Travel Documents, Mexican Visas & Customs

Required Documentation
When traveling to Mexico by airplane ONLY ONE type of documentation** is acceptable for entry into México and re-entry into the United States.

1. A valid US or Canadian Passport. NO EXCEPTIONS If you do not have a valid passport you will not be allowed to get on the plane in the US.
   
   
2. Children also must have a valid US Passport.
   

** NOTE: Due to the current heightened international security environment beginning January 1 2007 US Citizens must have a valid Passport to leave and re enter the United States. A driver's licence and Birth Certificate will no longer be accepted for International travel including to Canada and México.

If you are from a country other than the USA, please check with the Mexican Consulate for passport and visa requirements for travelers from your country.

Marriage Certificate Requirements
If the name on your birth certificate or passport does not match the name on your airline ticket Alaska Airlines requires a marriage certificate or other documentation that explains the name discrepancy. US customs and immigration may also want to see additional documentation that explains any name discrepancies between your documentation and your airline ticket name.

This following quoted paragraph is from an Alaska Airlines documentation page.

“If the name on the passport is not the same as on your ticket, you must present documented evidence for the discrepancy. This is most common with newlyweds, when a spouse has not changed the name on their identification to match their new surname. A photocopy of a marriage license will dispel confusion with customs and immigration officers.”

If any of these situations apply to you, please obtain your marriage certificate ASAP and contact Alaska Airlines directly to verify that you have all the correct documentation.

Alaska Airlines: 1-800-252-7522 - 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

About Traveling With Minor Children
Alaska Airlines regarding requirements for adults traveling with minor children from the US to México and returning to the USA. These requirements may vary from airline to airline and airport to airport. Please check with your airline for the current requirements.

1. The following information is provided as a courtesy and is to the best of my knowledge accurate as of January 2007.
2. I do not warrant or guarantee the accuracy of this information.
3. In the current heightened global security environment immigration, passport and visa regulations change frequently.
4. Please be sure to verify this information DIRECTLY with your airline or the Mexican Embassy or Mexican Consulate nearest you.

For Your Reference

1. Parents traveling solo with Children under 18 are required to have the child's Passport, ORIGINAL birth certificate AND a written, signed and NOTARIZED “Letter of Consent” from the non traveling biological parent, granting permission for the minor child to travel with the biological parent who will travel with the child.
   
   The parent NOT traveling must supply a NOTARIZED “Letter of Consent” that includes the following information.
   
   
2. The name, physical address and phone number of the parent NOT traveling
3. The name, address and phone number of the biological parent that WILL BE traveling with the child.
4. Permission must be granted for the specific dates of travel. These dates must be clearly identified. The dates of travel must correspond with the dates on the airline ticket of the outbound flight from the US to México and with the date of the return flight from México to the United States.
5. The letter must grant consent for the child to travel with the single biological parent and identify that parent by name in the line where consent is granted.
6. The Letter of consent is only valid for the specific travel dates indicated. It may not be used a second time for another trip in the future.

These document requirements are supplied as a courtesy to help you better plan for your trip.As documentation requirements change frequently I do not guarantee the accuracy of this information .

It is fully your responsibility to check directly with your airline and the Mexican Consulate nearest you for verification of the above information and for any additional information or questions you may have about traveling with a minor child or with documents that have a name discrepancy as described above.

If you you have questions about documentation or traveling solo with children, please let me know. john@foreignaffairstravel.com

Mexican Tourist Visas & Customs Inspections - How It Works
You will be given a Mexican tourist visa on the flight to México. Normally this will be on the last flight segment when your next port of entry is in México. You will fill the Visa out on the plane and present it to Mexican customs and immigration along with your passport or other documentation. Listen carefully to the flight attendant’s instructions, read written instructions carefully and fill out the form. If you have questions, please ask a flight attendant for help. If you make a mistake, ask a flight attendant for another card.

Upon arrival in México you will deplane and line up to have your documentation checked. Please have all your travel documents ready including letters of consent for minor children. After the Mexican customs agent has approved your documentation, they will tear off the bottom part of the Visa and give it back to you. This is a very important little piece of paper. You MUST have it to leave México. If you loose it, it will cost you big money and significant time to get cleared for departure and you may miss your flight.

I recommend that you bring only carry on baggage on the outbound flight. If you do check luggage you will proceed to the baggage claim area to claim your bags. Locate your bags and proceed to the baggage checkpoint. Here you will be asked to press a large button on what looks like a traffic stop light! If the color comes up green, you pass through the baggage check with no baggage search. If the light comes up red, your bags will be searched.

I will be waiting for you outside the baggage claim area at the Manzanillo Airport. We will then proceed to our ground transportation and head for our first night's destination.

reservations