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Country guide · Mexico

Mexico travel apps and what you need before you go

Many visitors, including US, Canadian, UK, EU and Australian citizens, can enter Mexico as tourists without a visa for up to 180 days; the immigration officer decides how many days you get, and at airports your entry is recorded digitally (FMM Digital or an e-gate ticket) instead of on a paper form. Foreign visitors to Quintana Roo, including Cancún and Tulum, must also pay the Visitax. On the ground, ride with Uber, DiDi or inDrive, use authorised taxis at airports, get a Mexico City mobility card for the Metro, order food on Rappi, DiDi Food or Uber Eats, and keep WhatsApp handy.

Checked against official sources on 22 October 202610 apps · 4 to set up at home
El Castillo, the pyramid of Kukulcán at Chichén Itzá, Yucatán
Photo: Daniel Schwen, CC BY-SA 4.0

What you need to enter Mexico

Rules depend on your passport. Check with a Mexican embassy or consulate, or Mexico's National Migration Institute (INM), before you book.

Visa or visa-free entry

Many passports, including US, Canadian, UK, Australian, Japanese and most EU and Schengen passports, can visit Mexico for tourism without a visa for up to 180 days. The officer sets the number of days at entry, so check your stamp or record. Travellers of any nationality who hold a valid visa or permanent residence card from the US, Canada, the UK, Japan or a Schengen country are also exempt for tourism, business or transit.

Source: Embassy of Mexico in Canada: Visitors who do not require a visa · US Department of State: Mexico · GOV.UK: Mexico entry requirements

Passport validity

Mexico sets no minimum validity beyond your trip: your passport must be valid for the whole stay. The Mexican Embassy recommends at least 180 days, and airlines or countries on your route may want six months, so renew early if yours is close to expiry. US citizens flying need a passport book, not a passport card.

Source: Embassy of Mexico in Canada: Visitors who do not require a visa · GOV.UK: Mexico entry requirements · US Department of State: Mexico

Digital FMM and e-gates at airports

When you fly in, the paper tourist card is no longer used: your entry is stamped and recorded as an FMM Digital, which you can download from the INM portal within 60 days of arrival. Adults with US, Canadian, UK, French, Spanish, German or Italian passports can use e-gates at major airports; keep the printed e-gate ticket, as the airline asks for it when you leave. Arriving by land, apply for an FMM online or at an INM office.

Source: Embassy of Mexico in Peru: Forma Migratoria Múltiple Digital · INM portal · US Department of State: Mexico · GOV.UK: Mexico entry requirements

Return ticket, accommodation and funds

Officers may ask for a return or onward ticket, proof of where you are staying and proof of enough money for your trip. If you stay with friends or family, a letter of invitation helps.

Source: GOV.UK: Mexico entry requirements · US Department of State: Mexico

Visitax in Quintana Roo

All foreign tourists visiting Quintana Roo, which includes Cancún, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Cozumel, must pay the state's Visitax, children included. Pay only on the official site, visitax.gob.mx, or through companies authorised by the state tax office, and keep the receipt.

Source: Visitax (Government of Quintana Roo)

Customs

Declare cash over USD 10,000. Vapes and e-cigarettes, drugs including medical marijuana, and weapons are illegal to bring in. If you have goods to declare, you can fill in the customs form online before you travel.

Source: US Department of State: Mexico · GOV.UK: Mexico entry requirements

Before you fly: 7 steps

  1. Check if your passport needs a visa for Mexico.
  2. Make sure your passport is valid for your whole stay, ideally with 6 months left.
  3. Keep your return ticket and hotel details handy for immigration.
  4. If you are going to Cancún, Tulum or anywhere in Quintana Roo, pay the Visitax on visitax.gob.mx.
  5. Set up Uber and DiDi with your home number and card before you fly.
  6. Download offline Google Maps for the areas you will visit.
  7. Tell your bank you are travelling and bring a second card as backup.

The apps that matter in Mexico

Grouped by the job they do. Set up at home means install it and sign in before you fly, while you still have your home number and Wi-Fi.

Taxis and ride hailing

Uber

Ride hailing in Mexico City, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Cancún, Mérida, Puebla, Querétaro and more.

Set up at home

The US Department of State advises using trusted ride apps rather than hailing taxis on the street. At Mexico City airport, app pickups are only allowed at marked zones outside the terminals.

Official siteSource: Uber Mexico · US Department of State: Mexico

DiDi

Uber's main rival in Mexico, with rides, taxis and DiDi Food delivery in one app.

Set up at home

Often cheaper than Uber; compare both. You can pay by card or cash.

Official siteSource: DiDi Mexico

inDrive

Ride app where you offer a fare and drivers accept or counter, in Mexico City, Cancún, Guadalajara, Monterrey, Puebla, Tijuana and other cities.

