Can I go to Mexico only with my Permanent Resident Card?
Because of its fantastic culture, cuisine, beaches, and its proximity to Canada, Mexico is one of the most popular foreign destinations among Canadian citizens. But before you travel to Mexico, make sure you are well prepared with all the travel documents needed for Mexico trips. Do you need a visa to enter Mexico and what are the requirements for Canadian PR holders? In this blog post, we focus on the travel documents a permanent resident (PR) card holder needs to travel to Mexico.
- Do permanent resident card holders need a passport to go to Mexico?
- What other travel documents do permanent resident card holders need to go to Mexico?
Do Permanent Resident card holders need a passport to go to Mexico?
Permanent resident card holders hold the right to live and work in Canada permanently without restriction. They have the same rights as any Canadian citizen, even when travelling outside Canada. Therefore, any permanent resident card holder who plans to go to Mexico needs to show a valid passport from their country of origin, as well as their PR card when returning back to the country. With your foreign passport plus the PR card, you will be allowed to travel to Mexico and back to Canada by air, sea or land.
If you do not currently possess a valid passport from your country of origin, you need to contact your country's nearest embassy in Canada to apply for a passport. Be sure to fill your passport application well in advance of your travel dates, although in some cases you can expedite your passport application for an extra fee. Note that you cannot apply for a Canadian passport unless you are an official citizen of Canada.
Once you are in Mexico, go to the nearest Canadian embassy or consulate for registration. This will allow the Government of Canada to assist or contact you in case of an emergency. When returning to Canada from Mexico, through any form of transportation, you will only be granted access once you show the custom officials your valid foreign passport and your valid, unexpired Permanent Resident Card.
Keep in mind that you can only renew your PR card in Canada, so make sure it will stay valid throughout the duration of your trip in Mexico. However, if your PR card expires and becomes invalid, you will need to apply for a permanent resident travel document before returning to Canada.
Additionally, to keep your permanent resident status, you must be in Canada for at least a total of 730 days during the last 5 years of you being there. So, make sure that you don’t spend too much time travelling outside of the country.
What other travel documents do Permanent Resident Card holders need to go to Mexico?
According to Mexico's visa policy, foreign nationals holding a valid Canadian Permanent Resident card regardless of their nationality, do not require to obtain a Mexican visa if visiting for tourism for less than 30 days. PR card holders who will be working in Mexico are required to obtain a work visa from Mexico's National Immigration Institute (INM). This means only PR card holders who are visiting Mexico as tourists can go without a visa. However, you still need to buy a Mexico tourist card.
A Mexico tourist card is a permit required by all foreign citizen travellers who will be visiting Mexico and will not be engaging in any type of salaried work. The tourist card is also referred to as "Forma Migratoria Múltiple", (FMM) and formerly known as an FMT. It is valid for up to 180 days and will allow you to stay in Mexico for the given time. If you wish to extend your stay more than the 180 days, you need to exit and then re-enter Mexico with a new tourist card. Due to most commercial airlines no longer handing out immigrations forms, it’s best to apply for your tourist card online. This will help avoid any delays when arriving at immigration.
If travelling by air, land or sea, the cost of the tourist card is included in the ticket fare. You can fill out the card online or at the point of entry in Mexico. All you need is a valid passport, flight information, address or name of the hotel where you are staying. The tourist card should be filled per person, including children.
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