{"id":344,"date":"2019-12-30T23:57:00","date_gmt":"2019-12-30T23:57:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sanborns.com\/blog\/?p=344"},"modified":"2025-02-10T16:20:12","modified_gmt":"2025-02-10T16:20:12","slug":"can-i-drive-to-mexico-without-a-passport","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.sanborns.com\/blog\/can-i-drive-to-mexico-without-a-passport\/","title":{"rendered":"Can I Drive to Mexico Without a Passport?"},"content":{"rendered":"        <div class=\"o-component s-cms-content\" id=\"acf-cms-content-block_41bff16ae41c9731b386fdc9d0d32dbb\">\r\n                       <p>Please be aware that you can\u00a0no longer\u00a0use\u00a0proof of U.S. citizenship, like an embossed\u00a0birth certificate, with a government-issued photo ID to\u00a0get into\u00a0or out of the country.\u00a0Every citizen of the United States, independent of age (even\u00a0newborn\u00a0infants), is required to have a valid\u00a0passport\u00a0when\u00a0traveling\u00a0outside the United States.<\/p>\n<h2>Do I Need a Passport to Go to Mexico?<\/h2>\n<p>U.S. citizens must present a valid U.S.\u00a0passport, in addition to an entry permit (Forma Migratoria Multiple or FMM) issued by Instituto Nacional de Migraci\u00f3n (INM).\u00a0You will certainly need it as well coming back to the US. Traveling by land allows you to use either a passport book or passport card to travel. Instances where you may be asked to provide your passport include if you plan to travel beyond the border area, which is about 20 kilometers into Mexico, or at immigration checkpoints during your travel.<\/p>\n<h2>What Do I Need to Travel to Mexico?<\/h2>\n<p>Besides packing your wallet and your swimsuit, you\u2019ll want to make sure you have everything you need for a safe and easy trip to Mexico and back. Items you may need in order to drive to Mexico include:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Valid passport<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Tourist visa<\/strong>\u00a0(if your trip lasts longer than 180 days)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Valid driver\u2019s license<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>Entry permit<\/strong>\u00a0(for those traveling beyond the 20-kilometer border area)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mexico car insurance<\/strong><\/li>\n<li><strong>A registered vehicle<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Will My Car Insurance Carry into Mexico?<\/h2>\n<p>Your personal auto insurance policy typically\u00a0<strong>won\u2019t carry over into Mexico.<\/strong>\u00a0If you plan to drive into Mexico, you need to be sure to purchase auto insurance before your trip. Mexico has its own laws about auto insurance and does not accept US car insurance. When you purchase Mexico auto insurance, you\u2019ll be required to buy a certain amount of third-party liability insurance.\u00a0It is generally recommended, based on\u00a0<strong>Mexican<\/strong>\u00a0laws for possible payouts for bodily injury or fatality, that drivers get a minimum of about $300,000 worth of third-party\u00a0<strong>liability<\/strong>\u00a0damage coverage.\u00a0\u00a0You may also want to invest in\u00a0and\u00a0as liability insurance only covers the other victims in the car crash and not you or your vehicle.<\/p>\n<h2>Does a Visa Work the Same Way as a Passport When Traveling to Mexico?<\/h2>\n<p>Tourist visas and passports are entirely different entities and you can\u2019t substitute one for the other. If you\u2019re traveling beyond the border area into Mexico, you will likely have to carry both a legal passport and a tourist visa.<\/p>\n<h2>What are the Limitations on Travel to Mexico?<\/h2>\n<p>Certain limitations you must adhere to when driving to Mexico are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Rental insurance policies.<\/strong>\u00a0Most US rental companies\u00a0<strong>will not allow you to drive your rental to Mexico.<\/strong>\u00a0You can purchase\u00a0<strong>Mexican rental car insurance<\/strong>\u00a0as opposed to driving a personal vehicle into Mexico, but it will also require a certain amount of auto insurance.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Possible denial for illegal activity.<\/strong>\u00a0Mexico has the right to deny anyone entry if that person has been charged with or convicted of serious crimes either in Mexico or elsewhere.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Limits on currency.<\/strong>\u00a0The maximum amount of currency for entering or exiting Mexico is $10,000.<\/li>\n<li><strong>No firearms or weapons.<\/strong>\u00a0In general, it\u2019s illegal for you to bring weapons or firearms across the border. Doing so can mean imprisonment.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Mexico car insurance likely won\u2019t cover you if you\u2019re driving a Mexican vehicle.<\/strong>\u00a0This is the same for when someone else besides the owner or insurance holder drives your vehicle.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Traveling anywhere requires precautions and careful planning. Before your trip, study Mexico\u2019s traffic laws and double check with your insurance agent about taking your car into Mexico. You will most likely need to purchase Mexico auto insurance either for a personal vehicle or for a rental. 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