American and Canadian visitors can enter Mexico with a valid passport
or with a birth certificate accompanied by photo ID. Travelers from
other countries may need a visa and should check with their country
before departure. Minors traveling alone need a notarized consent
from one parent. Single parents traveling with their children need
notarized consent from the other parent.
As a general rule, the expiration date of your passport should not
fall less than six months after your arrival date. If you have a
return ticket, however, your passport need only be valid for the
duration of your stay. Otherwise proof of sufficient funds may be
required.
It’s a good idea to photocopy all your important papers such as
your passport, birth certificate and credit cards. Keep these photocopies
separate from your originals and leave copies with friends or family
at home. Should your passport be lost or stolen having a photocopy
will speed up the replacement process. If you do lose your documents,
contact the police immediately as well as your consulate in order
to be reissued replacements. You will have to fill out a new application
form, provide proof of citizenship and new photographs, and pay
the full fee for a replacement passport.
Flying into Mexico, flight attendants will hand you a questionnaire
– this is your customs declarations form that must be completed
before you are allowed into the country. When you land you will
pass through Immigration where a Mexican Tourist Permit is issued
free of charge. This tourist card is good for 30 days and if you
stay longer will need to be renewed at the Immigration Office. When
you leave you must hand in your tourist card so hang onto it.
If
you have items to declare, your luggage will be searched. If you
have nothing to declare you will join a line where you will wait
to press a random traffic light. A green light means you pass through;
a red light means your luggage will be searched. If anything is
found during the search that hasn’t been declared, it may be confiscated
or you may be fined. Entering Mexico, you may bring in personal
items needed for your stay along with: 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars
(if you are over 18); one photographic camera and one nonprofessional
film or video camera and 12 rolls of film for each; up to 20 cassettes
or CDs; medicine for personal use; one personal laptop computer;
and gift items not exceeding a combined value of $300.You are not
allowed to bring meat, vegetables, plants, fruit, or flowers into
the country. Traveling with a gun or knife will get you arrested.
Be sure that any personal medication, especially psychotropic drugs,
has a prescription label.
If you should have any questions regarding customs regulations,
you can call the customs office at the Cancún airport, 011-52-98-86-0073
or check with the closest Mexican consulate.
Leaving
Cancun
When
leaving Mexico there is a Departure Tax of approximately $17 (check
with your travel agent or airline to see if the departure tax has
been included in your ticket price.) Children under 2 years are
exempt. When shopping, keep receipts for all your purchases especially
if you exceed your limit. Upon reentering your country be ready
to show customs officials these receipts. If you feel a duty is
incorrect or object to the way your clearance was handled, note
the inspector's badge number and ask to see a supervisor. If the
problem isn't resolved, write to the appropriate authorities, beginning
with the port director at your point of entry.
Canadians who have been out of the country for more than 7 days
may bring home up to $500 CDN worth of goods duty-free. If you have
been away less than 7 days but more than 48 hours, the duty-free
allowance drops to $200 CDN; if your trip lasts 24-48 hours, the
allowance is $50 CDN. You may not pool allowances with family members.
You may send an unlimited number of gifts worth up to $60 CDN each
duty-free to Canada. Label the package “unsolicited gift – value
under $60”. Alcohol and tobacco can’t be mailed but can be included
in the 7-day and 48-hour exemptions but not in the 24-hour exemption.
If you meet the age requirements of the province or territory through
which you reenter Canada, you may bring in, duty-free, 1.14 liters
(40 imperial ounces) of wine or liquor and 24 12-ounce cans or bottles
of beer or ale. If you are 16 or older you may bring in, duty-free,
200 cigarettes and 50 cigars. Check ahead of time with Revenue Canada
or the Department of Agriculture for policies regarding meat products,
seeds, plants, and fruits. For more information contact: Revenue
Canada. 2265 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, Ontario, K1G 4K3. Tel. 613-993-0534
or 800- 461-9999 (Canada only). Fax: 613-957-8911. Webpage: www.ccra-adrc.gc.ca.
