US Embassy in Mexico City: Services for Americans Living Here
Where the embassy is, how passport and CRBA appointments work, notarials, the Federal Benefits Unit for Social Security and what to do in an emergency.
The US Embassy in Mexico City, at Presa Angostura 225 in Colonia Irrigación, offers US citizens passport renewals, Consular Reports of Birth Abroad, notarial services at $50 per notary seal and Social Security help, all by appointment. For a US citizen in an emergency, including after hours, call 55 2579 2000 from Mexico or +1 301 985 8843 from the United States.
Where is the US Embassy and how do you contact it?
The embassy is at Presa Angostura 225, Col. Irrigación, Miguel Hidalgo, 11500, Mexico City, according to its contact page as of November 2026. The entrance to the consular section is at the corner of Legaria Street and Casa de la Moneda. The general number is 55 8526 3111 from Mexico.
Visits are by appointment. Applicants go through security screening and cannot bring electronics into the building, so check the embassy’s visiting guidelines before you go. General questions about citizen services go to [email protected], and the embassy has an online contact form for passport, CRBA and notarial questions.
Consulates in cities such as Guadalajara, Monterrey, Mérida and Tijuana serve their own regions. The embassy’s consular location finder shows which office covers your state.
How do you renew a US passport in Mexico?
Passport services are by appointment, scheduled through the embassy’s online request form, which also tells you if you qualify for the mail-in program. The embassy’s checklist, as of November 2026:
- Fill in the application at pptform.state.gov, print it single-sided with the barcode, and do not sign it until asked. Include your Social Security number.
- Bring one 5 x 5 cm US-style photo, taken within six months, white background, no glasses.
- Calculate and pay the fee online, using a Mexican address, and print the receipt.
- Bring your old passport or other proof of citizenship and a government photo ID, each with one photocopy. Mexican driver’s licenses are not accepted as ID.
- For children under 16, both parents attend with ID, or the absent parent signs a notarized form DS-3053.
Arrive 15 minutes early. For a lost or stolen passport before urgent travel, use the embassy’s urgent appointment request form.
How do you register a child born in Mexico?
US parents apply for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA), which certifies that the child acquired US citizenship at birth. Most applications are filed online through a MyTravelGov account, with documents uploaded and the fee paid by card, and the interview is booked at least 72 hours after payment. The child must attend.
The CRBA comes after the Mexican birth registration, which our guide to registering a baby born in Mexico explains step by step. A US passport for the child can be requested at the CRBA interview.
What notarial services does the embassy offer?
The embassy notarizes documents, mainly for use in the United States, for people of any nationality, by appointment only. The fee is $50 for each notary signature with seal, paid through pay.gov or at the appointment, as of November 2026.
- Bring the complete, unsigned document and a valid photo ID whose name matches the document.
- Bring your own witnesses if the document needs them; staff cannot act as witnesses or explain the content.
- Book a single appointment for several documents.
Appointments are scarce, and there are no emergency notarial slots. The embassy suggests checking whether a US online notary is accepted in the state where the document will be filed. The embassy does not issue apostilles; those come from the US state or federal authority that issued the document.
What does the Federal Benefits Unit do?
The Federal Benefits Unit (FBU) at the embassy handles Social Security for residents of Mexico City and 17 central and southern states. It takes applications for retirement, disability and survivors benefits and for Social Security cards, and it processes changes such as address, direct deposit and death reports. It also serves other federal agencies, including the Office of Personnel Management and Veterans Affairs.
The FBU works by appointment only, Monday to Friday from 8:00 to 14:30, and closes to the public on the last workday of each month. Requests go through its online form or to [email protected].
Residents abroad can now open a my Social Security account with an ID.me credential, selecting the option for people who do not live in the United States. Changing your address or direct deposit still needs the FBU. If you also depend on US health coverage, see our guide to Medicare in Mexico.
What should you do in an emergency?
Call 911 for police, ambulance or fire. Then contact the embassy for help as a US citizen: serious injury, arrest, a missing or abducted child, a death, or any situation where you are in immediate distress. The emergency number, 55 2579 2000 from Mexico, works outside business hours. Our list of emergency numbers in Mexico City covers the local services.
Sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to get security, demonstration and weather alerts, and the embassy also sends alerts through WhatsApp. Keep a photo of your passport and your resident card on your phone.
Bottom line
Check your passport expiry date now and book a renewal at least several months before you need it, since appointments fill up. Save the emergency number, enroll in STEP, and use the FBU’s online form for any Social Security change.
FAQ
Can I renew my US passport by mail from Mexico?
Some applicants can. The embassy’s appointment form checks if you qualify for its mail-in program; otherwise you renew in person.
Does the embassy help with Mexican residency?
No. Mexican residency is handled by Mexican consulates abroad and by the National Migration Institute (INM) in Mexico.
Can the embassy pay for a lawyer if I am arrested?
No. Consular staff can visit, contact family and provide lists of local lawyers, but they cannot act as your lawyer or pay legal fees.
Can I vote in US elections from Mexico?
Yes. US citizens abroad can register and request absentee ballots; the embassy’s voting page explains how.
