Travel To Mexico: Expired Us Visa, What Now?

If you are a non-immigrant with an expired US visa, you may be allowed to re-enter the US if you have spent less than 30 days in Mexico. However, Mexico does not accept an expired US visa as a substitute for a Mexican visa. Therefore, you will need to obtain a Mexican visa before travelling there.

Nonimmigrants who have been out of the US for 30 days or fewer

• You have a valid Form I-20
• You have a valid, unexpired Form I-94
• You have been outside of the US for fewer than 30 days
• You have not applied for a new visa
• Your visa has not been denied
• You are not a citizen of a State Sponsor of Terrorism designated country, including Iran, Syria, and Sudan
• You do not have an F student visa or J exchange visitor visa and have travelled to Cuba
• You do not have an M student visa and have travelled outside of the US, Canada, or Mexico

Nonimmigrants with a valid admission stamp or paper Form I-94

Automatic revalidation is not the same as applying for a new visa. If you apply for a new nonimmigrant visa, you cannot take advantage of automatic revalidation.

Nonimmigrants who have departed the United States for brief travel to Canada, Mexico, or an adjacent island for thirty days or less may be eligible for automatic revalidation. Additionally, nonimmigrants with a valid (unexpired) admission stamp or paper Form I-94 endorsed by DHS may also be eligible.

It is important to note that automatic revalidation only applies to limited categories of travellers. Many nonimmigrants will need to reapply and be reissued visas to reenter the U.S. when their existing visas have expired, even if they have a valid admission stamp or paper Form I-94. This includes situations where:

• The nonimmigrant traveller with an expired nonimmigrant visa has applied for a new visa which has not yet been issued or has been denied.
• The nonimmigrant traveller has been outside of the United States for more than thirty days.
• The nonimmigrant traveller has travelled to a country other than Canada, Mexico, or an adjacent island which is not included in the automatic revalidation provisions.
• The nonimmigrant traveller is a national of a State Sponsor of Terrorism designated country, including Iran, Syria, and Sudan.
• The nonimmigrant traveller is in possession of an F student visa or J exchange visitor visa and has travelled to Cuba.
• The nonimmigrant traveller is in possession of an M student visa and has travelled to a location outside the United States, other than Canada and Mexico.

Visa requirements for Mexican citizens

As of August 2024, Mexican citizens can enter 159 countries and territories without a visa or with a visa on arrival. This includes countries such as Australia, China, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.

However, there are specific requirements for Mexican citizens travelling to certain countries. For example, to enter Canada, Mexican citizens must meet new requirements to be eligible for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA). If they are not eligible for an eTA, they must apply for a visitor visa.

Similarly, Mexican citizens require a visa to enter the United States for business or tourism. They can obtain a paper or embassy visa, typically in the form of a stamp or sticker added to the passport, from a local embassy, consulate, or visa center. Alternatively, Mexican citizens can enter the US with a Border Crossing Card, also known as a "Laser Visa."

Border zone entry

You can obtain an FMM from the airline or at the port of entry. If you are crossing into Tijuana at the San Ysidro entry point, you will need to complete a Mexico Visitor's Permit (FMM). This is free if your trip is seven days or less and you are crossing by land. You can also complete this form online. If you travel beyond the 22-mile/35km "free zone", you will need to pay a fee of around $22.

If you are driving a vehicle beyond the border zone, you will need a temporary vehicle import permit. These are processed through Banjercito and require a deposit, which will be refunded once the vehicle leaves Mexico.

Baja California, Baja California Sur, and Sonora have a "hassle-free" zone that allows cars to travel without an entry permit or car registration within the zone.

If you are a US citizen, you can use a US passport card to save time crossing the US-Mexico land border. You can use the card at US Customs and Border Protection's (CBP) Ready Lanes.

Visa exemption for brief travel

If you are a citizen of the following countries, you are exempt from requiring a visa to travel to Mexico as a non-lucrative visitor for a stay of up to 180 days:

• Argentina
• Andorra
• Australia
• Austria
• Barbados
• Belgium
• Belize
• Bermuda (UK)
• Bolivia
• Bulgaria
• Canada
• Chile
• Colombia
• Costa Rica
• Croatia
• Curacao (The Netherlands)
• Cyprus
• Czech Republic
• Denmark
• Estonia
• Finland
• France
• French Polynesia
• Germany
• Greece
• Guadalupe (France)
• Guam
• Hong Kong
• Hungary Iceland
• Ireland
• Israel
• Italy
• Jamaica
• Japan
• Korea
• Latvia
• Liechtenstein
• Lithuania
• Luxembourg
• Macao
• Malaysia
• Malta
• Marshall Islands
• Micronesia
• Monaco
• The Netherlands Antilles
• New Zealand
• Norway
• Palau
• Panama
• Paraguay
• Peru
• Poland
• Portugal
• Puerto Rico
• Romania
• San Marino
• Singapore
• Slovakia
• Slovenia
• Spain
• Sweden
• Switzerland
• Trinidad and Tobago
• The Bahamas
• The Netherlands
• The United Arab Emirates
• United Kingdom
• United States
• Virgin Islands (USA)
• Uruguay

Additionally, citizens of the following countries are also exempt from requiring a visa to travel to Mexico, provided they hold a valid USA B1/B2 visa, UK C-visitor visa, Canadian visitor visa, Japanese visitor visa, or Schengen C-visit visa:

• Brazil
• Russia
• Ukraine
• China

Important Information for Travellers to Mexico

• Valid passport with at least 6 months of validity.
• One of the following documents:

• Certificate of employment - Original letter in English from the company, describing your position and monthly salary.
• Original letter in English from the school, indicating that you are a full-time student and the period of study.

• Bank account statements (last 3 months). In the case of people under 25 years old, it is possible to present parents' account statements.
• Application form duly completed.
• 1 colour photograph (passport size, face uncovered, and white background).
• Residence proof (for foreign people who live outside of their country of citizenship).

Frequently asked questions