BajaNomad

Fmm question

freediverbrian - 1-14-2024 at 01:04 PM

I have a 180 day fmm issued in Nov. I know that I can use the 180 day for multiple trips by land during the 180 days without turning it back in.
I plan on flying to the mainland during that 180 day window and don't want turn the fmm in upon exit as I have read.

My question should a pull another fmm (a 7 day free one) on top of my 180? Or?

AKgringo - 1-14-2024 at 01:47 PM

Interesting question that I have no answer for. My gut tells me that there might be a problem trying to hold two migration forms at the same time.

mtgoat666 - 1-14-2024 at 02:23 PM

By law the fmm is only good for one entry/exit. Land border xings operate loosely, basically lax enforcement so everyone treats fmm as good for multiple entries/exits. The intl airlines follow the law, fmm only good for one entry/exit cycle.
Mex imm databases are getting more modern, dont know if they easily track how many fmms each foreign traveler has and what date they got them,…

BeachSeeker - 1-14-2024 at 03:01 PM

Goat, you sure about that? It seems the consensus is that multiple crossings on one FMM are allowed in Baja California. BajaBound agrees with this, and they are pretty reputable. If you do have an actual reference, I'd love to see it. I've never surrendered my FMM crossing the border in Baja California by land.

I'm not saying whether it is right or wrong, but there is no current "system" that tracks this. I've inadvertently had 2 FMMs at once, a 180 day and a free 6 day. I would actually be more surprised if you could use your 180 land FMM at the airport. I think it is highly likely that they make you get a new one with exact dates on it.

AKgringo - 1-14-2024 at 03:33 PM

On my last crossing I turned in my expired FMM at the desk where I was going to get a new one. The agent looked like he might have been a little surprised, but without even looking at it, he tossed it in the garbage.

Another thing about my last FMM....

AKgringo - 1-14-2024 at 05:00 PM

I did not notice until much later that the agent never stamped my FMM, which made it worthless if I ever really needed to present it to any enforcement agency!

I paid in pesos, and he made change for me right there so who knows if the money ever made it past his desk.

RFClark - 1-14-2024 at 05:01 PM

Get one if you fly, it’s also good for up to 180 days, depending on what they write on it, turn that one in when you fly out. Save the other one for driving.

AKgringo - 1-14-2024 at 08:30 PM

An FMM is like a Visa that you rent for 180 days or less.

towntaco - 1-14-2024 at 10:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BeachSeeker  
Goat, you sure about that? It seems the consensus is that multiple crossings on one FMM are allowed in Baja California. BajaBound agrees with this, and they are pretty reputable. If you do have an actual reference, I'd love to see it. I've never surrendered my FMM crossing the border in Baja California by land.

I'm not saying whether it is right or wrong, but there is no current "system" that tracks this. I've inadvertently had 2 FMMs at once, a 180 day and a free 6 day. I would actually be more surprised if you could use your 180 land FMM at the airport. I think it is highly likely that they make you get a new one with exact dates on it.

When we got FMMs at Mexicali west in December the border agent specifically said it was good for multiple land crossings as long as its within the 180 day window.

surabi - 1-15-2024 at 11:29 AM

The FMMs are no longer used at airports, only at land borders. When you fly, they just stamp your passport on departure and arrival.

AKgringo - 1-15-2024 at 11:42 AM

Quote: Originally posted by surabi  
The FMMs are no longer used at airports, only at land borders. When you fly, they just stamp your passport on departure and arrival.


Interesting! Has it been replaced with any other sort of tourist documenting, permit, or fees?

surabi - 1-15-2024 at 12:15 PM

When you fly into Mexico, you still pay the tourist tax (unless you have residency, then the fee is waived or reimbursed- you have to contact the airline about that)- it is included in the price of your ticket.
There is no other documenting other than stamping one's passport on entry and departure.

However, I don't know how it would work if your flight is domestic and you already have a 180 day FMM from entering Mexico by land. As no one stamps your passport or asks to see your FMM when flying domestically, as far as I'm aware, it may be a moot point.



[Edited on 1-15-2024 by surabi]

[Edited on 1-15-2024 by surabi]

freediverbrian - 1-15-2024 at 12:39 PM

If i have the stamp in my passport from the land entry dated November 23. Would that be fine or would they make pull a new one for the flight in? The stamp dose not say anything about land or are air fmm good for only one trip?

surabi - 1-15-2024 at 01:03 PM

Entering and leaving by air passport stamps are only good for one trip. But that pertains to flying in and out of Mexico.

