Mexico Limits Number of Electronic Devices Travelers Can Take Through Airports

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Next time travelers book an adventure to Mexico, they must be aware of potential fees levied at airports south of the border for having too many electronics.

According to the Riviera Maya News, reports are on the rise from tourists being charged an average of $190 for arriving at airports with more than one larger electronic device, such as laptops and tablets.

Mexico’s Servicio de Administración Tributaria reportedly limits the number of larger electronic devices travelers can bring through customs without paying a fee to just one, but they are permitted to have as many as three cell phones or other wireless devices.

If travelers cannot or will not pay the tax, customs agents will confiscate the devices.

Tourists arriving from the United States do not face the same electronic limitations from Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, which can cause potential issues when going through customs in Mexico. 

Tulum Hotel Association President David Ortiz Mena told the Riviera Maya News that despite the efforts of local tourism officials to attract more visitors, issues like the electronic device limitations could be detrimental to the destination’s public perception. “If we want to be a tourist powerhouse, let us be consistent,” Ortiz Mena said. “This practice of traveling with more than one electronic device is not usual and, yes, it hurts our image.”

This article originally appeared in TravelPulse.

SEE THE UPDATE RESCINDING THIS RULE HERE.