馃尞 Mexico

Official government travel advice

Advice changes quickly. Check it before you travel and again before you leave.

Recent disaster alerts (UN/EU GDACS)

  • Orange Tropical cyclone Tropical Cyclone SIMON-26 Ended 16 Oct 2026 Affects: Mexico Source: GDACS

Updated 4 Nov 2026. Alerts change quickly: check GDACS and your government's advice before you travel.

Costs

Prices here are about 54% of US prices (World Bank, 2025). This compares a country's overall prices, not the cost of a trip.

Practical information

Entry

Visa rules depend on your passport; check the official site below. If you need a Mexican visa, apply well ahead at a Mexican embassy or consulate. The online authorisation (SAE) is for a short list of nationalities - check whether yours is on it. Mexican official information says you can skip the visa if you hold a valid visa or residence permit for the United States, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom or the Schengen area - conditions apply, so confirm with the embassy before you book. Carry a passport valid for 6 months, a return ticket, hotel details and proof of funds.

Culture and safety - take note

Mexicans are friendly and family-oriented: greet with a handshake, and a cheek kiss between women or friends. Meals are late and long, and tipping about 10-15% is expected. Churches are active places of worship - dress modestly and do not photograph during services. Do not drink tap water. Safety varies by state: popular tourist areas are generally fine with normal care, but some governments advise against travel to certain states - check your own government's travel advice before you go. Use official taxis or ride-hailing apps, withdraw cash at ATMs inside banks, keep valuables hidden and do not buy or carry drugs. Mexico City is at high altitude - rest on the first day. Halal food is limited outside Mexico City and tourist resorts.

Emergency

911 for police, ambulance and fire.

Good to know

Card fraud and cash machines

The currency is the peso. Canadian advice says card fraud is frequent: cover the keypad when entering a PIN, avoid unusual card readers and do not hand a card to bar or restaurant staff. Use cash machines inside a bank or business or in public areas, and avoid those in public areas of airports. Small bills are handy for taxis. UK advice suggests daylight use inside shops or malls.

Local laws and customs

Passport, vapes and detention

Officials may ask to see a passport and entry stamp, and copies or photos are not accepted, UK advice says. Bringing in, buying or selling e-cigarettes and vapes is illegal; customs confiscate them, and fines or detention are possible. Drug penalties are severe, and Canadian advice says police can hold people for up to 72 hours for petty offences such as public urination. Mexican law does not prohibit same-sex sexual acts, though acceptance varies, especially in rural areas, according to Canadian advice.

Taxis and scams

Authorised taxis in Mexico

Passengers have been robbed and assaulted by unlicensed taxi drivers, UK advice says; it recommends the better regulated sitio taxis from authorised ranks, or a taxi ordered by your hotel, and at airports only authorised pre-paid airport taxi services. Canadian advice adds that card fraud happens in street-hailed taxis, even licensed ones, so choose officially marked taxis, carry small bills, and arrange and pre-pay inside the airport terminal or at the designated stand.

Fake police and virtual kidnapping

People posing as police who demand cash or try to fine or arrest travellers are a warning in both Canadian and UK advice; Canada says to ask for the officer's name and badge number and not to hand over your passport or money. Both also describe fake kidnapping calls, sometimes made to hotel rooms: hang up and check on the person's safety. Use ATMs inside shops or banks in daylight, shield your PIN and avoid large withdrawals.

Timeshares and bar bills

Timeshare sales staff can be persistent and use pressure tactics, Canadian advice for Mexico says, and a timeshare contract can be cancelled in writing without penalty within 5 working days. Bars and nightclubs may try to overcharge. The advice also describes police demanding cash from tourists for minor offences as common in tourist areas; ask for the officer's name and badge number.

Who can help

local government

Angeles Verdes (Secretaria de Turismo) - line 078

Helps with: The tourism ministry's road-traveller line. Call 078 for minor roadside help, tourist information, or to have an emergency report passed to the right authority. Covers federal highways.

Who qualifies: Travellers on Mexico's federal highways, within the Angeles Verdes coverage area.

Phone: 078

Email: atencion078@sectur.gob.mx

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

ngo

Cruz Roja Mexicana (Mexican Red Cross)

Helps with: Mexico's national Red Cross society. Its site says it responds to disasters and medical emergencies and gives food, shelter, medical care and psychosocial support.