Your plans are a bit confusing. You plan to fly from Baja to the mainland, and then fly back to Baja? Those are domestic flights- I don't think any immigration documention is needed- you just need to show your passport as a form of ID.

El Jefe - 1-15-2024 at 01:10 PM

The stamp in your passport from November is irrelevant for your flight. Get in line with everyone else as you get off the plane and show your passport to the agent. She will ask you what flight you were on and then stamp your passport. No paper FMM is issued. Welcome to Mexico.

As stated above you pay about 35 dollars on your ticket for the visa stamp. That is refundable through the airline if you are a permanent resident.

When you fly home you show your passport but no longer have a paper FMM to turn in. So much easier for everyone.

BajaMama - 1-16-2024 at 08:30 AM

We flew to Loreto end of October - we did not receive a paper FMM at immigration, they stamped our passports and indicated in writing that the "stamp" was good for 180 days.

Santiago - 1-16-2024 at 08:46 AM

See my post on recent LTO trip, FMMs are back baby!

towntaco - 1-16-2024 at 05:47 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Santiago  
See my post on recent LTO trip, FMMs are back baby!

When my father flew into LTO on the 3rd he did not get an FMM, just a stamp.

Santiago - 1-16-2024 at 08:23 PM

Yes, last week on Friday it changed. They did not give us a stamped copy, kept all the FMM. stamped passport like normal, so that was the official doc should anyone check. Kind of weird, the FMM was for only internal docs?







surabi - 1-17-2024 at 01:57 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Santiago  
Yes, last week on Friday it changed. They did not give us a stamped copy, kept all the FMM. stamped passport like normal, so that was the official doc should anyone check. Kind of weird, the FMM was for only internal docs?


It's not weird. An FMM is a migratory document used for statistical purposes- it was never synonymous with "tourist visa"- they just used to use the bottom half as such and are now only stamping passports at the airports.

Everyone used to have to fill out an FMM unless you were a Mexican citizen. Tourists, temporary and permanent residents. Residents filled out and submitted the bottom half of the form on exit, and the top half on reentry. But immigration officials never cared whether the top half of the original form was submittted on return, or whether you just filled out a new one when they were handed out on the plane, because they were just used for statistical purposes- to keep track of how many tourists or residents were entering or exiting. Neither part was retained by the
resident after reentering Mexico.

It's probably better that they now stamp passports, as tourists no longer have to try to keep track of that tourist card. A friend of mine came to visit a few years ago, and when I was getting ready to drive her back to the airport, I asked if she had her tourist card handy to turn in when we got there.
She said "Huh? What tourist card?"
"The bottom half of the form you filled out on the plane that they handed back to you."
"I thought that was just a receipt- garbage. I threw it in the trash can at the airport."

AKgringo - 1-17-2024 at 02:05 PM

As far as I know, it is still legal to enter Mexico by land, or sea with just a passport card. What do they stamp in that case?

I have both the book, and the card, but I don't want to carry the stamped book all the time. I would rather have an FMM in my wallet and leave the passport in a safe place.

surabi - 1-17-2024 at 02:28 PM

:barf:
Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
As far as I know, it is still legal to enter Mexico by land, or sea with just a passport card. What do they stamp in that case?

I have both the book, and the card, but I don't want to carry the stamped book all the time. I would rather have an FMM in my wallet and leave the passport in a safe place.


"A valid passport book is required to enter Mexico by
air, and those attempting to enter at an airport with a U.S. passport card only may be denied admission."

You don't need to carry your passport around with you
while in Mexico. I don't know anyone who has ever
been randomly asked by anyone to see your tourist permission. And if they did, you would just say it's back
at your hotel room or house and if they wanted to see it bad enough, would go there with you.

[Edited on 1-17-2024 by surabi]

surabi - 1-17-2024 at 02:44 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lencho  
Quote: Originally posted by surabi  

"I thought that was just a receipt- garbage. I threw it in the trash can at the airport."

So what happened when she flew out?

I had the exact same thing happen with a friend (seriously), and we ended up spending a full day in Mérida to get it replaced, due to my concern about what would happen if he arrived in Cancún for his outgoing flight without the FMM.

Note: I did not tell the nice lady at the Mérida Migra, that he had thrown his official government document in the trash. :light:


[Edited on 1-17-2024 by lencho]



You didn't have to waste all that time getting a new
one. I've known lots of people who either lost or
misplaced it, threw it away by mistake (or overstayed).
You just showed up at the airport, tell INM you lost it,
and you have to pay the tourist tax again. They never
hassled anyone about it.
My friend just had to fork over another 500 pesos tourist tax.