U.S.
residents who have been out of the country for at least 48 hours
may bring home $400 of foreign goods, duty free but only if they
have not used the $400 allowance or any part of it in the past 30
days. Those 21 and older may bring back 1 liter of alcohol duty-free.
Any resident (regardless of age) can bring back 200 cigarettes and
100 non-Cuban cigars. Antiques, which the U.S. Customs Service defines
as objects more than 100 years old, enter duty-free, as do original
works of art done entirely by hand, including paintings, drawings,
and sculptures. It is illegal to bring tortoiseshell into the United
States and there are also restrictions regarding black coral. If
you do buy black coral, you must present a certificate that shows
it was purchased from a recognized dealer. You may also send packages
home duty-free: up to $200 worth of goods for personal use, with
a limit of one parcel per addressee per day. This does not include
alcohol, tobacco products or perfume worth more than $5. Be sure
to label the package “personal use” and attach a list of its contents
and their retail value. Do not label the package “unsolicited gift”
or your duty-free exemption will drop to $100. Mailed items do not
affect your duty-free allowance on your return. For more information
contact: U.S. Customs Service. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington,
DC, 20229. Tel: 202-354-1000. Webpage:
www.customs.gov or check http://www.customs.ustreas.gov/
American and Canadian visitors can enter Mexico with a valid passport
or with a birth certificate accompanied by photo ID. Travelers from
other countries may need a visa and should check with their country
before departure. Minors traveling alone need a notarized consent
from one parent. Single parents traveling with their children need
notarized consent from the other parent. 
If
you have items to declare, your luggage will be searched. If you
have nothing to declare you will join a line where you will wait
to press a random traffic light. A green light means you pass through;
a red light means your luggage will be searched. If anything is
found during the search that hasn’t been declared, it may be confiscated
or you may be fined. Entering Mexico, you may bring in personal
items needed for your stay along with: 400 cigarettes or 50 cigars
(if you are over 18); one photographic camera and one nonprofessional
film or video camera and 12 rolls of film for each; up to 20 cassettes
or CDs; medicine for personal use; one personal laptop computer;
and gift items not exceeding a combined value of $300.You are not
allowed to bring meat, vegetables, plants, fruit, or flowers into
the country. Traveling with a gun or knife will get you arrested.
Be sure that any personal medication, especially psychotropic drugs,
has a prescription label. 
When
leaving Mexico there is a Departure Tax of approximately $17 (check
with your travel agent or airline to see if the departure tax has
been included in your ticket price.) Children under 2 years are
exempt. When shopping, keep receipts for all your purchases especially
if you exceed your limit. Upon reentering your country be ready
to show customs officials these receipts. If you feel a duty is
incorrect or object to the way your clearance was handled, note
the inspector's badge number and ask to see a supervisor. If the
problem isn't resolved, write to the appropriate authorities, beginning
with the port director at your point of entry. 
U.S.
residents who have been out of the country for at least 48 hours
may bring home $400 of foreign goods, duty free but only if they
have not used the $400 allowance or any part of it in the past 30
days. Those 21 and older may bring back 1 liter of alcohol duty-free.
Any resident (regardless of age) can bring back 200 cigarettes and
100 non-Cuban cigars. Antiques, which the U.S. Customs Service defines
as objects more than 100 years old, enter duty-free, as do original
works of art done entirely by hand, including paintings, drawings,
and sculptures. It is illegal to bring tortoiseshell into the United
States and there are also restrictions regarding black coral. If
you do buy black coral, you must present a certificate that shows
it was purchased from a recognized dealer. You may also send packages
home duty-free: up to $200 worth of goods for personal use, with
a limit of one parcel per addressee per day. This does not include
alcohol, tobacco products or perfume worth more than $5. Be sure
to label the package “personal use” and attach a list of its contents
and their retail value. Do not label the package “unsolicited gift”
or your duty-free exemption will drop to $100. Mailed items do not
affect your duty-free allowance on your return. For more information
contact: U.S. Customs Service. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW, Washington,
DC, 20229. Tel: 202-354-1000. Webpage: