MéxicoImmigration and travelFederalVerified on October 3, 2026
Mexico FMM tourist card for air and land arrivals
At Mexico's international airports, INM creates your immigration record on arrival; you do not fill in or carry a paper FMM. For a land arrival, complete the FMM and present it to immigration for validation.
Step by step
- 1
Check which arrival process applies.
Read INM's entry instructions. The paper FMM requirement applies to land arrivals. For air arrivals, INM generates the record at entry, and you can download the digital form, called FMMD, after admission.
Read INM entry rules (Spanish) ↗What you will see
The heading «Países y regiones que No requieren visa para viajar a México» and entry requirements distinguishing land arrivals from international airports.
- 2
For air arrivals, keep your entry record.
Immigration officers review and stamp your passport and write the estimated departure date, based on the time they grant you. Check the stamp and date. Follow the period actually authorized for your visit.
- 3
Download your FMMD after entering by air.
Open the INM services portal, create an account and register the passport you used to enter. INM's instructions identify «Historial Registros» (Record history) and «Generar FMMD» (Generate FMMD); then click the download icon. You can also scan the QR code you will find at the immigration filters. You can download the FMMD once, during the stay you were granted. Save the file.
Open the INM services portal ↗ - 4
For land arrivals, complete the electronic FMM.
Open the land-entry form. Read and accept «He leído y acepto los términos y condiciones» (I have read and accept the terms and conditions). Enter your passport details exactly, your border crossing, arrival and departure dates, address in Mexico and email. Review the details before selecting «Guardar» (Save).
Open the land FMM form (Spanish) ↗What you will see
«Terrestre» (Land), general requirements, terms and conditions, passport and travel fields, and «Guardar» (Save).
- 5
Finish the land-entry process with INM.
Follow the form's payment instructions in the INM services portal, then print the FMM. Present it with your valid passport and any required visa at the border crossing. The FMM becomes valid from the immigration stamp; paying or completing the form does not guarantee admission. Its maximum validity is 180 calendar days for one entry, not an automatic allowance of 180 days.
Requirements
- A valid passport and a valid Mexican visa if required for your nationality and circumstances.
- For the online land FMM, an email address and passport, border-crossing and trip details.
- For land entry, the printed FMM presented to INM for validation.
- For the air-arrival FMMD portal, an account and the passport used to enter Mexico; the form is available after admission.
INM’s land FMM page limits a passport card to land border crossings and visits within the border zone. It is not accepted for travel into Mexico’s interior or for international air travel; use a passport booklet for those journeys.
Frequently asked questions
Do I fill in the online land FMM before flying to Mexico?
No. INM says air arrivals do not complete the electronic land FMM or a traditional paper FMM. The digital record is generated when you enter Mexico.
Does the FMM replace a Mexican visa?
No. The land FMM instructions still require a valid visa when applicable. Check the visa rules separately before travelling.
Can I download my FMMD before my flight?
No. You can register your passport in the portal beforehand, but INM says the FMMD is available only after you have entered Mexico.
Does a tourist card guarantee 180 days in Mexico?
No. The land FMM has a maximum validity of 180 calendar days. Your permitted stay is the period authorized by immigration on entry; check your own record.
Sources
- INM · Entry requirements and air versus land FMM rules (in Spanish) · accessed on October 3, 2026
- INM · Electronic FMM for land arrivals · accessed on October 3, 2026
- INM · Digital FMM (FMMd), Spanish · accessed on October 3, 2026
- INM · FMMD frequently asked questions (Spanish PDF) · accessed on October 3, 2026
Information verified on October 3, 2026. Always check the official source before starting your procedure.