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Thousands of travelers from Mexico will have to check the validity of their documents before planning vacations or trips abroad.
Both Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia have tightened immigration controls and no longer allow entry to or exit from the country for those with an expired passport or one with insufficient validity under the new international requirements.
Airport authorities and immigration agencies emphasized that many people are unaware that some destinations require a minimum number of months of validity remaining on the passport to authorize travel.
What procedure do travelers have to do before leaving the country
The main requirement is to renew the passport before it expires or when it has only a very short period of validity remaining.
Many countries require the document to have at least six months of validity from the planned date of entry.
What restrictions does Australia impose
Mexican citizens do need a visa to travel as tourists, even in transit to another country or as part of a cruise.
The most common option for tourism is the Visitor Visa (subclass 600), which allows stays of up to three months.
The process for obtaining an Australian tourist visa can take up to six weeks. The entire procedure is carried out online through the official Australian immigration portal.
What are the requirements to enter Canada
The Government of Canada implemented new requirements for Mexican citizens traveling to the country starting on February 29, 2024.
It is no longer enough to apply for an Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA): most Mexicans now need a visitor visa to enter, even if they are only making a layover or transiting through Canadian territory.
How to obtain the ETA to enter the United Kingdom
Only Mexicans who meet three simultaneous requirements can apply for the eTA:
- travel exclusively by air
- plan a stay of less than six months
- have had a Canadian visa in the last ten years or hold a valid nonimmigrant U.S. visa.
Those who do not meet these conditions must apply for the visitor visa, which costs 100 Canadian dollars, plus an additional 85 dollars for biometrics.
It is requested online via the official UK ETA app, costs 10 pounds, is valid for 2 years, and allows multiple entries.
The following are required:
- valid passport
- proof of accommodation
- sufficient funds
- return ticket
- work is not allowed on tourist status.
United Kingdom: tourism allowed, but ETA is now mandatory
Mexicans do not need a visa to visit the United Kingdom as tourists, but they do need a new electronic permit.
The application must be made with the same passport that will be used for travel, through the official UK ETA app, and it is recommended to apply at least three business days in advance.
People who do not have a valid ETA will not be able to board the flight or transport to the United Kingdom.
The maximum permitted stay for tourism, visiting family, or short-term business is six months, according to Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs in its Traveler’s Guide.