Mexico's Heroes Paisanos Program: A Simple Guide for the Journey Home

Every year, Mexican citizens who live outside of Mexico travel home to see their families for the holidays. Mexico created the Héroes Paisanos Program to make this trip easier, safer, and to ensure your rights and safety are respected while you travel.

This guide uses the latest information from 2025 to help you prepare.

What is the Héroes Paisanos Program?

The Héroes Paisanos Program (which means “Hero Compatriots”) was created by the Mexican government to help Mexicans returning home, especially during peak holiday seasons. The program gives travelers important tips and assistance so they can stay safe, informed, and ready when they enter, travel through, and leave the country.

The program runs year–round, but it provides extra help during busy times like Easter, summer, and the December holidays.

Paisano Modules (Módulos Paisano)

Paisano Modules are like help desks set up at border crossings, along major roads, and at rest stops. They are easy to spot with official signs. They offer important services, including:

• Help filling out paperwork.
• Provide border crossing information.
• Give updates on road conditions and safety.
• Answer questions about what you can bring into Mexico.
• Connect you to emergency services (like 911 or Ángeles Verdes) if you have problems.
• Give you a safe place to report any problems or bad treatment by officials.

The physical Módulos Paisano may have limited operating hours. The hotline and digital services are open 24 hours per day.

It is always a good idea to stop at these modules for the newest information, especially if you are traveling with children or bringing items into Mexico.

New Way to Report Problems

The government of Mexico wants to stop corruption. If any official asks you for a bribe or treats you poorly, you can report it right away:

• Denuncia Paisano App: Download this official phone app (for iPhones and Androids). It lets you report bad behavior in real-time, which helps the government track and fix the issue quickly.
• Call for Help: Use the general hotlines listed below or call 911 while in Mexico to report an issue.

Essential Documents for Mexican Citizens

You need official documents to prove you are a Mexican citizen. You only need one of these with you to prove your identity when you enter Mexico:

• A valid passport
• A certified copy of your birth certificate (Acta de Nacimiento)
• A voter ID card issued by the Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE)
• A Consular Registration Card (Matrícula Consular), issued by Mexican consulates
• A Letter of Naturalization or Certificate of Mexican Nationality (for citizens who were not born in Mexico)

Important: Make sure any document you use is valid and is the original copy, not a picture or photocopy.

Documentation for Children

All Children:

• Children must have their own identification, like a U.S. Passport or birth certificate.

U.S.-Born Children of Mexican Parents:

• The easiest way to prove your child’s identity at the border is with their Mexican Birth Certificate (Acta de Nacimiento) or a Mexican Passport.
• The government recommends getting these documents at a Mexican Consulate before your trip. This helps you skip long lines and avoids needing extra documents (like an Apostille) when entering Mexico.

When Traveling with Only One Parent:

• To make sure your child can leave Mexico and re-enter the U.S. without problems, you should carry a notarized permission letter from the parent who is not traveling with you. It must be notarized and officially certified with an Apostille in the U.S. to be valid when leaving Mexico. (An Apostille is a special stamp that proves an official U.S. document is authentic and legally recognized in Mexico.) If the letter is not in Spanish, you must also include a translation.

Missing Documents and Affidavit of Identity

If you are missing important documents, you can fill out an Affidavit of Identity (Declaración de Identidad). This form allows you to confirm your identity and declare your Mexican nationality so you can legally enter the country without your documents. Immigration officers at the Paisano Modules or at the main border entry points can help you fill out this paperwork.

The Best Advice: Do not wait until you get to the border! To avoid long delays, get any missing documents (like a passport or birth certificate) at a Mexican Consulate in the U.S. before you start your trip. Using the Affidavit of Identity should only be your last option.

Required Visitor Permits for Non-Mexican Companions (Spouses, Friends)

Foreign nationals visiting Mexico must obtain an FMM visitor’s permit, formally called the Forma Migratoria Múltiple.

• The FMM is free if you will be staying in Mexico for less than 7 days.
• If you are staying longer, the 2025 FMM fee (called DNR) is $861 pesos (approximately $47 USD).

These permits are separate from the Paisano Program and are required whether you arrive by air, land, or sea.

For full details on the FMM, including the shift from paper cards to digital stamps (FMMd) at many Mexican airports, please read our recent blog post about the FMM.

Customs

Knowing the rules for what you can bring into Mexico saves you time and fines.

Duty-Free Allowance (Gifts and Goods)

The “duty-free” allowance is the value of merchandise (gifts, electronics, clothes, etc.) that you can bring into Mexico without paying extra tax.

• Standard Limit (By Land): $300 USD worth of merchandise per person.
• Holiday Boost (Franquicia Paisano): During the Christmas/Winter season, the government raises this limit to $500 USD per person.
• Family Limit: The allowance is added up for everyone in the same car. A family of four would have a total limit of $1,200 USD (or $2,000 USD during the ‘Christmas holiday boost’).
• This season the holiday boost takes place from November 28, 2025, through January 8, 2026.