Who qualifies: People in Mexico affected by emergencies or disasters, or in need of its medical and humanitarian services.

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

National Center for Disaster Prevention (CENAPRED)

Helps with: Mexico's national disaster prevention centre. It monitors the Popocatepetl volcano and publishes alert levels and public safety information.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Mexico looking for official disaster and volcano alert information.

Email: direcciongeneral@cenapred.unam.mx

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

un agency

International Organization for Migration (IOM) Mexico

Helps with: The UN migration agency, present in Mexico since 2004. It supports migrants, displaced people and returnees, including a campaign against trafficking of migrant women and girls.

Who qualifies: Migrants, displaced people and returnees. It is not a help service for ordinary tourists.

Phone: +52 55 5536 3922

Address: Avenida Presidente Masaryk 101, Piso 18, Colonia Polanco V Seccion, Miguel Hidalgo, CP 11560, Ciudad de Mexico

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

embassy

Foreign embassies in Mexico City (city government list, partial)

Helps with: For a lost passport or serious trouble, contact your own country's embassy. Mexico City's government page lists about 25 of the roughly 86 embassies, with address and phone.

Who qualifies: Citizens of each country, through their own embassy.

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Guest Assist (Cancun municipal emergency numbers)

Helps with: Cancun's municipal tourism page lists Guest Assist among its emergency numbers for visitors. The page does not describe the service in detail.

Who qualifies: Visitors to Cancun who need help from the city's listed emergency contacts.

Phone: +52 998 887 3379

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Cancun police (municipal emergency numbers)

Helps with: Cancun's municipal tourism page lists this police number, with 911 or 089 for emergencies, among its emergency numbers for visitors.

Who qualifies: Anyone in Cancun, residents and visitors alike. Covers the city of Canc煤n, not Playa del Carmen or Tulum.

Phone: +52 998 885 2277

Official website

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

local government

Emergency number 911 (police, ambulance and fire)

Helps with: Reaches police, ambulance and fire services. UK government travel advice lists this number.

Who qualifies: Anyone in the country, including visitors.

Phone: 911

Source 路 checked 2026-11-04

Cities and places

Cancun and Riviera Maya Cancun and Riviera MayaCaribbean beach region with turquoise sea, cenotes, Mayan ruins at Tulum and lively resort strips.Photo: dronepicr, CC BY 2.0 Mexico City Mexico CityHuge capital known for Aztec ruins, grand museums, colourful neighbourhoods and some of the country's best street food.Photo: Gobierno CDMX, CC0 Los Cabos Los CabosDesert-meets-sea resort area at the tip of Baja California, famous for the El Arco rock, whale watching and golf.Photo: User:Stan Shebs, CC BY-SA 3.0 Puerto Vallarta Puerto VallartaPacific beach town with a seaside promenade, cobbled old centre and green mountains behind the bay.Photo: Another Believer, CC BY-SA 4.0 Oaxaca OaxacaColonial city loved for its indigenous culture, rich cuisine, mezcal, crafts markets and the Monte Alb谩n ruins.Photo: Prsjl, CC BY-SA 4.0 Merida and Chichen Itza Merida and Chichen ItzaYucatan's elegant colonial capital, a base for the great Chichen Itza pyramid and nearby swimming cenotes.Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0

City selection based on: Mexico Sectur/Datatur international air arrivals by airport; Euromonitor Top City Destinations

Festivals and events

sport

Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix

around Oct-Nov 2026 路 Mexico City

F1 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Official site

trade

Guadalajara International Book Fair

around Nov-Dec 2026 路 Guadalajara

The largest book fair in the Spanish-speaking world.

culture

Guelaguetza

around Jul 2027 路 Oaxaca

Indigenous dances from all over Oaxaca state.

culture

Independence Day (15-16 September)

15-16 Sep 2027 路 Mexico City

'El Grito' night in the Zocalo and a parade.

sport

Formula 1 Mexico City Grand Prix

around Oct-Nov 2027 路 Mexico City

F1 at the Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez.

Official site

festival

Day of the Dead

31 Oct - 2 Nov 2027 路 Mexico City

One of the country's biggest yearly events. Hotels fill up and prices rise, so plan early.

trade

Guadalajara International Book Fair

around Nov-Dec 2027 路 Guadalajara

The largest book fair in the Spanish-speaking world.