normal place of residence in plenty of time before you are due to travel.

 

Passport validity

 

Your passport should be valid for the proposed duration of your stay in Mexico.

 

The Mexican authorities have confirmed they will accept British passports extended by 12 months by British Embassies and Consulates under additional measures put in place in mid-2014.

 

Yellow fever

 

Yellow Fever vaccination is required for travellers who are arriving from, or have transited through, countries with risk of yellow fever transmission.

 

Travelling with children

 

The Mexican authorities have suspended the rules which came into effect in May 2011 requiring children under 18 years of age travelling alone, or accompanied by an adult who is not the parent or legal guardian, to apply for a special permit to leave the country. These rules now only apply to Mexican nationals or foreigners with dual Mexican nationality. The accompanying adult may, however, be asked to provide evidence of his or her relationship with the child.

 

Although there is currently no specific requirement for authorisation by an absent parent, single parents who are not, or who appear not to be, the child’s parent (eg if they have a different family name) may be asked to show evidence of their relationship with the child and the reason why they are travelling with the child. This evidence could include a birth or adoption certificate, divorce or marriage certificates, or a Parental Responsibility Order.

 

Travelling to Mexico via the US

 

If you’re travelling to Mexico via the US, even if you’re only transiting, check the US entry requirements with the US Embassy in your home country. If you don’t have the correct authorisation you will not be allowed to travel to or transit through the US.

 

Importing meat or dairy products

 

You can’t bring meat or dairy products into Mexico from the EU.

 

 Emergency Travel Documents

 

Emergency Travel Documents (ETDs) should be valid for a minimum period of 6 months from the date of entry into Mexico and are accepted for entry, airside transit and exit from Mexico.