Mexico's Formato SAM is an Instituto Nacional de Migración EXIT process. It is not a letter that every U.S. child visiting Mexico must complete, and ordinary remote online notarization is not a substitute for INM validation.
Published and reviewed by iRemoteNotary
Last reviewed September 27, 2026
No. Formato SAM is a Mexican exit process. It can apply when a Mexican minor, a Mexican dual national, or a foreign minor with qualifying Mexican residence leaves Mexico alone or with an adult who is not the person who has parental authority or legal guardianship.
Mexico’s July 30, 2026 INM page says SAM is not required when the child travels with one parent, both parents, the person exercising parental authority, or a legal guardian. A foreign child who entered Mexico as an ordinary tourist is not in that same exit category. A U.S. online notarization is not a substitute for the Mexican government process.
This is a summary of the current published rule for this country. It is not a form every child needs.
| Question | Current status |
|---|---|
| Rule direction | EXIT from Mexico |
| Who SAM can apply to | Mexican minors, dual nationals, qualifying residents |
| Ordinary foreign tourist child | Not the same SAM exit-permit category |
| One parent / both parents / legal guardian | SAM not required on the current 2026 page |
| Current fee | MXN 294 — July 30, 2026 INM page only |
| Validity | Six months; single use / one trip; one SAM per minor per trip |
| RON substitute | Unsuitable |
| Last verified | 2026-09-14 |
Mexico's Formato SAM is an EXIT process from Mexico. It is not an ENTRY letter for arriving in Mexico, not an airline boarding form, and not a general parental travel-consent letter for a U.S. vacation.
A U.S. family may still face airline, next-country, custody, or parental-consent questions that are not SAM.
SAM applies to qualifying Mexican minors, Mexican dual nationals, and foreign minors with qualifying Mexican temporary, permanent, or student residence status when the child travels alone or with a third adult who is not the person exercising parental authority or legal guardianship.
The current 2026 page describes SAM as an alternative to authorization before a public official/notarial officer or judicial authorization. The registration and validation process involves INM.
A U.S. family on vacation with a U.S. tourist child should not complete SAM just because one parent is not traveling.
Keep the Mexican, dual-national, or resident minor’s exit requirement separate from an ordinary tourist’s travel-consent question.
Foreign children who entered Mexico as ordinary tourists are not in the same SAM exit category. Do not use an older INM FAQ for the current fee.
The current July 30, 2026 INM page says SAM is NOT required when the child travels with one parent, both parents, the person exercising parental authority, or a legal guardian.
A one-parent itinerary does not automatically require Formato SAM.
SAM can apply in qualifying situations where a covered minor travels with a third adult who is not the person exercising parental authority or legal guardianship.
That third-adult EXIT case is still limited to the Mexican, dual-national, or qualifying-resident population. It is not a rule that every U.S. tourist child traveling with grandparents needs SAM.
SAM can apply when a qualifying Mexican, dual-national, or resident minor leaves Mexico alone. An ordinary foreign tourist child is not automatically in that category.
This is a Mexican government process. Use the current INM page. A U.S. online notarization is not a substitute for INM validation when SAM or another Mexican exit process applies.
Ordinary remote online notarization is not a substitute for INM SAM validation. Do not start a standard online notarization session as a SAM workaround.
SAM is not an ordinary parental-consent letter signed before a U.S. online notary. Follow the current INM authorization and validation process for the minor and trip.
A standard online notarization is not the SAM process. The current INM page describes SAM as an alternative to authorization before a public official or notarial officer, or to judicial authorization.
Do not book a standard online notarization as a way to complete SAM.
Remote online notarization is not a substitute for Formato SAM.
Current listed fee on the July 30, 2026 INM page is MXN 294. Do not use older FAQ language that described a free fee.
Current validity is six months. Single use: one trip. One SAM per minor per trip.
If the missing item is Formato SAM or another Mexican exit process, an online notarization is not the workaround. Use Mexico’s official SAM process. If you are at the airport for a different missing document, use the Airport Emergency Child Travel Consent Guide. A government exit process is not a same-day online notarization.
Check the official page again before you travel.
Ordinary foreign tourist children who entered Mexico as visitors are not in the same SAM exit category as qualifying Mexican, dual-national, or resident minors. One parent staying home does not by itself mean the child needs SAM.
No. Ordinary remote online notarization is not a substitute for INM SAM validation when SAM applies.
The following primary sources support the legal and procedural information in this guide. Requirements can change, so confirm current rules with the receiving organization before relying on a notarized document.
Instituto Nacional de Migración
Accessed September 14, 2026
Preguntas y respuestas relativo al Formato de Salida de Menores (SAM)(opens in a new tab)
Instituto Nacional de Migración
Accessed September 14, 2026
Ordinary remote online notarization is not a substitute for INM validation. A U.S. tourist child should not be sent into SAM automatically.