Author: Louise Pieterse
Last update: February 22nd, 2022.
The Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has made it clear that Mexico will not change its easy entrance requirements any time soon.
Mexico has been one of the only tourist destinations to keep operations running throughout COVID and they are still only requiring online health declarations before landing.
USHealthPass, a Florida-based tech company, has partnered with Mexico’s private tourism marketing initiative, VisitMexico, to launch an unofficial Mexican COVID passport.
How does the digital COVID certificate work in Mexico?
The app, called PassID, is powered by PROVEN and aims to rebuild traveler’s confidence in the safety of traveling during the COVID pandemic.
VisitMexico has partnered with PassID to allow local businesses to safely verify travelers’ health status including vaccinations, PCR test results, and recovery status.
Mexico’s PassID main features
The app also has the added capabilities of biometric screening and thermal imaging and will have contact/symptom tracing.
It is available on both Apple and Android and will only display the user’s name and birth date as well as the time of health clearance, all verified through a QR code.
Mexico’s COVID passport app is HIPAA regulated and guarantees the utmost privacy and security.
Peter Gallic, USHealthPass President and Chairman of the Visit México Health Board, explains why this app is crucial to Mexican tourism:
“As borders continue to open up and tourism picks up, there is an increased need for health monitoring to protect the safety of both passengers and the country-at-large.
PROVEN will fill that need, keeping travelers safe and secure with this portable tool that can validate anyone’s COVID-19 health status.”
Stricter COVID-19 rules across Mexico
After 2 years of barely any regulations, Mexico has made small moves to try and curb the spread with the restriction of access to only vaccinated people.
Even though the president announced that there will be no mandated vaccine pass across the country, states are still allowed to have different COVID preventative measures in place.
The 4-tier stoplight system indicated by red, yellow, orange, and red reflects which regulations are in place in a given region.
It was announced on 10 January that the region of Jalisco, with its capital Guadalajara, will be screening for proof of vaccination and negative test results.
This is also the region where many holidaymakers visit to enjoy the pristine coast of Puerto Vallarta and visitors must show a COVID pass to enter sporting events, casinos, bars and clubs, concerts, event halls, and convention centers.
Both Tlaxcala and Baja California now also require Mexico’s vaccine passports for people to enter local businesses.
Locals in Sinaloa must use their Mexican COVID pass to access recreational facilities and restaurants but foreigners are exempt from this rule.
Quintana Roo, one of the country’s most popular destinations, is implementing additional screening measures for those who work in the tourism and hospitality sector but not for visitors.
Can I travel to Mexico?
US land borders have reopened since November and people are allowed to cross into the USA with proof of vaccination.
There are also no quarantine requirements upon arrival in Mexico and travelers must just complete a health declaration form before arrival.
The online form will generate a QR code that is scanned at border control.
Mexico is one of the few countries that is not requiring PCR tests upon arrival.
COVID-19 health situation in Mexico
Mexico is currently in its fourth wave of infections, recording numbers nearly twice as high as the previous peak due to the rapidly spreading Omicron variant.
By 15 February, Mexico was still under the top 20 countries with the most infections with a total number of 5,300,537 positive cases.
Mexican healthcare providers have been battling a high mortality rate from the start and by mid-February between 500 and 1000 people were still dying per day, adding to the death toll of more than 312,000.
Vaccinations started picking up momentum by the second half of 2021 and Mexico surpassed the 60% vaccinated mark early in February 2022.