BajaNomad

mexican tourist card in US

jide - 7-7-2004 at 09:05 AM

Does anyone knows if it's possible to get a mexican tourist card in San Diego and where, without having to cross the border(planning to cross @ 3am)?

http://www.bajabound.com/before/visa.asp

jrbaja - 7-7-2004 at 09:39 AM

"For the most part, tourists who drive across obtain their tourist card from an immigration office at a border crossing point. They are also available from Mexican consulates, some Mexican tourism offices, border zone airports, airlines flying to Mexico, and other ports."

an easy way

Anonymous - 7-7-2004 at 09:58 AM

discover Baja travel club has them in SD along with ins.and other permits...bajagrouper

discover Baja etc.

Capt. George - 7-7-2004 at 10:11 AM

Must join the group at an annual fee to accedd their Visa service....it was worth it to me.....also cross early AM...

Good Luck...............george

tim40 - 7-9-2004 at 10:39 PM

Last exit before TJ crossing. Instant Mexican Auto Insurance in San Ysidro offers them at certain times of the operation. Call them at.....and no, we have no affiliation....

1-800-345-4701

David K - 7-10-2004 at 08:34 AM

This has been mentioned so many times, BUT:

The tourist card one gets north of the border must be validated at the border when you cross in!
Since jide is crossing at Tijuana and they are open 24/7 there is no advantage to getting one at Discover Baja or other places early. Only if you are crossing at another place where no bank is handy or when the bank is closed is getting the pre-paid tourist card an advantage.

Tijuana has a 24/7 bank teller next to the INM office at the border, just for paying the tourist tax.

The new deal is the tourist card is free if for 7 days or less. If you wasnt a longer duration one, for the money, request the maximum 180 days and state the furthest point south in Mexico you would ever go.

tim40 - 7-10-2004 at 09:51 PM

Wan't the question, but 'yep, you are correct'.

David K - 7-10-2004 at 10:18 PM

Yes Tim, I think the question was answered, then I added some additional info (I have a habit of doing that)... I do know jide (see http://vivabaja.com/404 ) and he did say he was crossing at 3 am. He may not have realized that he could obtain and pay for the cards at that time. I also don't think a lot of folks know that the pre paid cards they get north of the border are NOT valid unless you get them stamped upon crossing the border or at INM in Ensenada or San Felipe. Since you have to stop anyway, why not just do it all at one time? It takes 5-10 minutes.

tim40 - 7-11-2004 at 12:15 PM

You both are exactly correct, however some people like to get the card when they get their insurance cause they had to make that stop already. I always just do it all at the boarder, BUT some are more comfortable getting them where they can speak more comfortably in english on their first trips.... I am all about adding a little more detail...thanks for doing so. Tim

[Edited on 7-11-2004 by tim40]