The website for Mexico’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores, SRE) recommends that someone applying for a passport make an appointment to visit one of the Ministry’s regional offices (Mexico 15 Dec. 2009). The appointment is free of cost and can be scheduled over the telephone or on the SRE’s website (ibid.).

Passports for Mexicans who have reached the age of majority (18 years and over)

According to the SRE website, an adult applicant has to visit a regional office of the ministry or one of its liaison offices (oficina de enlace) to fill out a passport application (Solicitud de pasaporte ordinario mexicano, OP-5) (Mexico n.d.a). The applicant has to provide a document proving Mexican citizenship (e.g., a certified copy of a birth certificate, a citizenship certificate or a naturalization card), an official photo identification card and two colour passport photographs taken in the last 30 days (ibid.). The applicant must also present proof of payment of the passport fees (ibid.).

Passports for Mexican minors

To obtain a passport for a minor, the child’s parents or legal guardians must visit a regional office of the SRE or one of its liaison offices and present photo identification (e.g., a passport, a voter’s card (credencial de elector), a professional membership card (cédula profesional), or professional credentials (título profesional)) (Mexico n.d.b). The minor must be present at the time of application and proof of citizenship must be provided as well as one of the following forms of photo identification: a Mexican passport, a school report card (certificado de estudios), a written confirmation of school enrolment (constancia del grado de estudios que cursa), a health care card (credencial de servicios médicos) from a public health or social service institution or a consular registration card (matrícula consular) (ibid.). If the minor is less than seven years old and does not have any of these documents, he or she must present a note from a doctor who knows the child that includes a photograph of the child and a copy of the doctor's professional identification card (ibid.). In addition to form OP-5, the parents or guardians must complete form OP-7 (ibid.) which is called the Permiso que otorgan los padres o personas que ejercen la patria potestad o tutela, para la expedición de pasaporte (authorization from parents or legal guardians for issuance of a passport) (ibid. n.d.c).

According to the website of the Embassy of Mexico in Ottawa, if one parent is deceased, the original death certificate and a copy are needed, and if the parents are divorced, a court order specifying custody has to be produced (ibid. n.d.d).

Passport renewal

For a passport renewal, an applicant must visit a regional office of the ministry or one of its liaison offices, complete the OP-5 form and present an official photo identification card, two colour passport photographs and proof of payment of fees (Mexico n.d.e). The applicant must hand in the current passport, as well as a copy of the first and last pages of the passport containing the photograph, the passport number and information on the holder (ibid.). In the case where a minor’s passport is being renewed, the minor must accompany the parents or legal guardian to the regional office of the ministry or one of its liaison offices and follow the procedures for the issuance of a passport to a Mexican minor (ibid. n.d.f).

If a passport is lost or stolen in Mexico, an applicant must follow established procedures for the issuance of passports to Mexicans for minors or for those who have reached the age of majority, as the case may be, and must present a certified copy of the complaint filed with the Public Prosecutor’s Office (Ministerio Público) (ibid. n.d.g). According to the Ministry’s website, if a passport is being renewed because of loss or theft, it will not be delivered on the day of application (ibid.). Additional information on the timelines for the issuance or renewal of passports could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Document checks

All documents submitted to confirm the applicant’s citizenship as part of an initial passport application are checked within 3-5 business days (Mexico n.d.h). Furthermore, documents presented with a passport application may be checked with appropriate authorities (ibid.). It is difficult to specify timelines for issuing a passport because document checks are contingent on the response from the institution involved (ibid.). The signature, fingerprints and the addition of a photograph to the OP-5 and OP-7 forms, when applicable, must be completed in the presence of SRE staff (ibid.). Additional information on verification performed by the Mexican government when issuing or renewing passports could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Passports issued for one, three, six or ten years

According to the website of the Embassy of Mexico in Ottawa, five-year passports are no longer being issued as of 1 January 2008, and passports issued after that date are now valid for one, three or six years (Mexico n.d.d). However, the site also points out that it is possible to obtain a ten-year passport (ibid. n.d.a).

According to the SRE website, the following people are issued a one-year passport:

[Translation]

- children under three years of age

- people who might require emergency medical or psychiatric treatment

- people who do not meet all the SRE requirements (they are required to provide the SRE with an explanation as to why they do not meet the requirements)

- people who are abroad and require consular protection (Mexico n.d.a).

Passports that are valid for three years or six years are issued to Mexican citizens who are more than three years old and less than eighteen years old, as well as to agricultural workers (ibid.). Passports that are valid for three, six or ten years are issued to Mexican citizens who have reached the age of majority (ibid.). Additional information on the differences among passports that are valid for one, three, six or ten years could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim for refugee protection. Please find below the list of sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Mexico. 15 December 2009. Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SER). “Trámite de pasaporte mediante citas.” [Accessed 23 July 2010]

_____ . N.d.a. Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SER). “Requisitos para mayores de edad para tramitar pasaporte por primera vez.” [Accessed 23 July 2010]

_____ . N.d.b. Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SER). “OP-7 : Requisitos para obtener pasaporte por primera vez para menores de edad.” [Accessed 23 July 2010]

_____ . N.d.c. Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SER). “Permiso que otorgan los padres o personas que ejercen la patria potestad o tutela, para la expedición de pasaporte.” [Accessed 23 July 2010]

_____ . N.d.d. Embassy of Mexico in Ottawa. “Pasaporte.” < [Accessed 23 July 2010]

_____ . N.d.e. Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SER). “Requisitos para renovación o canje de pasaporte ordinario mayores de 18 años.” [Accessed 23 July 2010]

_____ . N.d.f. Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SER). “Requisitos para renovación de pasaporte ordinario menores de edad.” [Accessed 23 July 2010]

_____ . N.d.g. Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SER). “Robo, pérdida, mutilación o destrucción.” [Accessed 23 July 2010]

_____ . N.d.h. Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SER). “Criterios de resolución del trámite.” [Accessed 23 July 2010]

Additional Sources Consulted

Oral sources: Representatives of the Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores (SRE) of Mexico could not provide information within the time constraints for this Response.