Foreign visitors traveling to the popular beach destination of Puerto Vallarta on Mexico’s Pacific Coast will soon be required to pay a tourist fee under a controversial new law recently approved by Jalisco’s Congress.
Deputy Gabriela Cárdenas from the Movimiento Ciudadano (MC) party and president of the Finance Committee said that the collected funds will be allocated to a trust fund for infrastructure projects to “dignify the port of Puerto Vallarta.” These projects will include improvements to streets, public spaces, plazas and the tourist strip.
The new tax exempts foreigners residing in Puerto Vallarta, foreign tourists under 14, people with disabilities, tourist guides, tour operators, airline and cruise ship crew, and workers in the tourism industry.
Estimates suggest that Puerto Vallarta will collect between 300 and 500 million pesos (US $14 to $24 million) of funds from the new tax.
Deputy Yussara Canales of the Green Party (PVEM), who represents Puerto Vallarta in Jalisco’s Congress, questioned the proposal. She argued that no state has the faculty to impose taxes on transit through the territory and even deemed it “unconstitutional.”
“[This is] a tax on the transit of people, disguised as a fee for the use of services, welfare and municipal public spaces,” she said.
Indeed, article 117, fraction V of the Mexican Constitution says that “under no circumstances,” can states tax the “free transit of people or things that cross its territory.”
Currently, each foreign tourist entering Mexico pays a fee of 717 pesos (US $35) to transit or remain in the country for up to 180 days, without permission to engage in paid activities. This fee, dubbed “Non-Resident Tax,” (DNR) can only be collected by the federal government.
Until 2023, the Federal Tax Law (LFD) allowed 20% of the amount collected by DNR to be allocated to the National Migration Institute to provide migration services. The remaining 80% was allocated to the country’s planning, studies, infrastructure and tourism projects.
Since 2024, the funds collected from the DNR have been allocated to infrastructure works by the army, such as the Maya Train.
The new LFD also requires every cruise ship passenger docking at Mexico’s ports to pay US $42 passenger fee starting July 1. The DNR didn’t previously apply to cruise ship passengers stopping in Mexican ports, as they would, on average, stay in the country for less than eight hours.
With reports from El Informador and Crónicas Jalisco
Editor’s note: After publication, the mayor of Puerto Vallarta said this new state fee will be voluntary. The state of Jalisco’s announcement, however made no mention of the payment being voluntary. Instead, it said: “With the goal of improving infrastructure and maintaining the quality of public services, the creation of a new tax on lodging for foreigners has been approved for the municipality of Puerto Vallarta.”
This is typical when the current taxes collected are mismanaged. All of these tourist destinations already collect several levels of tax for exactly this purpose. The more tourists, the more money they have so we know it’s mismanaged or redirected.
Well said Good Vibes, clean up your own back yard before attacking others. If you cannot afford it do not wine about it. Mexico is great and you do see the changes they are making for tourism, it’s great.
Cheers
Ross/ Canada
Imagine the USA charging people trying to leave the country, like Mexico 🇲🇽 is doing 🤣🤣🤣
Good reason to stay. Tell them you ran out of money after spending it all on tequila and can’t afford to leave.
Whine.
Not so sure about your view.
Try traveling the highway from Tijuana to La Paz and Cabo. Minimal road repair and horrible potholes.
Tax dollars may be in white envelopes in back pockets..Road maintenance is at its worst in many years.
Yes totally true. We have been driving for years on the Baja peninsula roads but because of the conditions of them it has become very dangerous to drive on them.
We are now flying into Mexico and also don’t want to drive through the states anymore
We just returned from 2 weeks on Isla mujeres off of Cancun. There’s a new tax there too. It’s stated purpose is to offset environmental effects of tourism. We read that if we didn’t pay the tax we would not be able to board our flight home. We gladly paid and kept our documents etc but no one ever questioned us about it. In the big scheme of things this is minor stuff. We go to Mazatlan every year and love it. I agree with others that if the MAGA idiots don’t want to pay a tax, stay the hell home. Nobody will miss you.
That’s not a new tax, it just has more people attempt to collect it, and similar to a state tax in Jalisco there isn’t an ability for a state to enforce collection of those taxes in federal jurisdictions like airports.
So everyone that voted for Trump is an idiot, according to you. Are they also Nazis, garbage, Hitlers, trash, fascists, xenophobic, homophobic, transphobic, etc. etc etc.? All of them? And you know this how Comrade?
Yes mega are all those filthy things and also worthless examples of humans…….
look at their policies and new laws enough said
I am all in favor of taxing the cruise ships as much as possible…especially Texans.
First, did I miss the part where this was an American tax? I don’t understand how personal some people are taking this. It is a fee imposed on everyone, equally. Also, how is it that Americans do not appreciate Mexican businesses adopting a capitalist model. It costs more to go to Orlando or New York than it does to visit Boise, Fargo, or Sioux Falls. There are other incredible places in Mexico to visit that don’t cost as much as PV. And lastly, PV is is way over populated with visiting Americans and Canadians. If $7 is enough to keep you all away, I will happily make up the difference. Hell, if ya all get so upset over $7, I’m all for seeing it increased to $100. Not to be an ass, but because as travelers, we should care about the culture and people of the places we visit. Improving infrastructure in their communities, improving the quality of life, increase local wages, etc. Communities are not cheap commodities you pick up at Walmart or on Amazon and then discard once you’re done with it. If you cannot afford what a given destination feels is a necessary charge to maintain itself, you cannot afford to travel. At least not to that destination. 🤙✌️❤️
Agree 💯
Wait till Trump gets ahold of this
There will ba reciprocal tax on every one entering the US from any country that charges one
That’s correct, Chile calls it reciprocity
Please leave MAGA people out of your comments.
maga are not people… they are excrement under your shoe….
I have literally just been there on a 2 week vacation. Hopefully some of this money, will go to, eradicating the incessant petty drug dealers that are found every 20 meters, harassing & peddaling drugs to every person, young & old. Cess pool!
“I hope the new fee is not being charged to people originally from Puerto Vallarta who now live in the U.S. or Canada. These individuals work hard abroad and should be able to visit their hometown without having to pay an entry fee. They deserve to be welcomed home just like any other local resident.”
Having been to PV as a tourist only a couple of times, I would gladly pay that to help with street repair and other infrastructure. Glad they are thinking about ways to improve them!
Worth it to visit! Don’t be a hater… if you don’t want to pay stay away.
going to Mexico on cruise in April. will be my last visit to Mexico. many other places to go to.
Mexico already charges a fee you just don’t know because it’s included in your airfare. The proposed additional fee is ok if it really is used to improve the city. But unfortunately the taxes are already 16% in the city and are supposed to be used for improvements but little improvement is ever accomplished so I’m afraid this fee will just end up in the politicians pockets as well.
I can’t image even 16 cents of every dollar collected will see to improvements. This is another cash grab as corruption is very expensive… look at the fools with trump and those idiots…
It’s like these people have never traveled before. There are fees and taxes everywhere; all continents. If you never leave West Virginia or Alabama then you do not even need to worry about it.
We are permanent resident in Mexico and spend a great deal of time in our home here. Every time we fly into Mexico, the airline charges the $35 the tax paid to Mexico (We are not tourists). We’ve talked endlessly to the airlines but they indicate that we have to take it up with the government. That is extremely frustrating. Is there an easy way to recoup this tax?