Mexico No Longer Auto-Grants 180-Day Visitor Permits

Mexico’s immigration authority has changed how it issues visitor permits (FMM) at ports of entry. Rather than routinely stamping the maximum 180 days, officials are now granting a number of days based on each visitor’s stated intentions and supporting documentation. The change is already in effect and is being reported consistently by recent arrivals.

For most holidaymakers — anyone arriving for a week or two at the beach, a city break, or a short road trip — this is unlikely to cause problems. The key is being clear about your plans at the immigration desk. If an officer asks how long you are staying, give a specific answer and have your return ticket or onward booking accessible. Officers are more likely to match your permit to your stated duration rather than issue a blanket 180 days.

The bigger impact falls on longer-stay visitors: digital nomads, retirees, snowbirds, and those who regularly use back-to-back tourist permits. If you are planning to stay two or three months, arrive with accommodation reservations, evidence of sufficient funds, and a return or onward ticket. These have always been the formal requirements for entry; the difference now is that officials are applying them more consistently. Visitors who have relied on the generous default grant to effectively live in Mexico on a tourist permit should expect closer scrutiny, particularly if their passport shows a pattern of repeated long stays.

The maximum permitted stay remains 180 days — nothing in the rules has changed, only the discretion applied at the border. The 2026 FMM fee is set at MXN 983 (approximately USD 54) for stays over seven days, paid on arrival or online in advance. Air arrivals receive a digital FMMD via QR code at the e-gate rather than a paper form.