Bringing your children to Mexico is an amazing way to expand their cultural horizons and create life-long memories.
Whether your children are joining you on your Mexican getaway or they’re traveling with a school or church group, you’ll want to be sure you have the proper documentation for your minors.
Entering & Leaving Mexico with a Minor
If you’re entering Mexico with a minor aged 15 and under, you’ll need to provide proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate, naturalization certificate, consular report of birth abroad, or a Canadian citizenship card.
In case your child is 16 or over, he or she simply needs to show a valid passport or alternative WHTI-compliant document such as a passport card.
If you’re bringing an infant into Mexico and you have not yet received his or her birth certificate, a birth report from the hospital is sufficient to enter Mexico.
In the event that you are traveling with children who are not your own, such as nieces, nephews, or friends of your child, they’ll need to provide a notarized letter from their parents or legal guardian stating that they have permission to be traveling to and from Mexico.
Canadian children traveling without one of their parents are advised to bring a notarized letter of authorization from the parent who is not present. This measure is intended to prevent abduction by a parent.
Children Traveling with a Group
Any children under the age of 19 traveling to Mexico with a school group, church group, or sports team needs to present one of these forms of proof of citizenship:
An original or copy of their birth certificate
A consular report of birth abroad
Naturalization certificate
A Canadian passport card
The group leader must have a letter on official letterhead that includes:
The name of the group
The name(s) of the supervising adult(s)
The name, address, phone number, date and place of birth, and the name of a parent or legal guardian for each child in the group
The signatures of the supervising adults certifying that they have parental consent for each child in the group
Keeping Your Child Safe
While no vaccines are required for traveling to Mexico, you will want to make sure your child has had their tetanus (childhood booster), typhoid (food and water-borne) and hepatitis A shots.
You can stay up to date on health and safety issues in Mexico via the USA Government’s Traveler’s Health website.
Additionally, it is important to note that if your child drives your vehicle while in Mexico, he or she may not be covered under your Mexico vehicle insurance policy. While most drivers are covered with a valid driver’s license, some of our policies require drivers to be over the age of 21 to receive coverage. If someone under 21 will be driving in Mexico, make sure to indicate that when you are buying your policy to make sure that they are covered.
Explore Mexico as a Family
Mexico is a land of culture, history, natural beauty, and unique experiences. Bond with your whole family on your trip to Mexico.
If you have any questions about traveling to Mexico with your children, please be sure to contact us.