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Mexico Travel Advisory

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Bureau of Consular Affairs
September 6, 2024

Reissued after periodic review with updates for Chiapas, and Durango.

Country Summary: Violent crime – such as homicide, kidnapping, carjacking, and robbery – is widespread and common in Mexico. The U.S. government has limited ability to provide emergency services to U.S. citizens in many areas of Mexico, as travel by U.S. government employees to certain areas is prohibited or restricted. In many states, local emergency services are limited outside the state capital or major cities.

U.S. citizens are advised to adhere to restrictions on U.S. government employee travel. State-specific restrictions are included in the individual state advisories below. U.S. government employees may not travel between cities after dark, may not hail taxis on the street, and must rely on dispatched vehicles, including app-based services like Uber, and regulated taxi stands. U.S. government employees should avoid traveling alone, especially in remote areas. U.S. government employees may not drive from the U.S.-Mexico border to or from the interior of Mexico, except daytime travel within Baja California and between Nogales and Hermosillo on Mexican Federal Highway 15D, between Nuevo Laredo and Monterrey on Highway 85D and between Ciudad Juarez and interior cities as noted in the Chihuahua section.

Read the country information page before you plan any international travel to Mexico.

Do Not Travel To:

• Colima state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Guerrero state due to crime.
• Michoacán state due to crime.
• Sinaloa state due to crime.
• Tamaulipas state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Zacatecas state due to crime and kidnapping.

Reconsider Travel To:

• Baja California due to crime and kidnapping.
• Chiapas state due to crime.
• Chihuahua state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Guanajuato state due to crime.
• Jalisco state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Morelos state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Sonora state due to crime and kidnapping.

Exercise Increased Caution When Traveling To:

• Aguascalientes state due to crime.
• Baja California Sur state due to crime.
• Coahuila state due to crime.
• Durango state due to crime.
• Hidalgo state due to crime.
• Mexico City due to crime.
• Mexico State due to crime and kidnapping.
• Nayarit due to crime.
• Nuevo Leon state due to crime.
• Oaxaca state due to crime.
• Puebla state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Queretaro state due to crime.
• Quintana Roo state due to crime.
• San Luis Potosi state due to crime and kidnapping.
• Tabasco state due to crime.
• Tlaxcala state due to crime.
• Veracruz state due to crime.

Exercise Normal Precautions When Traveling To:

• Campeche state.
• Yucatan state.

Visit our website for Travel to High-Risk Areas.

If you decide to travel to Mexico:

• Keep traveling companions and family back home informed of your travel plans. If separating from your travel group, send a friend your GPS location. If taking a taxi alone, take a photo of the taxi number and/or license plate and text it to a friend.
• Use toll roads when possible and avoid driving alone or at night. In many states, police presence and emergency services are extremely limited outside the state capital or major cities.
• Exercise increased caution when visiting local bars, nightclubs, and casinos.
• Do not display signs of wealth, such as wearing expensive watches or jewelry.
• Be extra vigilant when visiting banks or ATMs.
• Enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on Facebook  and Twitter .
• Follow the U.S. Embassy on Facebook and Twitter.
• Review the Country Security Report for Mexico.
• Mariners planning travel to Mexico should check for U.S. maritime advisories and alerts, which include instructions on reporting suspicious activities and attacks to Mexican naval authorities.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the Traveler's Checklist.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.

Guerrero state – Do Not Travel

Do not travel due to crime.

Crime and violence are widespread. Armed groups operate independently of the government in many areas of Guerrero. Members of these groups frequently maintain roadblocks and may use violence towards travelers. U.S. citizens and LPRs have been victims of kidnapping in previous years.

U.S. government employees may not travel to any area of the state of Guerrero, including Acapulco, Zihuatanejo, and Ixtapa.

Michoacán state – Do Not Travel

Do not travel due to crime and kidnapping.

Crime and violence are widespread in Michoacán state.

Travel for U.S. government employees is limited to the following areas with the noted restrictions:

• Highway 15D: U.S. government employees may travel on Federal Highway 15D to transit the state between Mexico City and Guadalajara.
• Morelia: U.S. government employees may travel by air and by land using Highways 43 or 48D from Highway 15D.
• Lázaro Cárdenas: U.S. government employees must travel by air only and limit activities to the city center or port areas.

To view a map of the restricted areas, visit https://mx.usembassy.gov/maps-of-restricted-areas

U.S. government employees may not travel to other areas of the state of Michoacan, including the portions of the Monarch Butterfly Reserve located in Michoacan.

Morelos state – Reconsider Travel

Reconsider travel due to crime and kidnapping.

Violent crime and gang activity are common in parts of Morelos state.

There are no restrictions on travel for U.S. government employees in Morelos state.

Oaxaca state – Exercise Increased Caution

Exercise increased caution due to crime.

Criminal activity and violence occur throughout the state.

U.S. travelers are reminded that U.S. government employees must adhere to the following travel restrictions:

• Isthmus region: U.S. government employees may not travel to the area of Oaxaca bounded by Federal Highway 185D to the west, Federal Highway 190 to the north, and the Oaxaca-Chiapas border to the east.  This includes the cities of Juchitan de Zaragoza, Salina Cruz, and San Blas Atempa. 
• Federal Highway 200 northwest of Pinotepa: U.S. government employees may not use Federal Highway 200 between Pinotepa and the Oaxaca-Guerrero border.

To view a map of the restricted areas, visit https://mx.usembassy.gov/maps-of-restricted-areas

Further Information

For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the State Department's internet web site, where the current Worldwide Caution, Travel Advisories can be found.  Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well.  Up-to-date information on security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the United States and Canada or, for callers outside the United States and Canada, a regular toll line at 001-202-501-4444.  These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal holidays).  U.S. citizens traveling or residing overseas are encouraged to enroll with the State Department's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.  For any emergencies involving U.S. citizens in Mexico, please contact the U.S. Embassy or U.S. Consulate with responsibility for that person's location in Mexico.  For information on the ten U.S. consular districts in Mexico, complete with links to Embassy and Consulate websites, please consult the Mexico U.S. Embassy and Consular District maps.  The numbers provided below for the Embassy and Consulates are available around the clock.  The U.S. Embassy is located in Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000; telephone within Mexico City: 5080-2000; telephone long distance within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000.  U.S. citizens may also contact the Embassy by e-mail.

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Citizens' Consular Services
American Embassy Mexico City
Reforma Ave 305
Col. Cuauhtémoc
México, D. F., México CP 06500
Tel: (011)(52)(55) 5080-2000, ext. 4780 or 4543
Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. & 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
e-mail: ccs@usembassy.net.mx, ACSMexicoCity@state.gov
website: https://mx.usembassy.gov

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Department of State travel information and publications are available at Internet address: http://travel.state.gov. U.S. travelers may hear recorded information by calling the Department of State in Washington, D.C. at 202-647-5225 from their touchtone telephone, or receive information by automated telefax by dialing 202-647-3000 from their fax machine.

Please direct further inquiries to the Embassy’s e-mail address, ccs@usembassy.net.mx. The telephone number of the Embassy is (52) (55) 5080-2000, fax (52) (55) 5080-2005.
Website: https://mx.usembassy.gov

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U.S. Bureau for Consular Affairs
Please visit our website for information about services for Americans abroad, travel warnings and announcements.