Mexico Non-Resident Fee, Digi Mart USA News: Mexico will apply a 17.8% increase to the Non-Resident Fee (DNR) starting January 1, 2027, as part of a reform to the Federal Law of Duties approved by the national Congress. Foreign tourists entering the country under the status of visitors without permission to perform paid activities will pay 1,158 Mexican pesos per person, up from 983 pesos in 2026.
At the current exchange rate, the amount represents more than US$60.
The reform was approved by the Chamber of Deputies on October 13 and later received the Senate’s approval at the end of the same month. The Non-Resident Fee is a federal contribution paid by foreigners who enter Mexico as tourists or visitors without authorization to work.
For international air passengers, the amount is normally included in the ticket price, so it does not necessarily represent an additional payment upon arrival.
The legislation provides exemptions, including Mexican citizens, foreigners with legal residence in the country, and visitors entering by land who stay up to seven days. For travel agencies and tour operators, the update should be considered when budgeting packages and services for 2027.
The reform also changes how revenue from the immigration fee is distributed. According to the approved text, 57% of the income will go to the Ministry of National Defense (Sedena), 15% to the National Migration Institute, and 28% to the Federal Treasury.
The Mexican government says the adjustment will help strengthen infrastructure and public services linked to tourism and migration.
In addition to the DNR, the reform includes changes to fees applied to airspace use and certain rail services. These changes will affect the operating costs of transportation companies, although there is no automatic equivalence between the higher rates and the final price of tickets.
The new DNR amount joins other charges that already apply to travel to Mexico. These include the Airport Use Fee (TUA), whose amount varies by air terminal and is usually included in tickets.
Hotels apply the Lodging Tax (ISH), set by each state, and municipal environmental sanitation fees may be added in certain tourist destinations. Quintana Roo, home to Cancun, Playa del Carmen, Tulum and Cozumel, also applies the Visitax, a specific contribution for foreign visitors.
The DNR increase represents a relatively limited adjustment within the total budget of an international trip, but it is an additional element in the cost structure. Mexico’s travel trade has criticized the accumulated taxes and fees, arguing they reduce the country’s competitiveness against other destinations in Central America and the Caribbean.
