Mexico City

UK citizens can enter Mexico visa-free for up to 180 days. You need a valid passport with at least 6 months remaining validity. At the border, officials may ask for proof of return flights, accommodation, and sufficient funds.

The grey area: The 180-day entry is technically for tourism and business visits, not employment. Unpaid internships in an educational context operate in a similar grey zone to most Latin American destinations. For paid positions, your employer would need to sponsor a Temporary Resident Visa with a work permit - a more involved process.

What we do: We advise on the best approach for your specific situation. For unpaid placements, we provide documentation framing the internship as an educational and cultural exchange. For paid roles, we help coordinate with the employer on the work permit process.

Important: The number of days you receive is at the discretion of the border official. Always ask for the full 180 days and carry your internship documentation. Some travellers have received as few as 30 days when they could not explain their purpose clearly.

Mexico City's safety reputation is worse than the reality in the neighbourhoods where interns live and work. The US State Department rates CDMX at "Exercise Increased Caution" - the same level as London and Paris.

Safe neighbourhoods (where our interns live): Roma Norte, Roma Sur, Condesa, Polanco, Coyoacan, San Angel, and Del Valle. These areas are walkable, well-lit, full of restaurants and parks, and have visible police presence. Many female solo travellers report feeling safe walking around Roma and Condesa day and night.

Areas to avoid or limit: Tepito (known locally as "the fierce neighbourhood" - serious crime, even locals avoid it), Doctores (high car theft, unsafe at night), parts of Iztapalapa, and the eastern edges of Centro Historico after dark.

Main risks: Phone snatching is the most common crime affecting foreigners. Keep your phone in your pocket on public transport. Pickpocketing happens in crowded Metro stations. Express kidnappings (paseo millenario) are extremely rare but real - never hail taxis from the street, always use Uber or Didi.

Our approach: We provide a detailed neighbourhood safety briefing on arrival, including specific streets and Metro stations to be cautious around, and our local team is available 24/7.

At 2,240 metres (7,350 feet), Mexico City is higher than any city in Europe. Most newcomers feel the effects for 2-4 days.

Common symptoms: Shortness of breath when climbing stairs or walking uphill, mild headaches, fatigue, disrupted sleep, and reduced alcohol tolerance. These are normal and pass as your body adjusts.

How to prepare: Drink 3-4 litres of water daily for your first week. Avoid heavy alcohol for the first 48 hours (you will get drunk much faster at altitude). Do not plan strenuous exercise for day one. Some people find aspirin helpful for headaches. Serious altitude sickness is rare at this elevation.

Long-term: After a week, most people feel completely normal. You may notice you get winded more easily during intense exercise, but daily life is unaffected.

Roma Norte: The default choice for most interns and digital nomads. Tree-lined streets, Art Deco buildings, excellent cafes and restaurants, walkable to many workplaces. The best balance of price, atmosphere, and convenience. Shared room: £350-500/mo.

Condesa: Adjacent to Roma, slightly more residential and green. Parque Mexico is the centrepiece - a gorgeous park where locals walk their dogs and jog. Slightly more expensive than Roma. Shared room: £380-520/mo.

Polanco: The upscale neighbourhood. International companies, embassies, luxury shopping, world-class restaurants (Pujol is here). More expensive but very safe and polished. Best for business and finance interns. Shared room: £450-650/mo.

Coyoacan: The bohemian neighbourhood in the south. Frida Kahlo's Casa Azul, cobblestone streets, colourful markets. Quieter and cheaper than Roma. Best for education and cultural placements. Shared room: £280-400/mo.

Budget option - Del Valle or Narvarte: Well-connected by Metro, safe, and significantly cheaper. Less trendy but more authentically Mexican. Room: £200-320/mo.

Mexico City is not hot and tropical. The altitude means mild, spring-like weather year-round - nothing like Cancun or the coast.

Dry season (November to April): Clear skies, warm days of 20-25°C, cool nights that can drop to 3-8°C in December and January. You will want a jacket for evenings.

Rainy season (June to October): Short, intense afternoon downpours, usually between 3-6 PM. Mornings are typically sunny and warm. The rain rarely disrupts plans - just carry an umbrella. September is the wettest month.

Air quality: The valley geography traps pollution, particularly in the dry season (December to May). Bad air days happen - you can check the IMECA index daily. If you have asthma or respiratory issues, factor this in.

Teotihuacan pyramids (1 hour by bus - climb the Pyramid of the Sun), Xochimilco floating gardens on a colourful trajinera boat, Frida Kahlo Museum in Coyoacan, Chapultepec Castle and park, the National Museum of Anthropology (one of the best museums in the world), street food tours through Centro Historico, mezcal tastings in Roma, lucha libre wrestling (a genuinely wild experience), and day trips to Puebla, Valle de Bravo, or the Monarch Butterfly reserves (November to March). Our intern community organises group trips regularly.

It varies. Some startup and business roles offer stipends of 3,000-8,000 MXN per month (roughly £120-320). NGO and social enterprise placements are typically unpaid. Education and TEFL roles sometimes include a small salary. Even unpaid, the extremely low cost of living means your savings go much further than in the UK or Europe.

For most roles, yes - at least conversational level. Mexico City is not as English-friendly as Bali or Barcelona. Some international NGOs, tech startups, and multinational companies operate in English, but these are the minority. Daily life - commuting, shopping, socialising - happens in Spanish. We strongly recommend at least A2 level before arrival and can arrange intensive courses for your first weeks.

Potentially, yes. The Turing Scheme funds international placements through participating UK universities. You cannot apply directly - check with your university's placement or international office. The scheme covers travel and living expenses and is confirmed through the 2026-27 academic year. We provide all the documentation your university will need.

Most UK universities accept international placements if they meet their learning criteria. We provide formal documentation including learning agreements, supervisor reports, and internship confirmations. If your university has specific requirements, share them with us early and we will ensure compliance. We have experience with placement year, sandwich year, and year in industry formats.

In the neighbourhoods where our interns live - Roma, Condesa, Polanco, Coyoacan - yes. These areas are walkable and well-lit with plenty of people around. Standard precautions apply: use Uber or Didi rather than street taxis, be aware of your phone in crowded areas, and avoid walking alone in unfamiliar neighbourhoods late at night. The Metro has women-only carriages during rush hour. Our local team provides a specific safety orientation on arrival.

Minimum 8-12 weeks for a meaningful experience - the first 2-3 weeks involve settling in, adapting to altitude, and getting up to speed in Spanish. For a placement year, 5-6 months is ideal. Longer stays give you deeper projects, stronger language skills, and a more impressive reference. Most placements run 3-6 months. Your visa allows up to 180 days.

No - do not drink tap water. Use bottled water or a filtered water system (most flats have a garrafon, a large refillable water jug delivered regularly for about 40 pesos). Ice in restaurants is generally fine as it is made from purified water. Street food is safe if the stall is busy - high turnover means fresh food. Use common sense and you will be fine.

Del Valle and Narvarte (from £200/mo for a shared room) are the budget-friendly options with good Metro connections. Coyoacan is slightly more (from £280/mo) but has great charm. Roma Norte and Condesa are more expensive but most convenient. Further out neighbourhoods like Iztacalco or Santa Maria la Ribera are cheapest but require more Spanish and local knowledge.