Set up at home

Can be cheap, but you need to agree the price in the app before the ride, which takes a little Spanish or patience.

Official siteSource: inDrive Mexico

Authorised airport taxis

Prepaid taxis sold at official booths inside arrivals, the only taxis allowed to pick up inside Mexico City airport.

Pay at the booth inside the terminal, not to anyone approaching you. GOV.UK advises using only authorised prepaid airport taxis, and sitio taxis from official ranks in town.

Official siteSource: GOV.UK: Mexico safety and security · La Crónica: app pickup zones at AICM (May 2026)

Metro, buses and city transport

Mexico City mobility card (Tarjeta MI) and App CDMX

The rechargeable card for the Metro, Metrobús, Cablebús, Tren Ligero, Trolebús and RTP buses; paper Metro tickets ended in March 2024.

Buy it for MXN 15 plus your first fare at Metro ticket booths or Metrobús machines, mostly with cash. If your phone has NFC, top it up by card in App CDMX or Mercado Pago. Metrobús and a growing number of Metro gates also take contactless Visa cards, including foreign ones.

Official siteSource: Mexico City government: Mexico City metro card · Semovi: bank card payment on Metrobús · Xataka México: foreign cards on Metro and Metrobús (June 2026) · DPL News: Mercado Pago top-ups extended to 2027

ADO

Mexico's best-known long-distance bus company, strong in the south and the Yucatán Peninsula, including Cancún airport links.

Buy tickets on the website or app to see seats and times; buses are the usual way between towns where there is no train.

Official siteSource: ADO

Maps

Google Maps or Moovit

Driving, walking and public transport directions, including Mexico City's Metro and Metrobús.

Download offline maps before road trips. Share your live location with a friend when taking rides at night.

Official siteSource: Google Maps · Moovit

Messaging and calls

WhatsApp

The way Mexicans message, including hotels, hosts, tour operators, restaurants and drivers.

Set up at home

Keep it on your home number so contacts made before the trip still reach you if you switch SIMs.

Official siteSource: WhatsApp

Food and delivery

Rappi

Delivery of restaurant meals, groceries and pharmacy items across Mexico.

Handy for bottled water and groceries delivered to your apartment.

Official siteSource: Rappi Mexico

DiDi Food or Uber Eats

Food delivery inside the DiDi app or via Uber Eats, both widely used in Mexican cities.

If you already use Uber or DiDi for rides, your account and card carry over. Compare fees with Rappi.

Official siteSource: DiDi Mexico · Uber Mexico

Money: Mexican peso (MXN)

Credit cards are widely accepted, but carry pesos for markets, street food and small shops. Use ATMs in daylight inside banks, shops or malls, take out moderate amounts, and expect fees. Pay in pesos: when a card machine or ATM offers to charge in your home currency, decline it.

Practical things to know

Plugs
Types A and B (US-style flat pins); 127 V.
Emergency number
911 for all emergencies; not every operator speaks English. 078 is the tourist assistance line.
Water
Tap water is often not safe to drink. Drink bottled or purified water and consider skipping ice.
Mobile data
Roaming on your home line needs no registration. A Mexican SIM or eSIM must be registered with your passport under the new line registry, at the seller or online. OXXO and other shops sell prepaid top-ups.
Cruise passenger fee
Since 1 August 2026 foreign cruise passengers pay a USD 10 non-resident fee, once per itinerary, usually included in the cruise fare.
Tipping
A propina of 10 to 15 percent is usual at sit-down restaurants; check the bill, as some add it.

Questions travelers ask

Do I need a visa for Mexico?

Many passports, including US, Canadian, UK, EU and Australian, do not need one for tourist stays up to 180 days. Holders of a valid US, Canadian, UK, Japanese or Schengen visa are also exempt. Check with a Mexican consulate for your passport.

Do I still fill in the FMM tourist card?

Not if you fly in. Your entry is recorded digitally as an FMM Digital, which you can download from the INM portal within 60 days. If you use an e-gate, keep the printed ticket for your departure. By land, you still need an FMM.

What is Visitax and do I have to pay it?

It is a mandatory charge for all foreign tourists visiting Quintana Roo, including Cancún, Tulum and Cozumel. Pay on the official site, visitax.gob.mx.

Can I use Uber at Mexico City airport?

Only from marked pickup zones outside the terminals. Inside, only authorised taxis may pick up; buy a ticket at the official booth.

Does Cabify work in Mexico?

No. Cabify stopped operating in Mexico in October 2024. Use Uber, DiDi or inDrive instead.

Can I drink the tap water in Mexico?

It is often not safe. Stick to bottled or purified water.

Sources

Checked on 22 October 2026. Entry rules change, so confirm with the official links before you travel.

Found a mistake? Report a correction and we’ll check it against the source.

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