FMM Form in English

What is FMM Form in English?

·         This is the anglicized version of the Forma Migratoria Multiple

·         It is available online and in paper form

·         Filling it only takes a few minutes

Traveling to Mexico has never been as easy as it is today. Mexico is one of the most beautiful countries on earth, and you can visit Mexico for business or pleasure using different documents. One of them is the Forma Migratoria Multiple or FMM for short.

Before now, tourists who wished to visit Mexico had to apply for a Mexican visa to get access to the country, but the Mexican immigration authority came up with a new document to expedite the process and to make it easy for visitors to access, fill and submit their request. Suffice it to say that FMM has made it easy for applicants more than ever before who want to visit Mexico.

But what is FMM? FMM Form In English

FMM Explained

FMM stands for Forma Migratoria Multiple in Spanish and Multiple Migration Form in English. It is a travel document issued to nationals from No Visa nations who want to visit Mexico for a short period. Visitors to Mexico are classified into different categories, one of which is the basis of Mexican visa eligibility.

They are No Visa countries and countries requiring a visa. Just like with other countries, one has to hold a Mexican visa issued by the consulate of Mexico before they can enter Mexico for whatever reason. However, a national of a No visa country does not have to hold a visa.

So FMM is issued to only foreign citizens from countries that Mexico and does not require a Mexico visa. This document is issued to specific groups of people, though. If you are from an FMM approved country and don’t fall into the required category, you cannot enter Mexico using FMM. Below, we review these categories in detail.

So FMM is issued to only foreign citizens from countries that Mexico and does not require a Mexico visa. This document is issued to specific groups of people, though. If you are from an FMM approved country and don’t fall into the required category, you cannot enter Mexico using FMM.

FMM For Tourists and Short Stay Visitors

People who are tourists visiting Mexico for pleasure or visitors who want to come for any other reason may apply for FMM. This form is distributed to applicants at entry points, on board planes, or even online. It is currently available in five different languages, including the FMM form in English.

If you want to fill out the form online, click this link to fill in your details.

After filling out the form, you will take it to the immigration officer on duty for validation. The document should also state how many days you intend to stay in the country, with the maximum period being 180 days. The document will be stamped and torn into two parts by the immigration officer on duty, with one piece handed to you.

This piece has to be kept safe because on the day you depart the country, the authorities will request it. So keep the piece with your passport and other travel documents safe at all times.

There are incidences where travelers fail to present their passports and are so, therefore, liable to pay a fine in the form of a default tax. Sometimes, the tax may be the same fee charged for a new form.

Another reason why you may be sanctioned and asked to pay a fine is if you stay beyond the 180 allowed for visitors m in such a scenario, you will be asked to pay the fine before you are deported.

For Residency Applicants

The second class of people who fill FMM are those with a Mexican visa. A visa grants you residency status so you can stay within the Mexican border for a significant period of time, often more than a six months period. This approval is obtained from the Mexican consulate in the applicant’s home country.

For such people, the process for applying for FMM is different. This process is called “Canje”. It is simply the exchange of a visa for a residency card.

We advise people with a Mexican residency to ensure that they complete their Canje application once they enter Mexico before they fill out a form.

When filling your FMM form as a Canje applicant, there is a box specifically for Canje; this is the one you tick, not the one for visitors or tourists. If you have any doubts whatsoever, the next best thing to do will be to alert the attention of an Immigration officer around to help you with your application.

If you make the mistake of ticking the wrong box, you will invalidate your visa, which will require a fresh application on your path when next you plan to enter Mexico again.

Just as it is with the application for tourists and visitors, the officer on duty will validate your application by stamping the card, tearing it into two, and handing over a smaller piece to you. The only difference is, rather than hold onto the piece; you are to present it to the nearest immigration office in the city where you reside to collect a residency card.

Temporary/Permanent FMM Applicants

The FMM form can also be used by people who already have a temporary or permanent resident status. For such people, rather than apply and hold an FMM before they enter Mexico, they will have to apply for one and have it approved before they depart.

A piece will be handed to them after it is stamped, and they must keep it safe once outside the country. This piece will have to be submitted at the counter when next they return to Mexico, along with their resident card and passport.

Types Of FMM

There are two types of FMM, namely Land FMM and Air FMM. As a visitor, you are free to apply for any of them, depending on how you intend to enter the country.

Air FMM

This one is for air travelers who will enter  Mexico via any of its airports. If you are flying into the country, you only need to tick the Air box in your FMM form in English as an English speaker. Then provide all the necessary documents or information required.

