Los Cabos Airport Immigration & Entry Requirements
Clearing immigration at Los Cabos International Airport (SJD) is quick and, for most visitors, paperless. Here’s what you need to enter Mexico and what to expect at the immigration counter.
What You Need to Enter Mexico
- A valid passport — required for every air traveler, and it should be valid for the length of your stay (many travelers keep at least six months’ validity to be safe). For air travel to Mexico a passport is mandatory; a birth certificate or driver’s license is not accepted.
- A return or onward ticket — immigration officers may ask to see it.
- No visa for most tourists — citizens of the US, Canada, the UK, the EU and many other countries don’t need a visa for tourism stays of up to 180 days. If you’re unsure, check the requirements for your nationality before you travel.
The Digital FMM (Tourist Permit)
Mexico has gone paperless for air arrivals, so you no longer fill out a paper FMM tourist card at Los Cabos Airport. Instead, the immigration officer reviews your passport, stamps your entry date, and writes in the number of days you’re permitted to stay — up to a maximum of 180. The exact length is at the officer’s discretion, so if you’re staying a while, it’s worth politely asking for the full period.
After you arrive, you can download your digital entry record — the Forma Migratoria Múltiple Digital (FMMd) — online from Mexico’s National Immigration Institute (INM) if you need proof of your legal stay. Note: the traditional paper FMM still applies if you enter Mexico by land rather than by air.
Traveling With Minors
Every child needs their own valid passport. A minor under 14 traveling alone should be met by an adult at the airport. If a minor is traveling with only one parent or with another adult, carry any custody or consent documentation your airline or Mexican authorities may request.
Tourism Tax
Baja California Sur charges a visitor tax of 470 MXN (about $26 USD) per person for tourists aged 15 and over who stay more than 24 hours. It’s separate from immigration and paid online — see our Los Cabos tourism tax guide for how to pay before you fly.
After Immigration: Customs & Your Ride
Once you’re through immigration, collect your bags and pass through customs. From there, the smoothest way to your hotel or villa is a pre-booked airport transfer waiting for you in arrivals — no taxi line, no wait.
Mexicans Living in the United States
If you are of Mexican nationality and reside in the United States, review the Mini Guía Avión for guidance on returning to Mexico.