Mexico: Documents required and checks made by the government in connection with the issue/renewal of a passport (May 2004)

An official at the consular affairs section of the Embassy of Mexico in Canada provided the following information in an 18 May 2004 telephone interview: The official stated that obtaining or renewing a passport is a relatively easy process. The applicant must go in person to a consulate or Embassy with the required documents and passport-style photographs. The official then referred the Research Directorate to the Embassy's Website, which provides details, in Spanish, on how a Mexican citizen can obtain a passport, noting that all the information contained in the Website is up to date and accurate.

The Consular Service page of the Embassy of Mexico in Canada Website, under the Services for Mexicans (Servicios a Mexicanos) section, and Passport subsection, lists five main categories for persons seeking to obtain a passport: 1) Minors under 18 years of age (Menores de 18 anos), 2) Persons over 18 years of age (Personas Mayores de 18 anos), 3) Passport renewal (Canje de pasaportes), 4) Passport replacement - stolen or lost (Reposicion de pasaportes - robo o extravio), 5) Travel permission for minors, OP7 Form (Permiso de viaje a menores, Forma OP7) (Embassy of Mexico n.d.). Regardless of the reason for seeking a passport or the category of applicant, there are standard requirements that must be fulfilled in order to obtain a passport. To apply for a passport, an applicant must do the following:

– go in person to solicit a request for a passport;

– fill out an OP5 form that can be obtained at the consular office

– bring a birth certificate;

– bring three colour photographs of passport size (3.5 x 4.5 cm), showing the front of an uncovered head without eye glasses, and with a white bottom (the photos cannot be older than 30 days);

– pay a fee for either a 1-year (Can$ 40.02) or a 5-year passport (Can$ 106.71) (Embassy of Mexico n.d.; ibid. 5 Apr. 2004).

Passport renewal

To renew a passport, the requirements are the same as the ones listed above except that the person must bring their old passport with two photocopies of pages 1 to 5 of the passport, and recent identification documents [no examples provided] (Embassy of Mexico n.d.).

Minors

Similar to information found in MEX38430.E of 9 April 2002, minors (under 18 years of age) must have permission from, and be accompanied by, their parents, who must also bring their own passports, voter registration cards (credencial de elector) or two pieces of official identification that contain a photograph and a signature (original and photocopy) (ibid.). In addition to the OP5 form, the OP7 form must be completed for minors (ibid.). If one of the parents or the person who has legal guardianship of the minor is in Mexico, this parent or guardian can make arrangements at any Secretary of Exterior Relations (Secretariat de Relaciones Exteriores) delegation (ibid.).

According to the General Consulate of Mexico in Toronto (Consulado General de Mexico en Toronto) Website, if only one parent has legal guardianship of the minor, this parent must be able to prove this by bringing the following documents: the minor's birth certificate in the case of unwed mothers, a judicial resolution indicating a change in custody in the case of divorced parents, or the original death certificate of the deceased parent (n.d.).

Passport replacement - stolen or lost

This procedure is similar to renewing a passport, except that the applicant must bring a police report, the original and two photocopies, and a photocopy of the previous passport or the date and location where the previous passport was issued. If the applicant is of another nationality or has a foreign passport dated before 20 March 1998, he or she will need to present a Declaration of Mexican Nationality (Declaracion de Nacionalidad) (Embassy of Mexico n.d.).

Background checks

With regard to background checks for issuing a passport, during an 18 May 2004 telephone interview, an official with the Internal Control Office (Oficina del Contraloria Interna) of the Secretariat of External Relations (Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores, SRE) corroborated the information found in MEX34354.E of 12 May 2000: the department responsible for issuing passports does not conduct a background check with law enforcement agencies before issuing a passport, but if a person has serious legal problems, it is likely that he or she will be the object of a Judicial Restriction (Arraigo Judicial), issued either by the Public Ministry, or by the Procurator General of the Republic, or by a judge. An indication that any such document has been issued will appear in the Secretariat of External Relations' computerized file system and will result in the person being denied a passport.

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 additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Consulado General de Mexico en Toronto. n.d. "Requisitos para la obtencion de pasaportes." [Accessed 18 May 2004]

Embassy of Mexico in Canada, Ottawa. 18 May 2004. Telephone interview with an official in the consular affairs section.

Embassy of Mexico in Canada Website. 5 April 2004. "Derechos Consulares/Cuotas." [Accessed 18 May 2004]

_____. n.d. "Pasaportes." [Accessed 18 May 2004]

Mexico. 18 May 2004. Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores. Telephone interview with an official in the Internal Control Office.

Additional Sources Consulted

Internet sites: Mexico - Instituto Nacional de Migracion, Mexico - Secretaria de Relaciones Exteriores.