According to Mexican law any American that is travelling to Mexico that is under the age of 18 must have expressed written consent from the legal parent or guardian that is not travelling with them. The statement must grant permission for them to travel to Mexico alone. The letter must state the child's name, the parent's name, the names of any persons that they may be traveling with, and the document must be signed by the parents/ legal guardians of the child. The letter must also be notarized. Generally it would be a good idea to state why the child is traveling to Mexico and any information that can be given about the itinerary of the child's stay.
Minors traveling from the United States to Mexico must comply with all regulations of having the appropriate passports and/or passport cards when they cross the border. They must have their own individual card that vouches for their identification. According to the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), any person (including minors) traveling from the United States to Mexico by air travel must have a valid national passport. If they are traveling to Mexico by land or sea the traveler can either be carrying a valid passport or a passport card.
In order to obtain a national passport or a passport card for a United States citizen please contact the United States Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs for more information: (877) 487- 2778.
In order to find out the latest information regarding current visa and document regulations for Americans traveling to Mexico please contact the Mexican embassy or consulate, portal.sre.gob.mx/usa.
