BajaNomad

BCS foreign tourist tax "Embrace it"

mtgoat666 - 1-16-2026 at 09:26 AM

Know of anybody paying this BCS tax of foreign tourists?
Seen any enforcement of tax collection?

Recently I have only driven to BCS, so unfamiliar with what's going on for air travelers.

chatolj - 1-16-2026 at 12:04 PM

When purchasing a Southern Baja sportfishing license on line, there are a few sites that are up charging.

" There is an additional Use Tax of $30.81 USD per licensee if you are visiting Baja California Sur as a foreign tourist".

Above is a copy and paste off the site.
No up charge if Northern Baja is selected.
Both options are for all federal waters of Mexico.

surfhat - 1-16-2026 at 12:13 PM

If one is driving to GN and no further south, is it required to pay this

Baja Sur fee?

Don Jorge - 1-16-2026 at 01:53 PM

I just flew Tijuana to Loreto today.
Flew it last week too. Nothing about this.

Whale watching season has begun. Be interesting to see if they use tour operators to implement and collect funds from their tourist clientele.


BoenBaja - 1-16-2026 at 03:21 PM

Like so many other things in Mexico, this raises some questions, ie, is this fee required for each visit, is it a one time tax, is it good for 180 days like an FMM, or a full year like a fishing license? Does it apply to RP and temporary residents? I visited the site before we left Bahía Asunción to purchase for my wife and myself but was unable, maybe because I was using my iPhone. Or maybe it was due to the fact that I wanted it for a longer time period cause I’m going back down in a few weeks.

https://embrace.bcs.gob.mx/learn-more

BoenBaja - 1-16-2026 at 03:34 PM

Quote: Originally posted by surfhat  
If one is driving to GN and no further south, is it required to pay this

Baja Sur fee?


Since GN is in B.C.S. I would think so. But the website is confusing, at least for me. In addition to this, GN is part of the Vizcaino biosphere, so by entering the protected area a conservation bracelet (or yearly pass) might be required:

From CONANP:
Protected Area entrance fee

$215 MXN Entrance prices per person, per day, as collection of rights.

Senior citizens, pensioned and retired persons, disabled persons, and minors under 12 years of age will be exempt from the payment of fees, whose status will be accredited once they enter the Protected Area, if applicable, with the corresponding valid credential. A 50% discount will be applied to students and teachers with a valid credential, which must be presented upon entering the biosphere.

https://descubreanp.conanp.gob.mx/en/conanp/ANP?suri=64

surabi - 1-16-2026 at 10:38 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BoenBaja  
Does it apply to RP and temporary residents?



Have no answers to your other questions, but it clearly says it is for tourists, international visitors. If you have residency, you are not a tourist or international visitor.

Alan - 2-11-2026 at 05:10 PM

I checked with Discover Baja to find out what they knew of it before I head to La Paz next month. They said they have received reports it is being enforced but sporadically and they said some are checked coming in and others are checked when they leave. I got on the website to pay for ours. Really easy to complete; Name, Age, Passport#, Date of Entry, Date of Departure. Then, they send a QR code to your email.

So it looks like it is only valid for one trip and only applies to Tourists traveling on an FMM.

I love how they named it. Must be fans of Navy SEALS "Embrace the Suck"!

[Edited on 2-12-2026 by Alan]

surabi - 2-11-2026 at 07:14 PM

Applies to tourists. Not "tourists travelling on FMM". FMM forms are only used at land crossings now. Air passengers now only have their passports stamped.

FMM was never synonymous with "tourist card", although I know BajaNomads always refer to it that way. FMM refers to the form itself, which temporary and permanent residents also had to fill out. For tourists, the bottom half of the form is retained and serves as your tourist card. For residents, when leaving the country, the bottom half was given to the airline at the ticketing desk when leaving Mexico, the top half handed in to immigration when returning.

mtgoat666 - 2-11-2026 at 09:19 PM

Quote: Originally posted by surabi  
Applies to tourists. Not "tourists travelling on FMM". FMM forms are only used at land crossings now. Air passengers now only have their passports stamped.

FMM was never synonymous with "tourist card", although I know BajaNomads always refer to it that way. FMM refers to the form itself, which temporary and permanent residents also had to fill out. For tourists, the bottom half of the form is retained and serves as your tourist card. For residents, when leaving the country, the bottom half was given to the airline at the ticketing desk when leaving Mexico, the top half handed in to immigration when returning.


I’m still gonna call it a tourist card or tourist visa!

surabi - 2-11-2026 at 10:16 PM

The part you retain is called a tourist card. That is correct. The misnomer is calling it "an FMM", which is just the name of the whole form, and used for other purposes besides the second half being retained as a tourist card.

[Edited on 2-12-2026 by surabi]

bajatrailrider - 2-12-2026 at 02:46 PM

Group of Dirt bikes I know crossed halfway point. They did stop to show tourist cards. They were waved past he did not want anything and no tourist tax .

FlightTerminationSystem - 2-16-2026 at 11:04 AM

I just drove north from Guerrero Negro and at the stateline checkpoint where they usually make you pay to spray the undercarriage of your car, the guy stopped me and handing me a flier. It was entirely in English telling me to pay the tax via a QR code and I honestly thought it was an obvious scam lol, it had no government insignia or anything like that. Surprised to later find out apparently it was legit and applies to staying anywhere in BCS for >24 hrs. Nobody actually checked if I'd paid driving out, though - seems more focused on Cabo.

AKgringo - 2-16-2026 at 11:22 AM

Luddites like me are very reluctant to download a QR code to pay for something, especially while on the road in Baja!