Mexico Exit Taxes - a scam?

fiftyodd

I've just returned from visiting family in Belize and wanted to share my experience with you so that others may benefit from a little bit of knowledge.

I've travelled extensively, including Central and South America, and have done the crossing from Mexico to Belize many times. We flew to Cancun with Thompson Holidays (£350 cheaper than the flight to Belize), having just bought the flight, however most of the people we were travelling with were on package holidays. We were all given the same FMM (Forma Migratoria Multiple) forms on the flight, I made my way down to Belize (where the man at the Mexican border tried to persuade me to part with $20 USD but I knew I didn't have to - so refused) and presumably most of the other passengers stayed in Mexico and had a jolly good time.

I ended my holiday in Tulum, where I took my FMM along to the local HSBC and paid the required 294 pesos in order to exit Mexico legally. I received a printed receipt from the bank and headed up to Cancun Airport. On lining up at check-in I noticed 2 ladies in uniform with a cardboard box and a little sign saying 'Exit Tax - cash only - 800 MX pesos (you could also pay in Euro, USD and GB£ but the exchange rates were terrible and worked out a lot more than the MX equivalent) and everyone was handing over their hard earned cash.

I've looked on the Thompson website and apparently this IS correct, however, my observations are this: Had I NOT had the knowledge and experience to know that I could pay my fees at the bank I'm damn sure they would have tried to charge me the 800 pesos despite having only purchased a flight rather than a package holiday. Also, if all those package holiday makers had gone along to HSBC and paid 294 pesos and handed in their receipts as I did, what would have happened?

I would be very interested to hear from anyone who knows anything about this as I fear this is just another way of weedling money out of tourists. Can the Mexican authorities REALLY differentiate between those on package holidays and the rest of us who travel independently?

Mr_Wang

For entry and exit scams you wanna make sure you avoid Indonesia.

But I do recall paying some kind of exit fee when I left Mexico.

fiftyodd

It's been a while since I was in Indonesia but yes, I seem to remember there was a lot of hassle

Grass_Stained_Feet

Don't know about this! But I've been in and out of Mexico City Airport lots of times in the past 3 years and there are certainly no ladies with cardboard boxes! Presumably because it isn't a package holiday airport (although much nicer than Cancun in my opinion! Probably for that very reason )

Come to think of it, the only time I remember paying exit tax was on the boarder in Belize on my way to Mexico....I'd be interested if you know if that would have been right?

GSF

callum9999

Grass_Stained_Feet wrote: »

Don't know about this! But I've been in and out of Mexico City Airport lots of times in the past 3 years and there are certainly no ladies with cardboard boxes! Presumably because it isn't a package holiday airport (although much nicer than Cancun in my opinion! Probably for that very reason )

Come to think of it, the only time I remember paying exit tax was on the boarder in Belize on my way to Mexico....I'd be interested if you know if that would have been right?

GSF

After looking this up, I get the impression that it is a departure tax that anyone leaving the country by air must pay. The vast majority of airlines include the tax in their ticket price, but the Charter airlines don't. Therefore, if you fly on a Charter airline - regardless of it being a flight-only purchase - you must pay the tax on departure.

Mexico don't charge taxes at land borders, but Belize appears to charge a $35US tax which is presumably what you paid?

richardw

I left CUN on Air Canada and it appears this was included in my fare.

BTW CUN airport has more than one terminal and non including airlines may be in a separate terminal.

fiftyodd

GSF - you were scammed on your way into Belize, that 20USD goes straight into the tea fund!

The exit taxes from Belize are correct and generally you will get a receipt.

The fees I paid - 294 pesos - are correct, my cousin has checked with the Mexican Consulate and it even has that amount on the little slip of paper attached to the FMM. What I don't understand is why the package tourists had to pay 800 pesos. We all travelled on the same flight and were issued the same documentation. How can the Mexican authorities differentiate between someone who has only purchased a flight and those who have purchased a holiday? And even if they CAN differentiate WHY should they pay more?

Perhaps we can try an experiment, as I bet there are loads of MSEs going to Cancun on a package holiday this year, do as I did, take their FMM to the bank and pay the 294 pesos and present it at the airport on the way out! I'm intrigued to know what would happen.

LastHotel

Ive just come back from Cancun and Ive been going every year for over ten years. This is the first time ive flown with virgin and i didnt pay departure tax.

Both BA and Virgin are scheduled flights from the UK and for this reason you DO NOT pay Mexican departure tax, which is around 40.00 per person.

If you fly with Thompson or First Choice, you will pay departure tax.:j

Westin

You do pay it, it's just that it is included in the ticket price.

Some of the charter operators choose not to include it in the package holiday price so that their prices appear cheaper.

814man

I should have done a better search before I started new thread on this earlier!
fifltyodd, OK I'll give this a try. I'm off to Cancun this saturday on Thomas Cook for 2 weeks. I'll try the bank option and see what I can find out.

delvey

Its Thomson ripping people off
They do it in egypt, if you need a visa it is around $15, but all the holiday firms and tour operators charge you more, and tell you that you need one (If staying in sharm el sheikh for less than 15 days, you do not need a Visa)