The Mexico FMM, explained without a fee.
Mexico's electronic entry permit is free. Here is the official INM site, every field it asks, and how to tell real from fake.
What the FMM actually is
The Forma Migratoria Múltiple (FMM) is Mexico’s foreign visitor permit. It is the document that says you are allowed to be in Mexico for up to 180 days as a tourist. Since 2020, Mexico’s immigration authority (INM) has offered it in electronic form, the FMM-E, filed in advance on the INM website.
It is free.
No one can charge you for it. The fee you sometimes see referenced, the DNI (Derecho de No Inmigrante), is a government fee collected separately on some entries, and it is already included in your airline ticket price for most air arrivals. It is not the FMM.
The only legal destination for your FMM-E is inm.gob.mx, a domain reserved for Mexican government entities under the .gob.mx suffix.
The problem
If you search Google for “Mexico FMM” or “Mexico tourist card” right now, several of the top results are paid ads from middlemen charging $25 to $49 to fill a free form. Some of them submit the real FMM on your behalf. Some of them do not.
Mexico’s INM has not been as publicly vocal as Thailand’s immigration bureau about naming these sites, but the commercial pattern is identical: open top-level domain, polished UI, fake urgency, payment required for a government service that costs nothing.
Before you touch any form
Check the address bar. The official site is inm.gob.mx/fmme/ and nothing else.
Not mexico-fmm.com. Not fmm-mexico.org. Not official-fmm.net. Anyone can register a .com, .org, or .net. Only Mexican government entities can register .gob.mx.
Before you paste anything into the official site
Type your details below. We never send them anywhere. This runs 100% in your browser. View source to verify.
✓ Rules last verified 2026-04-24.
Do I even need an FMM-E?
The rules changed in 2023 and are still catching travelers off guard. Here is the short version:
You need an FMM-E (either filed online beforehand or on arrival) if:
- You are entering Mexico by land (car, bus, foot).
- You are entering by sea and disembarking.
- You are flying into a smaller airport that has not transitioned to the stamp-only system.
- You are staying more than the time granted by the passport stamp (rare for tourists).
You may NOT need a separate FMM-E if:
- You are flying into a major airport (CUN, MEX, GDL, TIJ, PVR, SJD, and several others). Most air arrivals now receive a passport stamp with the days authorized written on it, and this stamp serves the same purpose as the FMM.
If you are unsure, fill the FMM-E online. A filed FMM-E is never a problem at the border. Missing one when you needed it is.
Every field the official form asks
The FMM-E has about 10 fields across 3 sections: traveler identity, trip, and stay in Mexico.
None of them require a photo upload.
None of them require payment at the INM site.
If a site asks for either, you are not on the official site.
For a field-by-field walkthrough with common errors, read our how to fill the FMM guide.
Known sites that are NOT the FMM-E
These sites all charge money for a free form. Some of them submit a real FMM on your behalf. Some of them do not.
Screenshots captured April 2026. Archived snapshots available via archive.org.
Frequently asked
Is there a fee for the FMM-E?
No. Filing the FMM-E on the INM site is free. The DNI fee (Derecho de No Inmigrante) is a separate government charge, not an FMM fee, and is already bundled into most airline tickets.
Can I fill it on my phone?
Yes. The INM site is mobile-friendly, though the layout is dense. A laptop makes it easier to avoid typos.
When should I fill it?
Any time before your arrival. The form accepts submissions up to 30 days out for most port-of-entry combinations. Earlier than that, it may reject.
I already paid a middleman. Can I get a refund?
Contact your credit card issuer and dispute the charge as “service not rendered” or “deceptive practice.” Success rates vary. Within 60 days of the charge, success is highest.
I filled out the form but didn’t get a PDF.
Check spam. The INM site emails the PDF with a reference number shortly after submission. If still missing after 2 hours, refile. Duplicate FMM-E submissions are resolved at the border by the officer picking the most recent.
What do I do with the FMM stub at the border?
The officer tears off part of the form and hands a stub back to you. Keep it. You surrender it when you exit Mexico. Losing it means a small replacement fee at exit.
This guide is maintained by entrycardguide. We have no affiliation with INM or any travel service. Our only revenue is from travel insurance and eSIM affiliate links at the bottom of this page.