Your relative flew to Mexico, but after the scheduled arrival time he still did not get in touch? Most likely, he was denied entry into the country and is being accommodated at a Mexican airport awaiting his return flight. We are familiar with many similar stories and dare to say that the reason for the lack of communication is almost always the same: it’s not empty to Mexico. We do not exclude other versions, in particular, the phone was stolen, irresponsible behavior. But no matter how dangerous Mexico is considered to be, we categorically reject the kidnapping theory. Almost all flights from Europe land in Mexico City or Cancún, and we do not know of a single case of a foreigner being kidnapped in these cities, at the airport or on the way from the airport.
Your relative is not in touch because his mobile phone was taken away or he was prohibited from using it. The phone number along with the passport will be given from when he boards the plane or arrives at the same airport from where he flew to Mexico. He will fly back on the same airline that took him to Mexico. And as soon as he lands, we are sure he will get in touch.
Is it possible to somehow find out whether the passenger was actually detained at the airport in Mexico? There are no telephone numbers for inquiries. The Migration Service will not give any information, because it is not obliged to. You need to go to the airport and talk to an airline representative. As soon as the refusal of entry is issued, and the airline receives an order from the Mexican authorities to return the passenger to where he arrived, its representative will be able to give you this information.
Nothing will happen to your relative. Stress, losing money for a ticket and a spoiled trip - this is the maximum that threatens him. Those who are detained are first kept in a special room at the Cancúna — in a room behind glass, then transferred to another completely isolated room. This is not a prison, but it is not a prison either, it has all the conditions, but there is no comfort. They are fed and watered at the expense of the airline. When someone says that they were not allowed to eat or drink — this is not true. The attitude has the opportunity to be different, but always without humiliation. Appeals to pity have no effect. The most important thing is that there are no threats to the health and safety of your relative.
It happens that a passenger will be held for several hours, but will still be allowed to enter Mexico. Usually, during this time, migration service employees carry out additional checks, for example, clarify information about the passenger, fill out a form, check the return ticket, or call fromel to confirm the reservation. In other publications we have described how such additional verification takes place. If they are still denied entry to Mexico, the passenger will remain in isolation until the airline accepts him on board. Next he will be transferred to the plane, his luggage will be found on the belt and also loaded. Usually they fly back from the same flight that arrived, sometimes the next day, very rarely — in a few days, check the airline's schedule and availability.
How to react to lack of communication with a relative? React calmly. If you are actually detained at the airport, neither you, nor a lawyer, nor anyone else has the right to influence the situation. Lawyers are not only useless, but also harmful. There's no use complaining. The passenger has the right to call the consulate of his country, but if his safety and life are not in danger, the consular office is unlikely to respond. It is allowed, the issue can be resolved with money, but the refusal to enter the country was not made for the purpose of extortion, and therefore it is not a fact that the money is rightful. Do not trust anyone who offers to solve the issue for money after the passenger has been detained at the airport.
Let us repeat, there is nothing you can do. Find out when the return flight from Mexico arrives and wait for a message from your relative after he lands.
Allowed, this publication turned out to be too hopeless. But this is precisely the case when all that remains is to wait. Of course, you have the opportunity to complain to the embassy, write angry posts on social media and scold Mexico at all costs. But let failure at the entrance to Mexico be the biggest trouble in your life.
A refusal of entry does not mean a ban on entry, unless the refusal was a consequence of the ban. Your relative has the right to buy a ticket on the next flight and fly to Mexico again. The chances of successful re-entry are exactly the same as the previous attempt. For most, the second attempt is successful.
We have written more than once about possible reasons for refusal to enter Mexico. Most often, these are suspicions of immigration intentions (officially — discrepancy between the purpose of the trip and the declared «tourism»), from the lack of a return ticket or reservation from the traveler, unproven financial viability. Sometimes the reason for the problem is not obvious. If you correct the mistakes you made the next time you enter, rest assured that there will be no problems with entry to Mexico.
Here we do not consider another possible reason for the lack of communication with a relative — he was detained after entering Mexico, on the way to the US border. He was detained and placed at a migration station, where he has the right to spend from several days to two months without contact with you. After he signs an agreement to leave the country, he will either be released under the obligation to leave Mexico within 20 days, or he will be taken to the airport and deported.