Consulates

Mexican cartilla militar from the US: requirements and $16 duplicate

How to apply for Mexico's cartilla del Servicio Militar Nacional at a Mexican consulate in the US: men 18 to 40, documents, biometric photo, US$16 duplicate and US$34 over-40 letter.

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Mexican military service card (cartilla militar) from the US: requirements and fees

Mexico’s National Military Service identity card (cartilla de identidad del Servicio Militar Nacional, SMN) can be processed at a Mexican consulate in the United States. The Los Angeles and Chicago consulates state that Mexican men aged 18 to 40 must comply with the SMN even when they live abroad. The procedure is in person, at the consulate for your place of residence, and the consulate takes your biometrics. The 2026 fee table of the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles (checked October 3, 2026) has no fee line for first issuance; it does charge US$16.00 for a duplicate or correction and US$34.00 for the letter for men over 40 who never obtained the cartilla.

Versión en español

Fees (Los Angeles consulate 2026 table)

Line in the “Servicio Militar” section	Cost
First issuance of the cartilla	The 2026 table lists no fee
Duplicate and correction of the card’s base data	US$16.00
Permit to leave the country (permiso para salir del país)	US$16.00
Letter for men who, being over 40, never obtained the cartilla	US$34.00

Source: “Tarifas y cuotas de acuerdo a la Ley Federal de Derechos para 2026 — En vigor a partir del 1 de enero de 2026”, Consulate General of Mexico in Los Angeles, checked October 3, 2026. Mexico’s Federal Law of Fees (Ley Federal de Derechos, art. 24, section VIII, item c) says no fee is charged for “la compulsa de documentos, para el trámite de” military service identity cards and related services. This page does not claim the whole procedure is free: confirm with your consulate whether any charge applies in your case. The Los Angeles consulate accepts cash in US dollars, Visa or MasterCard, and money orders.

Who applies for the cartilla at a consulate

Mexican men aged 18 to 40 who live abroad (Los Angeles and Chicago).
At the consulate for your place of residence, in person.
The birth certificate must be a certified copy issued by the Mexican Civil Registry or by a consular office; see Mexican birth certificate from the US. Registering a US-born child’s birth at a consulate is a separate procedure: see registering a US-born child at the Mexican consulate.

Documents for the cartilla

Document	Detail per the consulates
Birth certificate	Certified copy issued by the Mexican Civil Registry or a consular office, with one photocopy
Proof of address abroad	Original and copy: rent receipts, utility bills, school certificate, social security statements, tax payment receipt or others, “donde se presuma que el interesado permanecerá en el extranjero por un año como mínimo” (suggesting you will stay abroad at least one year)
Official photo ID	With one photocopy
Application	Filled out at the consulate

Biometrics and photo

Los Angeles explains that no photos are handed in for the cartilla, but it is essential that the consulate take your biometrics: photo, fingerprint and signature. For the photo it asks you to come:

in a white shirt;
hair combed back, sideburns trimmed and mustache trimmed at the upper lip;
with no beard, cap, hat, glasses, earrings or objects attached to the face through piercings.

Step by step

Request the appointment. In Los Angeles it is requested by email. Confirm the method with your consulate; find it in the Mexican consulate directory or the list by state, and follow availability with the consulate appointment tracker.
Appear in person with the documents and copies.
Fill out the application and give your biometrics.
Ask how and when the cartilla is delivered. The Los Angeles and Chicago pages list the first-cartilla requirements but do not describe the delivery step or publish a timeline. The “Constancia de Recepción de Cartilla” and the SEDENA “hoja de liberación en disponibilidad” they mention appear under the change-of-address procedure (see below).

Men over 40 without a cartilla

If you passed 40 without obtaining the cartilla, the Los Angeles consulate publishes the “Constancia por ser mayor de 40 años y no haber obtenido la Cartilla de Identidad del Servicio Militar Nacional”. It is in person, at the consulate for your place of residence, and asks for the original and a copy of:

Certified copy of the birth certificate, issued by the Mexican Civil Registry, consular offices, or on plain paper via gob.mx, legible and without crossings-out or alterations.
Proof of address abroad (rent receipts, water, electricity or phone bills, high-security matrícula consular, etc.).
Proof of highest level of education (primary, secondary or high school certificate, etc.).
CURP, if you have one.
Official photo ID.
Five photos, color or black and white, unretouched, white background, 35 by 45 mm, in white clothing, facing forward, no beard, mustache and sideburns trimmed, no glasses, hat, cap or piercings.

The 2026 table charges US$34.00 for this letter.

