Internet in Mexico for Tourists: eSIM, SIM Card and ID Rules
Internet in Mexico for tourists: a Mexican SIM must now be registered with your passport; a foreign data eSIM in roaming isn't, for now. What to choose.
Contents
For internet in Mexico as a tourist, a data-only travel eSIM is the simplest option: you install it at home and it connects on arrival, with no registration in Mexico at the time of writing. A Mexican SIM from Telcel, AT&T or Movistar now has to be linked to your passport. Matrimix sells Mexico data eSIMs in its Telegram wallet, without a bank card or ID.
Key facts (October 2026)
- Main networks: Telcel (América Móvil) is by far the largest, followed by AT&T Mexico and Movistar. Bait, Walmart's brand, is fourth by lines.
- Line registration: since 9 January 2026, every new Mexican mobile line, prepaid or postpaid, SIM or eSIM, must be linked to an official ID. Foreigners use a valid passport or a temporary CURP.
- Deadlines for existing lines run from 15 August to 31 December 2026, by the last digit of the number. Lines that miss their deadline are suspended until registered.
- Foreign lines in roaming don't have to be registered at the time of writing. The regulator (CRT) has said it will define a mechanism for them after the 2026 World Cup; we found no date.
- Our eSIM is data only: no Mexican number, no calls, no SMS.
Current plans and prices: eSIM Mexico. Combining Mexico with the US or Canada? Check the list of North America plans.
Mexican SIM or travel eSIM: the comparison
| Travel eSIM (data only) | Mexican prepaid SIM (Telcel, AT&T, Movistar) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you get it | Online before the trip | Shops and carrier stores in Mexico |
| ID | None asked for a Matrimix eSIM | Passport or temporary CURP; the line must be linked |
| Mexican number | No | Yes |
| Works on landing | Yes, if installed at home | After purchase, setup and registration |
| Good for | Short trips, maps, ride-hailing, messaging | Longer stays, services that need a Mexican number |
Mexico's mobile line registration in plain terms
The rules come from the Guidelines on Identification of Mobile Telephone Lines published by Mexico's telecoms regulator, the Comisión Reguladora de Telecomunicaciones (CRT). Their stated aim is to end anonymous lines used for fraud and extortion.
What it means for a visitor who buys a local SIM:
- You register with your passport. For foreigners, providers may record only your name, country of origin, passport number (or temporary CURP), the phone number and the result of the identity check. You can do it at a carrier's service centre or online through the carrier's platform.
- Unregistered lines are suspended. According to the CRT, an unlinked line loses calls, SMS and top-ups once its deadline passes; only emergency and support numbers keep working. It is reactivated once registered.
- Exception: the guidelines exclude SIMs that technically cannot make voice calls, send SMS or place internet calls.
Foreign SIMs and eSIMs in roaming. In May 2026, ahead of the World Cup, the CRT said that visitors using their foreign line through international roaming would not have to register it, while those buying a Mexican SIM must register with their passport. The guidelines say that once the World Cup is over, the CRT will define how roaming lines are to be linked. They set no deadline, and at the time of writing we found no published mechanism. A travel eSIM like ours works in roaming, so check the news shortly before your trip.
The CRT also warns residents that a foreign SIM doesn't exempt them from registering their own line; that concerns residents, not short-term visitors.
Coverage: Mexico City, Cancún and beyond
In Mexico City, other big cities and the main resort areas such as Cancún and the Riviera Maya, mobile data is usually easy to get on any of the main networks. Away from them, on day trips to cenotes, ruins, jungle roads or mountain villages, the signal can be weak or missing on any network.
Mexico's regulator publishes an official coverage comparator and a crowdsourced 4G map, so you can check a specific place before you go. Download offline maps for day trips.
Before you go: setting up your eSIM
- Check the phone. It needs eSIM support and no carrier lock. Dial
*#06#: an EID line means eSIM. Models: eSIM compatible phones. - Buy the plan. In @MatrimixBot open Services → Travel SIM cards and find Mexico under All countries. The price is shown in USD before you confirm. USDT or USDC pay directly; another coin on the balance is swapped automatically at the quoted rate.
- Install at home over Wi-Fi. You get a QR code, manual-entry details (SM-DP+ address and activation code) and, on iPhone with iOS 17.4 or newer, a one-tap install button, in the Mini App and in Profile → Purchases.
- On arrival, switch mobile data to the eSIM and turn on data roaming for that line. Validity starts on the first connection to a network in Mexico, so use it on the trip you bought it for.
Keep your home SIM on as the second line for bank SMS. Hotspot usually works, though some networks may limit it.
Good to know
- Data only: no Mexican number, no calls, no SMS. Use calling and messaging apps.
- Rules may change: the CRT has yet to define how roaming lines will be linked. We can't promise how future rules will treat foreign eSIMs, so check the news shortly before you fly.
- New plan instead of a top-up: if data runs out, buy another plan as a new eSIM in a couple of taps. Data left is shown on the order page.
- One installation: keep the profile until the trip ends. A bought eSIM can't be returned; a failed order is refunded to your balance automatically.
- Telegram wallet: you buy in the Matrimix wallet in Telegram, and Matrimix holds your balance for you — no seed phrases and no extra apps.
- Compatibility: the phone needs eSIM support and no carrier lock — check with
*#06#before you buy.
Sources
- CRT: Registra tu línea, deadlines and suspension rules (in Spanish)
- DOF: Guidelines on Identification of Mobile Telephone Lines (in Spanish)
- Telcel: line registration requirements, passport for foreigners (in Spanish)
- Legal briefing: mobile line registration in Mexico, who is affected, 14 January 2026
- El Informador: CRT on tourists, roaming and local SIMs, 18 May 2026 (in Spanish)
- ConsumoTIC: roaming-line mechanism to follow the World Cup (in Spanish)
- CRT: telecoms sector data report, market shares (in Spanish)
- CRT/IFT: mobile coverage comparator
- CRT/IFT: crowdsourced 4G coverage map (in Spanish)
Read also
- Internet in the USA for tourists
- eSIM without ID: what you can buy
- eSIM vs local SIM card
- Travel eSIM guide
FAQ
Do tourists have to register a SIM card in Mexico?
If you buy a Mexican SIM or eSIM, yes: the line must be linked to your valid passport or a temporary CURP. A foreign line used in roaming didn't need registering at the time of writing; the regulator plans a separate mechanism for those lines.
Which network is best in Cancún or Mexico City?
Telcel has by far the most lines, with AT&T and Movistar behind. In big cities and resort areas all of them are usually usable; for remote spots, check the regulator's coverage comparator before you go.
Does the Matrimix Mexico eSIM need a passport or CURP?
No passport or ID is asked for a Matrimix eSIM. It is a foreign data-only eSIM that works in roaming, and the CRT has not yet defined rules for roaming lines.
Can I use one eSIM for Mexico and the USA?
Some regional plans cover several North American countries. Check the list of North America plans and the countries each one includes.