The name of the airline, date of arrival, airport of entry, and the ticket information are some of the documents that will be required of you.

Land FMM

This one is essentially for land travelers. Those flying in cannot use an air FMM, nor can land travelers use an air FMM. Mexico has a common border with three countries. There is a southern border with Guatemala and Belize, and the northern border it shares with the United States.

Visitors coming through any of these land routes have to indicate the border and the date of entry along with other information.

Applying for a Land or Air Fmm requires accurate information; there is a box of attestation on the form, which you must check to attest that all the information you provide is genuine and factual. You also have to provide other important information as we will discuss shortly.

How To Get FMM Form In English

It is not difficult to get an FMam form in English. You can use any of the following.

Mexico Tourist Card Online

You can get the Mexican tourist card online by visiting the official website of the immigration service to applying for it. The Mexico tourist card online method is the easiest and fastest means to get the FMM. You need a credit or debit card to pay the application fee and your Passport to fill necessary information. You also need an Email address to receive the form too.

After completing the Mexico tourist card online, print it out and bring it along with you to enter Mexico for validation.

Airline

Another way to get the FMM form without the need for a Mexico visa is to pay for it indirectly when paying your flight ticket fare. Airline companies that fly passengers into Mexico from FMM approved countries charge eligible applicants the application fee alongside their ticket fare.

Once on board, the form will be provided to you for the free to fill. After doing that, you will have to keep it with you until the plane lands at the airport so you can present it at the counter for validation. With this document, the officers will not ask you for a Mexico visa.

Entry Point

Some people actually arrive in Mexico without filling out the form even without holding a Mexico visa. It is only after they arrive that they fill out the form and submit it for approval. At the entry point counter at airports and land borders, the forms are always available. So you can pay the FMM application fee with cash or your credit or debit card.

Information/Document Required For FMM Application

There are more than a few documents and information you need to complete the FMM form to get a tourist visa. We review them below.

Valid Passport

You need a valid passport to fill out the FMM form before you enter the Mexican border. The valid passport information you use should be the same as the one you present to the Mexican immigration authority on arrival in Mexico. Secondly, the passport must have a validity of at least 6 months.

A passport that will expire in less than 6 months will not be accepted because it may expire when you are still within the Mexican border; besides, it is below the 6 months validity for FMM forms. The form requires your passport information, such as

·         Name of the bearer

·         Country of issue

·         Date of issue

·         Nationality

·         Expiry date

·         Confirmation number

Make sure the details you provide are the same as what is in your passport.

Airplane Ticket

If you are flying into the Mexican border, you will have to provide the flight information. This detail will be found on your air ticket, so fill it just as it is in the appropriate fields. If you are not traveling by air, ignore this section.

Payment

There is an application fee for FMM, which can be paid using a credit or debit card. Make sure the card is funded with the required amount. You can use your card if you are applying for it online or at the Mexican border. But cash is also accepted at entry points if your debit card is not funded.

But note that the Mexico tourist card is free for those who plan to stay for 7 days or less.

Email address

You need an Email address if you are filling the form online. The form will be sent to your email in PDF format for filling.

Who Needs An FMM Card?

FMM is solely for foreign nationals who are from No visa countries and intend to stay in Mexico for a short period of not more than 6 months. Although it is called a Mexican tourist visa, it is really not a visa but a waiver, so the holder doesn’t need to hold a visa to enter the country. People who may use FMM include

·         Tourists

·         Students

·         Volunteers

·         Business persons

·         Conference guests

As long as you don’t plan to stay for more than 6 months, you can apply for FMM. However, if you wish to stay for much longer, you will need a visa even though you are from a No visa country.

Another thing to take note of is that holders are not allowed to engage in any form of paid work during their stay. Engaging in any activity that will earn you income in the form of a wage or salary is a violation of your stay, and should the authorities find out, you will be sanctioned.

Furthermore, staying beyond the 6 months period will attract fines for every extra day you remain within the Mexican borders.

Application Fee

The application fee will cost you only $30, or its equivalent in Mexican Pesos. If you apply online, you will receive it in an hour or less int your email address. Also, it is only a one-time payment, so you don’t have to pay any other fees during your stay.

Conclusion

FMM form in English is available to English speakers who plan to visit Mexico any time soon. The form is only for foreign citizens from No visa countries who wish to stay for not more than 6 months. When filling out your FMM form, ensure you provide only accurate information and verify your details before submitting it for approval.