Change of address and release

The consulates cite article 21 of the National Military Service Law: every Mexican must report a change of address to the registration authorities. If your cartilla was issued in Mexico or at another consulate, you report it at the consular office nearest your home. You must have lived at least two years where you do the release procedure. Bring, in original and copy:

the SMN identity card;
proof of the new address (water, property tax, phone, electricity, etc.);
official photo ID (voter card, driver’s license, professional license or valid passport, etc.);
CURP, if you have one (not mandatory);
the application.

For this procedure, the consulate issues a “Constancia de Recepción de Cartilla”, which proves you are complying with your military obligations. The SEDENA (Ministry of National Defense) then returns the cartilla to the consulate with the “hoja de liberación en disponibilidad” (release sheet), and you pick it up by presenting the Constancia. The consular pages do not publish how long SEDENA takes to return it.

If you need to correct the card’s data or a duplicate, the 2026 table charges US$16.00.

What these pages do not say

The Los Angeles page (updated February 3, 2025) and the Chicago page (updated February 13, 2020) do not publish delivery times or explain the “permit to leave the country” that appears in the fee table. Ask your consulate about those details.

Your US immigration status

The cartilla is a document of Mexican nationality. The published requirements ask for Mexican documents, proof of address abroad and a photo ID; they do not ask for US immigration documents.

Official sources

Mexican consulate in Los Angeles — Cartilla Militar (updated February 3, 2025): https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/losangeles/index.php/es/documentos-de-identidad/cartilla-militar
Mexican consulate in Chicago — Cartilla militar (updated February 13, 2020): https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/chicago/index.php/tramites-consulares-con-cita/cartilla-militar
Los Angeles consulate — 2026 fees and payment methods: https://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/losangeles/index.php/es/consul-general/tarifas-y-formas-de-pago
Ley Federal de Derechos, art. 24: https://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LFD.pdf

Last verified: 2026-10-03. General procedural information for educational purposes. National Military Service requirements are set by SEDENA and can change. Verify directly with the Mexican consulate that serves you. Not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the Mexican military service card cost at a consulate?

The 2026 fee table of the Mexican consulate in Los Angeles (checked October 3, 2026) has no fee line for first issuance of the cartilla. It does list US$16.00 for a duplicate and correction of the card’s base data, US$16.00 for the permit to leave the country, and US$34.00 for the letter for men over 40 who never obtained the cartilla. Mexico’s Federal Law of Fees exempts from fees the document check (compulsa) for military service cards.

Who has to get the cartilla while living in the United States?

The Los Angeles and Chicago consulates state that Mexican men of military age, 18 to 40, are obliged to comply with National Military Service (SMN) even when they reside abroad.

What documents do I need for the cartilla at the consulate?

Appear in person at the consulate for your place of residence; a certified copy of the birth certificate issued by the Mexican Civil Registry or a consulate, with a photocopy; original and copy of proof of address abroad suggesting you will remain abroad for at least one year; official photo ID with a copy; and fill out the application.

Do I have to bring photos for the cartilla?

For the cartilla, Los Angeles says photos are not handed in, but the consulate must take your biometrics (photo, fingerprint and signature). For the photo it asks for a white shirt, hair combed back, trimmed sideburns and mustache, and no beard, cap, hat, glasses, earrings or piercings. The over-40 letter does require five 35 by 45 mm photos.

I am over 40 and never got the cartilla. What do I do?

The Los Angeles consulate publishes the Constancia por ser mayor de 40 años y no haber obtenido la Cartilla. It is done in person and asks for a certified birth certificate, proof of address abroad, proof of highest level of education, CURP if you have one, official photo ID and five 35 by 45 mm photos. The 2026 table charges US$34.00 for that letter.

Do I get the cartilla the same day?

The Los Angeles and Chicago pages do not say when a first cartilla is delivered. For the change-of-address procedure, they describe two moments: first a Constancia de Recepción de Cartilla is issued, proving you are complying with your military obligations; later, SEDENA returns the cartilla to the consulate with the hoja de liberación en disponibilidad, which you pick up by presenting that receipt. The pages do not publish a timeline.

I already have a cartilla but moved. What do I do?

Under article 21 of the National Military Service Law cited by the consulates, you must report a change of address. If the cartilla was issued in Mexico or at another consulate, you report it at the consular office nearest your home, and you must have lived at least two years where you do the release procedure. You bring the cartilla, proof of the new address, official ID and CURP if you have one, with copies, plus the application.

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General information, not legal advice. MigrantUSA is an independent publisher and is not a law firm; using this site does not create an attorney-client relationship, and this content is not a substitute for advice from a licensed attorney about your specific situation. US federal, state, and local government procedures, fees, and forms change. Always verify current details directly with the relevant agency before acting. For immigration, tax, or other legal matters specific to your situation, consult a licensed attorney or BIA-accredited representative.