Effective March 1st, 2010, you will be required to present a valid Canadian passport upon entry into Mexico. If you’re planning on a vacation come the typical March break, you should begin the process now of getting your information in order if you require a passport or renewal. The Mexican government is expected to announce this formally in January, and is working with Canadian tour operators to get the program rolled out as efficiently as possible, but the message is clear – countries, even our continental neighbors, are all moving towards the passport being the required identification of choice necessary for travel. This development underscores the need for travellers to apply for a Canadian passport. It is still the preferred option even in countries that don’t require this official form of identification. Mexico follows the United States having made this recent change back in June of this year. If you’ve booked travel to Mexico for March, don’t risk compromising your trip.
The following is an excerpt from a segment found on DFAIT’s “Essential Information for Canadians Abroad” web site:
“Furthermore, even though a passport is not required for entry into Mexico, most airlines departing from Mexico are now refusing boarding to Canadians returning to Canada without a valid passport even if the same airline accepted to board the passenger without a passport in Canada. We strongly recommend that Canadians carry a valid passport for all air travel to Mexico in order to ensure they may board their return flight to Canada. Canadian citizens should be aware that extra costs derived from being denied boarding in Mexico can be considerably high and must be assumed by the traveller.