FMTs at the Migracion in Ensenada?

I keep hearing rumors that the short old guy with glasses at the migracion desk in Ensenada is either refusing to issue FMTs to tourists or charging them $40 as a "fine" for not doing the paperwork in TJ.

Any first-hand info on this, anyone???

Thx.

Years ago we would stop in Ensenada

There was never a problem getting the stamps, but we always left with a really bad feeling of being unwelcome in Mexico. I won't call the guy we always met there a racist, but his attitude was certainly consistent. We do it ALL at San Isidro now. We usually have to "do" customs anyway, and the parking is not only easier, its manditory.

We used to always stop at Ensenada before we got FM3s.

The first time, we followed the guy's directions to a bank a long walk from the office. But he seemed to mellow some, and on later trips he gave us directions to a much closer bank.

He did seem a little grumpy, but we'd try to be nice and he'd seem to thaw a bit.

Quote:

Originally posted by Don Alley We used to always stop at Ensenada before we got FM3s. The first time, we followed the guy's directions to a bank a long walk from the office. But he seemed to mellow some, and on later trips he gave us directions to a much closer bank. He did seem a little grumpy, but we'd try to be nice and he'd seem to thaw a bit.

Kurt

You said what many of us wish we had the time and courage to say. Cracked me up.

Incidentally, in 1958 my Sea Explorers "Ship" was the little bunk house out on the end of the old public pier at Avila Bay.



[Edited on 7-28-2006 by vgabndo]

[Edited on 7-29-2006 by vgabndo]

Quote:

Originally posted by KurtG Quote: Originally posted by Don Alley We used to always stop at Ensenada before we got FM3s. The first time, we followed the guy's directions to a bank a long walk from the office. But he seemed to mellow some, and on later trips he gave us directions to a much closer bank. He did seem a little grumpy, but we'd try to be nice and he'd seem to thaw a bit. About three years ago my brother and I stopped to get our FMT's there as I had many times in the past. The official was somewhat antagonistic which I had not encountered there in the past. We filled out the forms and he directed us to the bank but insisted on holding my passport. When I asked why he said that the government doesn't trust tourists to pay the fee. I then pointed out that neither did they trust him to collect it and the conversation went down hill from there.

good for you .
uou are a brave man

i reported this a couple of months ago

when we went to renew my husband's fm3. i posted on this board having seen a sign at the bank that is now adjacent to immigration saying that land tourists should pay where they cross and ensenada would be charging a penalty for tourists who failed to obtain fmt at the border.

guess it's in effect

Kurt

Seems kind of dumb since FM-T's are not required for Ensenada...what if you are planning on just staying there a couple of days and change your mind and go further south....My first trip to Baja (1997) I had just planned a day trip and ended up going the whole way, stayed 3 1/2 months. We did get the FM-T's there and had to drudge the several blocks back and forth to the bank with a 4yr. old in tow.....what a pain in the butt! From then on always take care of it at the border, simple, windows together takes 15mins.

And NO WAY IN HELL would I leave my passport!

Good one Kurt, did he choke on his taco?

Forgot ? Whats an FM-T

Quote:

Originally posted by sylens when we went to renew my husband's fm3. i posted on this board having seen a sign at the bank that is now adjacent to immigration saying that land tourists should pay where they cross and ensenada would be charging a penalty for tourists who failed to obtain fmt at the border. guess it's in effect

Quote:

Originally posted by Debra Seems kind of dumb since FM-T's are not required for Ensenada...what if you are planning on just staying there a couple of days and change your mind and go further south....My first trip to Baja (1997) I had just planned a day trip and ended up going the whole way, stayed 3 1/2 months. We did get the FM-T's there and had to drudge the several blocks back and forth to the bank with a 4yr. old in tow.....what a pain in the butt! From then on always take care of it at the border, simple, windows together takes 15mins. And NO WAY IN HELL would I leave my passport! Good one Kurt, did he choke on his taco?

I had totally forgotten that guy. He is a grumpy old f-art isnt he. When Jim and I cant get someone to smile there is something wrong. Our philosophy since moving here has always been leave 'em laughing, which of course is pretty easy to do, as most Mexicans love a good laugh. I am pretty sure that half the time they dont understand our joke but somewhere deep inside they feel that we are trying to be funny so they laugh with us, at us, quien sabe?
At any rate, we could not even get a slight upturn of the corners of the mouth with that guy. And there was another guy there who was about to lose it and had to leave the cubicle so his buddy wouldnt see him laugh. It seems to me that we had some sort of conversation about leaving our passports and that I took mine back and left my husband's. Anyhoo, guess we wont have to worry about that because I certainly will not see him ever again. 400 pesos is the fine, right? NOT

HUM? Passport not that important? Easily replaced?

How many days is anyone willing to spend getting it replaced to get back home? I'm not talking a Mexican border crossing. We all know that most times a DL works there.

I have been on many cruise ships and never been asked to surrender my passport.....never been to Spain so I can't speak to that issue......I have been asked to take a photo COPY of my passport in many hotels around the world, (not a problem)

When you are ready to go home that passport IS important....unless you enjoy sitting in 'No mans land' in an airport detention 'lounge' while you try to get a new passport (not my idea of a good time)

One thing I will agree with Bob/Susan......"keep a copy" while I don't keep a copy, I do have our passport numbers written down in several places Truck/purse/moho......good advise, I will get several photo copies and put them in all of those places also.

passports

are routinely collected in inns and hotels all over europe, returned upon payment of hotel stay and prior to departure. i think it's now somewhat obsolete, as most pay with credit cards, but old habits die hard. we had the same experience of having to relinquish passports with morocco. a kind of guarantee people would not overstay...

as for grumpy butt, i don't think he has the initiative or skill or connections to make the sign that was posted. also, the sign was not at his "post" at immigration. it was in the bank next door where the payment is made for the fmt.

i think the rationale for the penalty is that visas should be obtained upon (or prior to) entering another country. mexico is really very easy. when we traveled to brazil 6 years ago we had to obtain them prior to our travel. that process was complicated and involved a country's overtly playing tit for tat with the usa because of the hurdles we create for brazilians wishing to visit the usa. documentation regarding obtaining visa advised that requirements varied, depending on country of origin and the way that coutnry treated brazilian tourists