Paying Tax

If your goods are worth more than the total family limit, you must declare the extra amount and pay a flat 19% tax on the value that goes over the limit.

Proof of Value

To prove the value of your items, you can use receipts. If you do not have receipts, customs officers will decide the value, which may include checking prices online.

Temporary Import Permits (TIP) for Vehicles

If you are driving a car with U.S. or Canadian license plates, you will need a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) to drive past the border area (the Free Zone).

For Mexican citizens living abroad, this permit is valid for one year, but your car can only stay in Mexico for a maximum of 180 days (about six months) at a time, allowing for multiple entries.

Vehicle Insurance is Required

Mexican law requires all drivers in Mexico to have liability insurance from a Mexican insurance company. If you get into an accident, this insurance is necessary for legal coverage.

Mexpro offers a variety of Mexican insurance plans. Compare quotes from several Mexican insurers at Mexpro.com.

Note: Mexpro does not provide insurance coverage for vehicles with Mexican license plates.

Contact and Support Information

If you have questions or need help:

• From the U.S.: 1-877-210-9469
• From Mexico: 800-201-8542
• Email: heroespaisanos@inami.gob.mx for more information.
• Driving Apps:
  • The Ángeles Verdes App provides free, 24/7 roadside assistance, mechanical support, and tourist information on federal highways in Mexico.
  • GN (National Guard) Reporta App allows citizens to report possible criminal acts to the authorities, such as kidnapping, fuel theft, and cybercrimes.
  • The GN Carreteras app is for checking and reporting incidents on federal roads.

Learn more in the Heroes Paisanos Program Official Guide (Gob.mx).

Enjoy Your Trip Home

Mexico’s Héroes Paisanos Program is committed to making your journey home as easy and safe as possible. With these tips, you will be ready to focus on what truly matters, spending the holidays with family and enjoying the comfort of home. Have a safe journey, and ¡felices fiestas!

Sources:

• Instituto Nacional de Migración (INM)
• Agencia Nacional de Aduanas de México (ANAM)
• Mexican government official guides (Gob.mx/Héroes Paisanos)
• U.S. State Department and CBP (for exit/re-entry rules)

Frequently Asked Questions About the Héroes Paisanos Program

1. What is the Héroes Paisanos Program? The Héroes Paisanos Program was created by the Mexican government to help Mexican citizens returning home, especially during peak holiday seasons. The program provides travelers with important tips and assistance to stay safe, informed, and prepared when entering, traveling through, and leaving Mexico.

2. Where are the Paisano Modules located? Paisano Modules are help desks set up at major border crossings and roadways, and rest stops. They are easy to spot with official signs and offer services like help with paperwork, border crossing information, road condition updates, customs questions, emergency services connections, and a safe place to report problems.

3. What documents do I need to enter Mexico as a Mexican citizen? You need only one of these documents: a valid passport, a certified copy of your birth certificate (Acta de Nacimiento), a voter ID card issued by the Instituto Nacional Electoral (INE), a Consular Registration Card (Matrícula Consular), or a Letter of Naturalization or Certificate of Mexican Nationality. Make sure it’s the original, not a photocopy.

4. What documents do children need? All children must have their own identification, like a U.S. Passport or birth certificate. U.S.-born children of Mexican parents should use their Mexican Birth Certificate (Acta de Nacimiento) or Mexican Passport, obtained at a Mexican Consulate before your trip. When traveling with only one parent, carry a notarized permission letter from the non-traveling parent.

5. What if I’m missing important documents? You can fill out an Affidavit of Identity (Declaración de Identidad) at Paisano Modules or border entry points. However, it’s best to get missing documents (like a passport or birth certificate) at a Mexican Consulate in the U.S. before your trip to avoid long delays.

6. Do non-Mexican companions need visitor permits? Yes. Foreign nationals visiting Mexico must obtain an FMM visitor’s permit (Forma Migratoria Múltiple). The FMM is free for stays under 7 days, but costs $861 pesos (approximately $47 USD) for longer stays in 2025.

7. How much can I bring into Mexico duty-free? The standard limit by land is $300 USD worth of merchandise per person. During the Christmas/Winter season (November 28, 2025 through January 8, 2026), this limit is raised to $500 USD per person.

8. Do I need a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for my vehicle? If you’re driving a car with U.S. or Canadian license plates past the border area (Free Zone), you need a Temporary Importation Permit (TIP). For Mexican citizens living abroad, this permit is valid for one year, but your car can only stay in Mexico for a maximum of 180 days at a time.

9. Is vehicle insurance required? Yes. Mexican law requires all drivers in Mexico to have liability insurance from a Mexican insurance company. This is necessary for legal coverage if you get into an accident.

10. How can I report problems or corruption? You can report issues using the Denuncia Paisano App (available for iPhones and Androids), call the hotlines (1-877-210-9469 from the U.S. or 800-201-8542 from Mexico), or call 911 while in Mexico.

11. Where can I get more information about the Heroes Paisanos program? Download the Official Heroes Paisanos Program Guide (Gob.mx) for more information.

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