All foreign visitors to Mexico receive a tourist card, officially the Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM). It records how long you may stay in the country. For air arrivals at Cancun Airport the FMM is now digital — there is no paper form to fill in on the plane.
How the tourist card works at Cancun Airport
- E-gates (Terminals 3 and 4): travellers with an e-passport from eligible countries — including the US, Canada, the UK and most EU countries — scan their passport at the automatic gates. The gate prints a ticket with a QR code that you use to download your digital FMM. Keep it.
- Immigration officer: everyone else goes to a desk. The officer checks your passport and return ticket and stamps your passport with the number of days you may stay.
What to have ready
- Passport valid for your whole stay
- Return or onward ticket
- Hotel name and address
- Visa, if your nationality needs one
Before you leave Mexico
Keep your digital FMM or stamped passport page until you depart. Foreign visitors staying in Quintana Roo must also pay the Visitax tourist fee.
Immigration rules can change. Check the latest requirements with your airline or the Instituto Nacional de Migración before you travel.
Mexico tourist card (FMM) – FAQ
Do I need to fill in a tourist card (FMM) to fly into Cancun?
Not on paper. For air arrivals Mexico now uses a digital FMM. At Cancun, travellers with an e-passport from eligible countries can use the e-gates in Terminals 3 and 4, which print a ticket with a QR code to download the digital FMM. Other travellers get an entry stamp from an immigration officer.
How many days will I get?
The immigration officer or e-gate decides the number of days you may stay as a tourist (up to 180). Check the date on your FMM or stamp and leave Mexico before it expires.
Do children need their own FMM?
Yes, every traveller, including children, has their own immigration record.
Do I need the FMM when I leave Mexico?
Keep your digital FMM (or the stamped passport page) until you leave. Airlines and immigration may ask for it on departure.
Is the online FMM form still used?
The online pre-registration form on the INM website is mainly used for land arrivals. If you arrive by air in Cancun you normally do not need to fill it in — follow your airline’s instructions.