Mexico's federal charge for foreign cruise passengers has doubled from $5 to $10 per person, with two further increases already written into the government's timetable.
The new rate took effect on August 1, 2026. It is scheduled to rise to $15 on July 1, 2027 and then to $21 on August 1, 2028.
The phased charges are established by a decree published in Mexico's official federal gazette, the Diario Oficial de la Federación. Under the current decree, the $21 rate will remain in place until September 30, 2030.
Mexico's cruise passenger fee timetable
| Period | Effective charge per foreign passenger |
| July 1, 2025–July 31, 2026 | US$5 |
| August 1, 2026–June 30, 2027 | US$10 |
| July 1, 2027–July 31, 2028 | US$15 |
| August 1, 2028–September 30, 2030 | US$21 |
What is the charge?
The levy is commonly described as a cruise passenger fee or Non-Resident Duty. Legally, it relates to the immigration document granting a foreign visitor permission to remain in Mexico without undertaking paid work.
Foreign cruise passengers were previously exempt from the underlying immigration charge. Mexico removed that exemption from its Federal Rights Law from January 2025, which initially exposed cruise visitors to a much larger payment broadly reported as approximately $42.
The government subsequently introduced a fiscal incentive that reduces the amount cruise passengers actually pay. Rather than imposing the full underlying charge immediately, the decree uses a staged credit to produce effective payments of $5, $10, $15 and eventually $21.
Is it charged at every Mexican port?
No. The decree addresses entry into Mexico rather than charging separately for each individual port call.
A passenger who leaves Mexican territory during a multi-country cruise and later re-enters aboard the same ship during the same voyage can receive a credit covering 100% of the duty on that re-entry, provided the required payment was made on the first entry.
That means an itinerary visiting several Mexican destinations should not generate a fresh federal Non-Resident Duty at every stop. The cruise line or its appointed shipping agent can collect and administer the payment.
How much difference will it make?
For one passenger, the increase from $5 to $10 is modest compared with the total price of a cruise. It becomes more noticeable when multiplied across a family: four foreign passengers now account for $40, rising to $60 from July 2027 and $84 from August 2028.
The charge affects itineraries calling at major Mexican cruise destinations including Cozumel, Costa Maya, Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Ensenada. Passengers should check the taxes, fees and port-expenses section of their booking rather than expect to make a separate cash payment after leaving the ship.
Why was the original proposal reduced?
The removal of the cruise exemption prompted strong opposition from the cruise sector and tourism businesses. The Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association warned that introducing the full charge could make Mexican calls significantly more expensive and potentially affect destinations whose local economies depend on cruise visitors.
After discussions between the industry and Mexican authorities, the phased fiscal incentive was introduced from July 2025. It allows the government to begin collecting the immigration-related duty while keeping the effective amount well below the original proposal.
Mexico remains one of the world's most important cruise destinations. Industry reporting based on Mexican tourism data says the country received approximately 11.2 million cruise passenger movements across 3,156 ship calls in 2025, led by Cozumel and Mahahual.
The immediate change is therefore unlikely to transform an individual booking, but the scheduled increases matter for future pricing—particularly for families and cruise lines operating large programmes from US West Coast, Gulf Coast and Florida ports.
Sources and further information: Mexican government decree in the Diario Oficial de la Federación and Mexico's 2025 cruise traffic figures.