BajaNomad

Tijuana Immigration

lizard lips - 8-11-2026 at 10:44 AM

Last week I parked and went into the immigration office at the Chaparral border entry and went to desk right after the bank window on the left. There was a woman immigration office and an older guy there and the man took me to a guy behind a window about 20 feet away. I asked for a 180 day visa and handed him my passport. He took my passport and asked me for 1000 pesos which I gave him and he handed me the small piece of paper stamped for 180 and said that's it. I asked for a receipt and he said the receipt machine was broken so I left. This was the first time I did not pay the bank directly. Is this the new normal procedure or are they pulling as fast one?

cupcake - 8-11-2026 at 11:36 AM

I don't know what his angle would be...unless he was able to pocket the entire fee by not issuing a receipt.

The link below is to a Facebook page where people are saying why you need to keep the FMM receipt. I don't recall ever needing to show the receipt to anyone, but maybe I did and have just forgotten.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/280813222259304/posts/297396...

Another AI recommendation regarding your FMM receipt:

"Your payment receipt proves you already paid the tourist tax, which prevents agents from making you pay twice or facing scam attempts at the border."

At the San Ysidro pedestrian crossing a few years ago, I had an agent try to keep my FMM receipt, but I just pointed at it and he gave it to me. But like I said, I haven't yet needed to show the receipt to anyone. The FMM yes, the receipt no. Most of the time, when I leave Mexico it is at San Ysidro, where to date no Mexican authority has ever asked to see anything. In fact, I don't see any authorities until I have walked in to the US and then deal with US immigration.

Apparently, some have been hassled and even made to pay a second time for their FMM, because they didn't have the receipt.

[Edited on 8-11-2026 by cupcake]

Edit....

AKgringo - 8-11-2026 at 11:47 AM

A similar thing happened to me at Mexicali West ten or so years ago. The agent filled out the FMM for me and made change out of his pocket.

What I did not realize until much later is that the FMM was never stamped, making it worthless if challenged!

Edit; Correction....that occurred just before the Covid panic happened

[Edited on 8-11-2026 by AKgringo]

David K - 8-11-2026 at 12:10 PM

Good to see you, Lizard!
The receipt is mostly important for those who print/buy the on-line FMM... which none of us recommend anyone do, as you still need to park at the border and walk into the INM office to validate it.
The receipt proves you didn't just print it out and skip paying.
Hope you guys are doing well!
Viva Baja!

lizard lips - 8-11-2026 at 12:42 PM

Thanks for the responses! I have lived here for almost 40 years and should've applied for citizenship years ago but that's my mistake. I went through all of the visas and paid a lot for the final visa which would have
made be a perm resident but a few years ago I was in Canada and I flew to Monterrey and showed the immigration officer my visa but he said I didn't get it stamped prior to leaving Mex and he took it and cancelled all. I was so upset I just gave up. I figure how much longer do I have on this planet so I decided this is the way to go.

Anyway on this current visa and my payment I believe these guys went out to dinner! It was stamped and all looks good on the form/visa so Im good to go.

Hello David!!! Its been awhile...

SFandH - 8-11-2026 at 12:45 PM

Quote: Originally posted by lizard lips  


I asked for a 180 day visa and handed him my passport. He took my passport and asked me for 1000 pesos which I gave him and he handed me the small piece of paper stamped for 180 and said that's it.


Is that "small piece of paper" an FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) stamped for 180 days?

If so, you're good to go. If not, you don't have an FMM (tourist permit). That could be a problem.

Who knows where the money went.

I bought an FMM at the San Ysidro crossing a few years back, and the procedure was you started at booth 1 and partly completed the form, took it to booth 2 (the bank window) and paid the bill, then back to booth 1 to complete the form. But, as we all know, uniform procedures are rare in Mexico. Who knows what the next guy in line had to do.




[Edited on 8-11-2026 by SFandH]

David K - 8-11-2026 at 01:05 PM

Quote: Originally posted by SFandH  


Is that "small piece of paper" an FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) stamped for 180 days?

If so, you're good to go. If not, you don't have an FMM (tourist permit). That could be a problem.

Who knows where the money went.

I bought an FMM at the San Ysidro crossing a few years back, and the procedure was you started at booth 1 and partly completed the form, took it to booth 2 (the bank window) and paid the bill, then back to booth 1 to complete the form. But, as we all know, uniform procedures are rare in Mexico. Who knows what the next guy in line had to do.






Exactly, or the agent also collects the money (was years ago for me at Mexicali west). My recent trips have all been for under 7 days, so no bank payments.

When I met Lizard Lips in 2002, at my Viva Baja #3 party, in Oceanside: