No one goes on vacation expecting something bad to happen, but you should always be prepared for an emergency, no matter where you’ll be traveling. When planning your trip to Mexico there are a few things you should know in advance, and a couple of things you can do to make sure you can deal with any emergency that may come up. A little preparation can go a long way to knowing what to do in the moment when time may be of the essence.
Emergency Numbers in Mexico
Whatever type of emergency you may be facing, the two most important things to know are the Mexican emergency phone number and the citizens assistance number of your consulate. Other numbers that are good to have on hand are the tourist assistance number and the number for the Ángeles Verdes, Mexico’s “Green Angels” roadside assistance that also offers general tourist assistance and information. The Green Angels have operators who speak English, whereas other Mexican emergency numbers may not. As of October 3, 2016 you can dial 911 from a pay phone without using a card. The operator will be able to transfer you to the appropriate service: police, red cross or fire department.
Know which consulate is closest to your destination and have the citizen’s assistance phone number on hand. There are some things they can help with and other things they cannot, but they may be able to advise you as to how best to handle your emergency. Find the embassy or consulate nearest you on our list of US Consulates in Mexico and Canadian Consulates in Mexico.
The consulate closest to you may be able to offer you more help, but these are the emergency numbers for the U.S. and Canadian embassies in Mexico:
Contact the United States Embassy in Mexico: in the case of an emergency directly affecting a U.S. Citizen in Mexico, you may contact the embassy for assistance. In Mexico City, dial 5080-2000. For elsewiere in Mexico, you need to put the area code first, so you would dial 55-5080-2000. From the United States, dial 011-52-55-5080-2000. During business hours, select extension 4440 to reach American Citizens Services. Outside of business hours, press “0” to speak to an operator and ask to be connected to the officer on duty.
Contact the Canadian Embassy in Mexico: for emergency calls concerning Canadian citizens in Mexico, call the embassy at (55) 5724-7900 in the greater Mexico City area. If you are outside Mexico City, you can reach the consular section by dialing 01-800-706-2900. This toll free number is available throughout Mexico, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Before You Go
Make copies of important documents. When possible, it’s a good idea to leave your passport in your hotel safe and carry the copy with you. Also scan your documents and send them to yourself via e-mail so you can access them online if all else fails.
Let your family or friends at home koow your itinerary. You don’t need to let them know your every move, but you should be sure someone knows where you’ll be and to check in with them on a regular basis so that if something happens to you they will know where you are.
Register Your Trip. If you will be traveling in Mexico for more than a few days, it’s a good idea to register your trip with your consulate before your departure so that they can inform you of the situation and help you to evacuate in case of extreme weather or political conflict. Find out how to register your trip.
Purchase travel and/or health insurance. Look into the best type of travel insurance for your needs. You may want to consider insurance that has evacuation coverage, especially if you will be visiting areas that are outside of large cities or main tourist destinations or participating in adventure activities.
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Based on About Travel article.
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