Do I Need To Fill Out The FMM Form Before Arriving In Cancun? Airport Officials Confirm Its Now Digital In 2025

Remember that frantic, mid-flight scramble for a pen? The awkwardness of using your seatmate’s back as a makeshift desk to fill out that long green and white paper form before landing in Cancun? For years, it was a familiar ritual for every traveller to Mexico.

Well, you can officially leave your pen in the overhead bin.

It’s one of the most common questions we get here at The Cancun Sun: “What happened to the FMM paper form on the airplane?” We went straight to the source, and airport officials have confirmed the fantastic news for all of us: the paper FMM form for tourists arriving by air is a thing of the past.

Your entry into paradise just got a whole lot easier.

The End of an Era: Goodbye Paper FMM!

Let’s pour one out for the dearly departed FMM, or Forma Migratoria Múltiple. For decades, this form was your official entry ticket, a document you had to fill out, get stamped, and then guard with your life for the duration of your trip because you needed the other half to leave. Losing it meant headaches, fines, and a last-minute panic at the airport.

But in a move to streamline the entry process, reduce waste, and generally make life less stressful, Mexico’s immigration authorities have phased it out completely for tourists arriving at major international airports, including our beloved Cancun International Airport (CUN). Think of all the trees (and traveller sanity) being saved!

So, Do I Need To Fill Out The Form Online?

This is the million-dollar question causing all the confusion. You see the old paper form is gone, so you must have to fill it out online before you travel, right?

Nope!

For the vast majority of tourists flying from Canada and the United States into Cancun for a vacation, you do not need to fill out any FMM form online beforehand.

While you can find the official online FMM portal, it’s primarily designed for visitors entering at land borders or for those with specific, non-tourist visa situations. For the typical sun-seeker flying in for a week or two of beach time, trying to fill out the online form will likely just cause unnecessary stress. You can happily ignore it and proceed straight to packing your swimsuit.

What Happens at Immigration Now?

If there’s no paper form and no online form, how do they let you in? It’s wonderfully simple and proves that sometimes, technology is actually our friend. The new process is easier than ordering a margarita.

Here’s what you can expect when you get to the immigration counter:

1. You’ll hand the immigration officer your passport.
2. They will scan your passport. This single scan digitally captures all the information that you used to spend ten minutes scribbling onto the paper form.
3. The officer will likely ask you a couple of simple questions, like the purpose of your trip and how long you’re staying.
4. They will then stamp your passport and, crucially, hand-write the number of days you are permitted to stay in Mexico (for example, “15 Days” or “30 Days”).

That’s it. No paper, no fuss, and no tiny stub of paper to keep safe. Your passport stamp is now your proof of legal entry and contains all the information authorities need. The result is faster-moving lines and one less thing for you to worry about. Happy and easy travels!