VISITAX – the new, mandatory, Quintana Roo tourist tax, came into effect April 2021. Since then it has been very highly debated, with plenty of wrong information being spread online. We hope this article clears up any confusion you may have regarding paying Visitax during your next visit to Cancun. Should you pay Visitax? Who needs to pay Visitax? And most importantly – WHERE should you pay Visitax, and which websites are trying to scam and overcharge you! We cover it all in our guide to Visitax explained.
Table of Contents
What Is Cancun VISITAX?
VISITAX is a new tax which is intended to be collected by the State of Quintana Roo’s Tax Administration to fund the reactivation of the tourist sector in Mexico. Please note that this is not the Mexico Tourism tax that is attached to airline tickets, nor is it the Environmental tax that is collected at most all-inclusive resorts. This is an entirely separate new program, in addition to the other two.
Who Needs To Pay VISITAX When Vacationing In Mexico?
Since launch this has been a very highly debated tax, probably because the implementation of it has been rather confusing. However the simple fact is that all international tourists are required to pay the VISITAX. Regardless if you are flying into Cancun Airport, or the new Tulum Airport, or simply visiting Cozumel during a cruise. Visitax must be paid.
This used to exclude children under the age of 4, however following a December 2022 update, the Law of Rights of the State of Quintana Roo, article 51-octies was amended to make VISITAX mandatory for all international visitors. Basically as of 2023, everyone who isn’t a Mexican resident, regardless of age, must pay VISITAX.
This includes all non-Mexican visitors staying in private vacation rentals and even short-term cruise ship visitors. The only current exemption is for travelers entering the state of Quinatana Roo via it’s southern border from Belize.
So, if you are planning a trip to Cancun & the Riviera Maya, whether you are staying in a hotel, all-inclusive resort, a vacation rental, or arriving by cruise ship, please be aware that you will be required to pay the VISITAX.
Is VISITAX Included With Your Airfare/Flight Tickets?
No. Visitax is currently not included with your flight tickets, even if you purchased a package that included the resort, flights, and transfers. It needs to be paid separately. As of the start of 2024 we’re starting to see airlines like Delta & American Airlines include statements regarding the payment of Visitax during their pre-departure emails to clients. Furthermore TUI has added the Visitax payment requirements onto their Mexico Travel Advice website.
What Are The Penalties & Consequences Of Not Paying VISITAX In Cancun?
There have not been any reports of tourists being punished for avoiding the tax, and many tourists claim they have never been questioned on whether they have or have not paid it. Yet. With the introduction of new payment terminals inside the airport, and additional new methods expected to be implemented in the coming months, it is possible (and likely) that airport officials may become stricter in their enforcement. That said – you are better off simply paying the tax.
December 2023 Update: TravelKore has stated that a penalty fee for not paying VISITAX upon departure from Cancun will be announced in 2024.
October 2023 Update: We have begun to see enforcement signs go up around the Cancun airport for Mexico Visitax:
How Much Is Mexico VISITAX Currently In 2024?
The price for Visitax, following the February 2024 price increase, is 271mxn (around $16) per person, when paid on the Mexican government website. This can be paid online before your trip, or during your trip.
As of July 2023, TravelKore has been licensed to provide a payment portal for Visitax – which works much better than the original one. Furthermore, because this is a USA-based processing system, there’s alot less headache with credit cards getting denied.
If paid using the licensed TravelKore portal, Visitax is $18.80 per person USD, or $25.00 per person CDN.
Where Can I Safely & Securely Pay Cancun Visitax?
The ONLY official way to pay Visitax & obtain a valid QR code is via TravelKore (https://travelkore.app/caballeros_vacations)
or
the Mexican government website (https://www.visitax.gob.mx/sitio/)
Any other websites are scam sites that have not been authorized to sell Visitax.
