ETIAS Requirements for Mexicans

Mexican citizens are part of the Schengen Area’s Visa Waiver Program. This means that if you have a Mexican passport, you can travel to any Schengen country without a visa and stay for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

From November 2023, you must obtain an ETIAS visa waiver for Mexicans to continue traveling without a visa. This is an additional mandatory step which all visa-free nationalities must take.

The ETIAS for Mexicans is a multiple-entry travel authorization which is valid for 3 years. You can use the same ETIAS to visit numerous Schengen Area countries, providing it is still within its 3 years of validity.

Visa waiver passport holders can travel to the Schengen zone through this program for business, tourism, or transit purposes. If you wish to work or study in Europe, or stay for more than 90 days, you must obtain a Schengen visa instead.

Note: it is important to understand that the ETIAS is not a visa—it is a visa waiver which provides you with visa-free access into the Schengen travel zone. If you do not meet the ETIAS requirements for Mexican citizens, you must apply for a visa at an embassy or consulate.

The ETIAS visa waiver for Mexicans will allow travelers to enter all Schengen Area nations without a visa.

The Schengen zone is formed of almost all European Union countries. Ireland is the only EU country which is not part of this borderless travel area.

There are also some non-EU countries which are members: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland, and 3 microstates: Monaco, San Marino, and Vatican City.

Schengen candidates who are currently in the process of becoming members will also be included in the ETIAS program, even if they are still not official member states by November 2023. These countries are Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, and Romania.

The Schengen agreement states that all contributing nations share a single external border. You will only need 1 travel permit to visit all Schengen countries.

Below you can find the list of the countries you can visit with an ETIAS visa waiver for Mexican nationals.

You must meet the ETIAS requirements for Mexican citizens before you can apply.
Fortunately, you only need a few basic items:

• Mexican Passport: must meet the requirements mentioned below
• Debit or credit card: to pay the ETIAS processing fee
• Email address: to receive your approved ETIAS

ETIAS passport requirements for Mexicans

Your passport must be biometric (an ePassport) as the ETIAS is electronically linked to the traveler’s passport. Mexico transitioned to a biometric passport in 2021, please check that you have an ePassport before applying for ETIAS.

The passport you use to obtain the ETIAS for Mexicans must be valid for at least 3 more months from the date you intend to arrive in the Schengen Area.

For those with dual nationality, you must ensure that you use the same passport to apply for ETIAS as you do to travel. You will not be able to enter the Schengen zone with a passport that is not electronically connected to your ETIAS.

If your passport expires before your ETIAS then your visa waiver is no longer valid. In this case, you would need to apply for a new travel authorization using your new passport.

You can apply for an ETIAS visa waiver by following 3 simple steps:

1. Complete the online form
2. Pay the processing fee
3. Receive your approved ETIAS by email

The ETIAS application for Mexican citizens is completely online. You do not need to go to a government office at any point during the process.

The processing time for an ETIAS is very quick, taking as little as 24 hours to approve. However, you are advised to apply at least 72 hours before your trip to avoid any delays.

Mexican passport holders with a valid ETIAS for Mexicans can stay in the Schengen Area for up to 90 days, in each 180-day period.

If you wish to stay in Europe for longer than 90 days you will need to obtain a visa instead of the ETIAS visa waiver.

Europe is becoming increasingly popular with Mexican tourists. The number of arrivals increased by almost 500,000 from 2015 to 2019.

International travel has understandably decreased due to the COVID-19 pandemic, however numbers are slowly increasing again.

Europe has long been a popular destination for Mexican travelers. The most popular cities for Mexicans include:

• France: Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Paris
• Germany: Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich
• Spain: Barcelona, Madrid, Granada, Seville

You can use your ETIAS visa waiver for Mexicans in all destinations listed above, and across all other Schengen countries.

The ETIAS travel authorization is valid for multiple entry, meaning you can visit numerous countries during your trip to Europe.