BajaNomad

Will it cost Mexicans $10 to visit the USA?

Woooosh - 2-26-2010 at 12:00 PM

Not yet- but here's the list...

Q: What Countries Are in the VWP?

A: Andorra, Austria, Australia, Belgium, Brunei, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom*.
In addition to these 27 countries, 8 countries recently deemed eligible for VWP were added bringing the total number of VWP countries to 34: Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Slovak Republic and South Korea. After May 15, 2003, citizens of Belgium must present a machine-readable passport in order to be granted admission under the VWP. This requirement also applies to citizens of Andorra, Brunei, Liechtenstein and Slovenia.


http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/02/26/travel.promotion.act/in...

[Edited on 2-26-2010 by Woooosh]

[Edited on 2-26-2010 by BajaNomad]

DENNIS - 2-26-2010 at 12:18 PM

So what? It costs me about five hundred dollars every time I visit the US. :O

wessongroup - 2-26-2010 at 12:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
So what? It costs me about five hundred dollars every time I visit the US. :O


Your married too...:lol:

DENNIS - 2-26-2010 at 12:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by wessongroup
Your married too...:lol:


Nah. Can't afford that.

Barry A. - 2-26-2010 at 12:44 PM

What's the "VWP" ?

Bajahowodd - 2-26-2010 at 01:09 PM

Visa waiver program.

Bob and Susan - 2-26-2010 at 01:10 PM

only "civilized" countries are included like "San Marino":lol:

Riom - 2-26-2010 at 01:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Barry A.
What's the "VWP" ?


It's really got nothing to do with Mexico or Baja.

The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) has been in existance for decades. It allows visitors to the US from certain "low risk" countries to not have to get a visa to fly to the US for tourism or business. It allows them 3 months entry per visit, with no extensions and they have to return to a non-North American country between visits.

Within the last year it's been made less useful by visitors having to pre-register online before flying to the US, even citizens of visa waiver countries, harder to take a spontaneous trip to the US.

There has always been a $6 fee for entry built into ticket prices to the US (much like the FMT fee is built into Mexican tickets). Now the proposal is to add another $10 to that, to "increase tourism". Mexico doesn't have a monopoly on short-sighted fees and paperwork that discourages tourism!

This fee has also to be paid to enter the US by land. A non-North American crossing at the land border has to get a I94 entry card, which can sometimes take hours, and costs $6 (soon to be $16?) (at best, it can be used for multiple crossings within 6 months, sometimes much less). This is even if they already have a visa, which probably cost $100+ to apply for.

So, just to reiterate, it's got nothing to do with Mexicans. Mexico would never be allowed to part of the visa waiver program - it's only for countries that have a historically low rate of overstaying in the US.

Bob and Susan - 2-26-2010 at 01:20 PM

san marino is 20 sq miles with 30,000 residents

what are the odds....:yes:

Woooosh - 2-26-2010 at 01:47 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
san marino is 20 sq miles with 30,000 residents

what are the odds....:yes:


I guess the important part is they go back to their homes on their own and on time after their USA stay- both of them. ;D

irenemm - 2-26-2010 at 03:00 PM

But Mexican only have to get it if they are going more than 25 miles north of the border or are going to stay more than 72 hours.
it is a big pain the A** because now you have to wlak across get it and then recross with your car if your have one. before you got put into secordany and then got the visa.
both countries charge to much for poeple to come and visit and spend money.

David K - 2-26-2010 at 05:07 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
san marino is 20 sq miles with 30,000 residents

what are the odds....:yes:


We even have a Nomad from The Republic of San Marino... pal57... did some real nice trip reports and photos here.

Here is one: http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=38551

His San Marino Guide & forums: http://sanmarinoguide.altervista.org/

[Edited on 2-27-2010 by David K]

Riom - 2-26-2010 at 05:11 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by irenemm
it is a big pain the A** because now you have to walk across get it and then recross with your car if your have one. before you got put into secondary and then got the visa.


Where/when was that? (I assume you mean getting the I-94 entry permit to enter the US?). Last year (Calexico East) it was a case of being sent to secondary and then getting the permit there, if the office was open (sometimes closed due to staff shortages, no way to find that out until you get to the front of the queue!).

Bajahowodd - 2-26-2010 at 05:18 PM

Anyone consider that for Mexicans, if they pay the fee, and are denied, it is non-refundable?

Riom - 2-26-2010 at 05:30 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Anyone consider that for Mexicans, if they pay the fee, and are denied, it is non-refundable?


I don't think so. There are two fees: an application fee to get a visa (can be VERY expensive). That one IS non-refundable if unsuccessful.

The other fee is when entering, to get the I-94 entry permit (as mentioned above, it's not needed for Mexicans with a valid visa for short trips close to the border - very much like the FMT exemption). The currently $6 fee for the entry permit is only collected when it is issued (in other words, the last step in getting one is to pay for it).

DENNIS - 2-26-2010 at 06:26 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Anyone consider that for Mexicans, if they pay the fee, and are denied, it is non-refundable?


Who in this world could even begin to care?
Ya know..so effing what.

CaboRon - 2-26-2010 at 08:22 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by Bajahowodd
Anyone consider that for Mexicans, if they pay the fee, and are denied, it is non-refundable?


Who in this world could even begin to care?
Ya know..so effing what.


:lol: You Got That Right !

Udo - 2-26-2010 at 08:30 PM

DENNIS...It costs me that every time I come to Baja for a weekend!
Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
So what? It costs me about five hundred dollars every time I visit the US. :O

irenemm - 2-26-2010 at 11:14 PM

at san ysidro you have to walk over and then do it. before you could go to secondary and go to the office and pay your fee but not now.
my son-in-law was turned back into mexico and told he had to walk across and do his I-94.

Bob H - 2-26-2010 at 11:59 PM

Here's more info with viewer comments.... Bob H

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/02/26/travel.promotion.act/in...

woody with a view - 2-27-2010 at 12:20 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob H
Here's more info with viewer comments.... Bob H

http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/02/26/travel.promotion.act/in...


selected word-for-word edit:

The rest of the funding will come through a matching program of up to $100 million in private sector contributions. If the corporation is able to raise the projected $200 million annually, the organization would be the largest national tourism communications program in the world, Dow said.

:?:

yeah, i'm kinda slow this late on a Friday night????:?:

DENNIS - 2-27-2010 at 08:21 AM

This thing, whatever it is, is only paid once every two years. It's not like paying admission each time they enter.