While they may provide a valid QR code at the end, you will be charged much more for the VISITAX than you should be. Plus many of them ask for scans of your passport which is never asked for or required by TravelKore or the government website. Note the example scam site below trying to charge $39 per person for Visitax in Cancun!
We maintain a list of known scam websites selling over-priced Visitax QR codes at the end of this post.
Often times the official government VISITAX website may not work smoothly or your payment may not go through. If that is the case, I recommend using the TravelKore platform. It’s the only licensed third-party payment processor for Visitax, and it runs on a local payment processing platform so your credit cards are much more likely to process with minimal effort on your part. Plus as of February 2024, they’re able to process payments in both USD and CDN.
Alternatively you can try a different browser, or a different credit card. If that does not work, you can contact them directly: by Phone: (998) 223-6842, (998) 329-5745, (998) 483-7659 from 6am-10pm or by Email: [email protected].
Payment were meant to be able to be made directly at Cancun International Airport. There are payment booths and kiosks setup in Terminals 2,3 and 4. However we’ve recently found these kiosks to be turned off with a QR code on them directing you online to purchase your Visitax. As such, we always suggest getting your Visitax purchase out of the way online, as soon as possible.
Is The Visitax Price Increasing In 2024?
TravelKore, the officially contracted payment processor for VISITAX, has stated that the price for VISITAX will be going up on Feb 1, 2024.
Pricing Increase Announcement 1/7/2024
Due to the upcoming increase in UMA in Mexico (essentially a calculation multiplier for Mexico taxes paid to the government), Visitax pricing will be going up as of Feb 1st. The current UMA multiplier is 2.5, and is EXPECTED to go up to 3.25.
In-line with this price increase, the price for Visitax was increased to 271 MXN from 259 MXN.
Travelkore will remain charging in USD and now CDN as instructed, while the government website will be charging in Pesos.
What Information Do I Need When Paying VISITAX?
The information collected when submitting your payment is extremely simple and should only take a few minutes to fill out. Groups, with families in particular, can include everyone in one payment process to make it even smoother.
The responsible party will require the following information:
- The full names of every person in the group
- The number of people in the group
- The passport number of everyone in the group
- The group’s date of departure from Mexico
The process and information required should be the same regardless of whether it is done online or on arrival.
IF A WEBSITE ASKS YOU TO SCAN YOUR PASSPORT – DO NOT DO IT! THE OFFICIAL WEBSITES DO NOT REQUIRE ANY PASSPORT SCANS. JUST THE PASSPORT NUMBER. PLEASE SEE OUR LIST BELOW OF UNAUTHORIZED VISITAX RESELLER WEBSITES.
When Should I Pay Visitax?
The mandatory tourist tax, Visitax, should technically be paid anytime before you head back home from your Cancun/Riviera Maya vacation. However nobody is going to penalize you for paying it a day or two after returning home.
It’s up to you when you prefer to pay it really. We recommend getting Visitax paid before you even land in Cancun. Just to get it out of the way. Save your QR code, and forget about it!
What Websites Are Not Authorized To Sell Visitax & Are Overcharging For Mexico Visitax?
With the help of TravelKore, we’ve been maintaining a list of websites that are selling overpriced Visitax QR codes, and claiming to be official. Some of these websites are charging as much as $48/pp – which is just beyond scammy.
DO NOT PURCHASE VISITAX FROM ANY OF THE WEBSITES LISTED BELOW.
- https://www.cancunairport.com/visitax.html
- https://visitortaxmexico.com
- https://visitaxmexico.mx
- https://visitaxgob.mx
- https://mexico-visitax.com
- https://visitax-mexico.com
- https://visitaxqr.mx
- https://visitax.eu
- https://visitaxmex.com
- https://quintanarootax.com
- https://visitax-cancun.com
- https://visitax-cancun.net
- https://mexico-visitax.com
- https://visitax.us
- https://visitaxqr.mx
- https://visitaxmx.org
Updated 7th December 2023
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