Does a Kenyan passport holder with an UK Tier 4 student visa require a Mexico visa?

Question

I am traveling to Mexico in December 2017 and I hold a Kenyan passport with a Tier 4 student visa for the UK that expires in November 2018. On the consulate website (Kenya) it is mentioned:

Kindly note that travelers who wish to visit Mexico, regardless of their nationality, holding a valid, multiple entry visa for the United States of America, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom or the Schengen Space countries DO NOT need to apply for a Mexican visitor’s visa: tourist, business or in transit (less than 180 days stay).

Published in June 2011

https://embamex.sre.gob.mx/kenia/index.php/consular-section/visa-for-mexico

However on the UK consulate page it mentions:

According to Mexican regulations which came into force in June 2009, Permanent residents in the United Kingdom wishing to travel to Mexico do not require a visa to enter the country as tourists or business visitors for up to 180 days and as visitors in transit for up to 30 days, regardless their nationality.

https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/reinounido/index.php/es/contenido/108-visas-for-other-countries

My question is, do I need a Mexico visa or not?

Answer 1

From my personal experience you do not need visa to travel to Mexico if you intend to stay there for less than 180 days. I visited mexico in February 2017 at which time I was an Indian passport holder with limited leave to remain visa in the UK so rules were the same back then.

However be prepared to show strong evidence of you returning back to either UK or your home country as they do ask a lot of questions to establish your motives and whether or not you will return. A return ticket + a bank statement of UK bank showing good amount of balance would be plus point. Also travel with enough money to show that you can support yourself while you are there as otherwise it will raise their suspicion as to how you will survive your holidays. We travelled in an all inclusive holiday deal with return flight bookings and yet both me and my partner had to face such questions.