The fields where people get the official FMM-E wrong, in form order.

This guide walks through every field the official INM FMM-E form asks, in the order the form presents them. Pre-check your entries with the tool below before pasting them into the INM site.

Section 1: Traveler identity

Passport number

The string printed next to “Passport No.” on your passport photo page.

• Format: letters and digits, 6 to 12 characters, no spaces or dashes.
• Do not use the MRZ. The two long lines at the bottom of the photo page are the machine-readable zone and include check digits. Use the short number above them.
• Common error: “Número de pasaporte inválido” usually means you included a space or used a character the INM form does not accept. Remove spaces, retry.

Given name (Nombre)

Your first and middle names, exactly as shown on the passport.

• Max 50 characters.
• Latin letters only. The INM form rejects accented characters and non-Latin scripts. Use the spelling from the MRZ line of your passport, which is always ASCII.
• If your passport shows both a native-script name and a Latin transliteration, use the Latin one.

Family name (Apellidos)

Your surname. In Spanish-speaking countries, people use two last names (paternal + maternal). If your passport lists both, include both, separated by a space. If your passport lists only one, use that.

• Max 50 characters.
• Hyphenated names: keep the hyphen exactly as on the passport.

Nationality

The country that issued your passport, as an ISO 3-letter code.

• USA, CAN, GBR, FRA, DEU, JPN, etc.
• The INM form also shows the full country name in Spanish in a dropdown. Either works. If you search, searching in Spanish is more reliable: Estados Unidos finds the USA option faster than typing “United States.”

Date of birth

Format: YYYY-MM-DD. The INM site uses a date picker on most browsers, but if you paste, paste ISO format.

• 1991-08-22, not 22/08/1991 and not 08-22-1991.
• Common error: “Fecha inválida” almost always means you used the US MM/DD/YYYY format. Mexico uses DD/MM/YYYY in everyday life, but the INM form accepts YYYY-MM-DD via its picker.

Section 2: Trip

Arrival date

Format: YYYY-MM-DD. The date you actually enter Mexico.

• For air arrivals, use the date printed on your ticket for the Mexico segment.
• For land crossings, use the date you plan to cross. If that slips by a day, you can file again or update at the border.

Port of entry

The airport (IATA code) or land crossing point.

• Airports: MEX (Mexico City), CUN (Cancún), GDL (Guadalajara), TIJ (Tijuana), PVR (Puerto Vallarta), SJD (Los Cabos), etc.
• Land crossings: the INM dropdown lists each by name (e.g. San Ysidro / Tijuana, Laredo / Nuevo Laredo).
• Sea ports: listed by name (Cozumel, Progreso, etc).

If you arrive at a port not in the dropdown, you almost certainly do not need an FMM-E: check the overview page for which entries use passport stamps instead.

Purpose of trip

Select one. The options are usually:

• Tourism — most visitors.
• Business — attending meetings, conferences, but not working for a Mexican employer.
• Transit — passing through Mexico without staying.
• Study — enrolled in a short course. Longer study requires a separate student visa.
• Other — free-text field appears if you pick this.

If you are unsure, pick tourism. The difference mostly affects the days authorized on the stamp, not whether you are admitted.

Section 3: Stay in Mexico

Address in Mexico

Where you will stay.

• Max 200 characters.
• Hotel name plus city is enough for tourism.
• Example: Hotel Xcaret Mexico, Carretera Chetumal-Puerto Juarez Km 282, Playa del Carmen, Quintana Roo.
• If you are staying at multiple places, use your first night’s address. The INM does not require a full itinerary.
• Airbnb is fine. Use the address the host provided in your booking confirmation.

Email

Where your FMM-E PDF is sent. Use a monitored inbox.

• Max 80 characters.
• Confirmation arrives within minutes. If not in an hour, check spam, then refile.
• The PDF contains a reference number. Keep it. You may need it at the border.

What happens after you submit

1. The INM site shows a confirmation with your reference number. Screenshot it.
2. An email arrives with the FMM-E PDF attached.
3. At the border:
   • Air: the airline may ask for the PDF at check-in. At arrival, the officer scans your passport, may ask for the reference number, stamps your passport, and hands back a stub.
   • Land: approach the INM desk (usually just past the customs check). Show the PDF. The officer stamps it, tears off a stub, and hands it back.
4. Keep the stub until you exit Mexico. You surrender it on exit. Losing it means a small replacement fee.

Common errors and what they mean

“Número de pasaporte inválido” / “Invalid passport number” You included a space, a dash, or pasted from the MRZ. Use the short passport number from the photo page.

“Fecha inválida” / “Invalid date” You used MM/DD/YYYY or DD/MM/YYYY. Use the date picker, or paste YYYY-MM-DD.

“Nacionalidad no encontrada” / “Nationality not found” You typed the country name in English but searched in Spanish. Try the 3-letter code (USA, CAN, GBR).

“Correo electrónico inválido” Email format wrong. Check for trailing space or typo in the domain.

“No se pudo generar el formato” INM server issue, usually transient. Wait 5 minutes, try again. If it persists, try a different browser; the INM site has occasional Safari compatibility issues.

No email after 1 hour Check spam. If still missing, refile. Duplicate submissions are harmless. Border officers resolve dupes by taking the most recent.