You Don't Navigate This Alone

From the moment you decide to come,
our team is with you.

Passport and entry questions. What to expect at customs. The route from the airport to our property. A warm welcome on arrival. Whether you're flying from the U.S. or Canada, with or without a companion, we're a phone call away the entire time.

This page covers the essentials. For anything specific to your situation, just call. We'll work through it together.

Passports & Entry

What you need at
the gate, and after.

General passport and entry information for travelers from the U.S. and Canada. For anything specific to your situation, call us — we'll work through it together.

For Travelers from the U.S.

A U.S. passport book, room for the unexpected.

Passport
A valid U.S. passport book is required for air travel to Mexico. Mexican regulations only require validity through the date of entry, but we recommend at least six months of remaining validity to avoid issues at the gate.
Visa
No tourist visa is required for stays under 180 days. On arrival, immigration issues a Multiple Migratory Form (FMM) that authorizes your stay.
Entry document
The FMM itself is free; a small tourism tax (around $40–$50 USD) is typically built into your airline ticket. Hold onto your FMM — you'll surrender it when you leave Mexico.
Minors
A minor traveling without both parents should bring a notarized letter of permission from the absent parent.
For Travelers from Canada

A Canadian passport, with a little buffer.

Passport
A valid Canadian passport is required. Mexico does not enforce a minimum remaining validity for Canadian travelers, but extra months of validity are still wise for peace of mind.
Visa
No tourist visa is required for stays under 180 days. Canadian citizens enter on the same FMM authorization as U.S. travelers.
Entry document
At most major airports, the paper FMM has been replaced with a digital entry stamp or QR code. Keep your entry documentation secure regardless of format.
Minors
Children traveling with only one parent will need a certified letter of permission from the absent parent.

Passport and entry rules are general information, not legal advice. We share what we have seen work for the families we have helped. For your specific case, your care guide can walk you through what to expect.

Flights to Cozumel

Direct service from major
U.S. and Canadian hubs.

Cozumel International Airport (CZM) receives direct service from several major cities. When a direct CZM flight doesn't work for your origin, the alternate route through Cancún is well-traveled and straightforward.

Direct from the U.S.

Cozumel International (CZM)

  • American Airlines Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Miami (MIA), Charlotte (CLT)
  • United Houston (IAH), Chicago (ORD), Denver (DEN)
  • Delta Atlanta (ATL)
  • Southwest Houston-Hobby (HOU)
Direct from Canada

Cozumel International (CZM)

  • Air Canada Toronto (YYZ), Montreal (YUL)

If a direct CZM flight doesn't work for your origin city, the alternate route below is straightforward and well-traveled.

Alternate Route via Cancún

When a direct CZM flight isn't an option,
this is the gentle alternative.

Cancún International (CUN) has direct service from far more North American cities than Cozumel — including, from Canada alone, more than a dozen direct origins.

  1. Fly into Cancún International (CUN)

    Direct service from many North American cities

    Cancún International (CUN) receives direct service from far more North American cities than Cozumel, so it makes sense for any origin without a direct CZM route. From the moment you land, you are about two hours from the property.

  2. Private shuttle or ADO bus to Playa del Carmen

    About one hour by road

    From CUN, a private shuttle or the ADO bus carries you to Playa del Carmen in roughly an hour. We share trusted shuttle and bus options as part of your admissions process so you are not arranging it cold.

  3. Passenger ferry to Cozumel

    About 45 minutes across the channel

    From Playa del Carmen, a 45-minute passenger ferry crosses to Cozumel. Many patients describe this stretch as the first deep breath of the whole trip — a gentle transition from airport pace to island pace.

Direct Cancún (CUN) flights from Canada
Toronto (YYZ)Montreal (YUL)Vancouver (YVR)Calgary (YYC)Edmonton (YEG)Winnipeg (YWG)Ottawa (YOW)Halifax (YHZ)Québec City (YQB)Hamilton (YHM)Kelowna (YLW)Saskatoon (YXE)Victoria (YYJ)

From the U.S., direct service to Cancún is available from a wide range of major hubs. Your care guide can talk through the best origin for your itinerary.

From the Airport to Sanctuary

You step off the plane,
and you're with us.

Whichever route you take, our team will be there to receive you. We coordinate transport from the airport — or the ferry terminal, if you've come through Cancún — directly to our property.

You don't drive yourself, and you don't sort out a taxi. You step off the plane, and you're with us.
How arrival day works

Your first day is intentionally gentle: rest, an unhurried welcome, and time to settle in before clinical work begins.

  • Cozumel ferry dock — the gentle arrival point for travelers coming via Cancún
    Met at the airport
  • San Miguel waterfront on the Cozumel coast
  • Quiet stretch of the Sanctuary Cozumel coastline
  • Clear Caribbean waters near the Sanctuary property
  • Wild Cozumel coastline near Sanctuary
Practical Preparation

Three small things to do
before you fly.

Most of what you need to know fits on a single page. The rest is what your care guide is for.

01
Before You Fly

Bringing your medication

Bring all prescription medications in their original labeled containers. Pack them in your carry-on, never in checked luggage. Bring a copy of the prescription — or, even better, a brief letter from your prescribing physician listing each medication and dosage.

If you have any question about a specific medication's status in Mexico, call us before you fly. We'll check it together.

02
Before You Fly

Money & currency

The Mexican peso is the local currency. U.S. dollars are widely accepted in tourist areas, but you'll generally get better rates by withdrawing pesos from an ATM or exchanging at a local bank.

For your time at Sanctuary, you'll have minimal need for outside currency — meals, lodging, and clinical care are all included. A small amount for personal items is plenty. U.S. travelers can bring up to $500 USD in merchandise duty-free.

03
Before You Fly

Need to get or renew a passport?

If your passport is expired, or you have never had one, please tell us as soon as possible. We will help you plan around the timeline.

U.S. passports: apply through the U.S. Department of State at travel.state.gov — standard processing takes several weeks, expedited service is available. Canadian passports: apply through Service Canada at canada.ca/passport — standard, express, and urgent pickup options exist.

Traveling With a Loved One

We plan for
both of you together.

Through our Bring a Loved One program, a spouse or family member can travel with you to Cozumel. The same passport and entry guidance applies to them, and we coordinate their travel alongside yours.

Same entry guidance. Passport, visa, FMM — your companion follows the same path you do.

One coordinated itinerary. We sort flights, transport, and arrival together so neither of you arrives alone.

Restorative time on the island. Many companions pair their stay with quiet hours by the water — clean air, the sea always near, time to breathe.

Optional medical or dental care. Some companions pair their visit with a procedure through our Medical Tourism program. Whatever the case, we plan for both of you together.

Two travelers,
one plan.

If you are coming with a spouse, parent, adult child, sibling, or close friend, mention it on your first call. We will hold both of your travel details in a single coordinated plan — so the arrival, the transport, and the welcome are seamless.

The road back is easier when you don't walk it alone. For travel, that is just as true.

Plan Both Itineraries
A warm living area inside Sanctuary Cozumel — the kind of room a family settles into together.Untouched Cozumel coastline near Sanctuary Clinics.The water's edge along the Cozumel coast.Sunset over the Cozumel coast.
Have Questions About Your Specific Situation?

If we haven't seen it before,
we'll figure it out with you.

We've helped patients travel from across the U.S. and Canada. And the few unusual situations we haven't seen, we've worked out together with the families who brought them to us. Call us. We'll work through yours.

One conversation. One coordinated plan. From your door to ours.

Speak With a Care Guide
Call us anytime: (888) 660-6952