BajaNomad

Another Passport Question!

mrfatboy - 5-11-2010 at 07:26 PM

Hey guys,

We were planning to travel to San Felipe in the next couple of weeks with another couple. They have 2 kids (age 8 & 4). They just told me that there passports have expired :no:

From what I understand, everybody needs passports now. However, is this strictly enforced? The kids have birth certificates. The parents just have expired passports. Can they bluff their way back into the country? Any penalties? How big a deal is it?

Any other options? I don't think they want to pay a passport expedite fee.

We could pass back thru the Mexicali or Tecate border if that would make any difference.

thanks for any info.

BAJA.DESERT.RAT - 5-11-2010 at 07:32 PM

Hola, what is it about being legal that you do not understand ? it's been posted forever here and elsewhere but if they want to take the chance , let them with the understanding they may be rejected and not allowed in, or worse still, if they allow you in and won't let you out !

oh, tell your friends to take enough money to cover any extended stay !

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

willardguy - 5-12-2010 at 09:40 AM

I just received my new passport. get this, I mailed my old one and new photo's in on may 3rd and got the new one back day before yesterday! eight days turn around and that was'nt expedite service. :bounce:

durrelllrobert - 5-12-2010 at 09:43 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by willardguy
I just received my new passport. get this, I mailed my old one and new photo's in on may 3rd and got the new one back day before yesterday! eight days turn around and that was'nt expedite service. :bounce:

US Consulate in TJ gave me a 1 day turn around (for replacement of a lost passport):coolup:

BAJA.DESERT.RAT - 5-12-2010 at 09:50 AM

Hola, WOW ! what turnaround time ! could it be that there are less people traveling worldwide or would it be that when the passport requirement was enacted that they finally caught up with the initial deluge of respondents ?

i am also thinking about getting the new passport card so i won't have a bit bulkier book to carry around. my concern would be having to renew two items on two different occasions unless they are expiration / renewal related.

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

gnukid - 5-12-2010 at 09:51 AM

No passport needed with birth certificate or some form of id and both parents at the moment. Very few people have passports and they let them all pass. No one is turned back.

sancho - 5-12-2010 at 09:56 AM

Technically, US Citizens need a passport to
be in Baja, as of last Mar1, over the 72 hr.
rule. This according to printed Mex IMM
info. Enforced, of course not. If it were
me, and I was spending more than 3 days
in SF, I would get the New FMM tourist card,
at least for the driver, $22. Gringos living
in TJ, routinely cross back to the US with
Birth Cert/DL License or with just a DL, there is a rumor that
sometime in June, US Customs will impose
a fine for no passports, that remains to
be seen. I would not worry in the least
about children/minors crossing back with
only Birth certs

Bajamatic - 5-12-2010 at 09:57 AM

you choose:

pay expedition fee

or

bluff your way in and pay a $500 fine.

mrfatboy - 5-12-2010 at 10:22 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by gnukid
No passport needed with birth certificate or some form of id and both parents at the moment. Very few people have passports and they let them all pass. No one is turned back.



Are you just talking about the kids or both Kids and Adults?

meme - 5-12-2010 at 11:26 AM

Someone else stated just a few days ago that there is NO $500 fine?

gnukid - 5-12-2010 at 12:29 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mrfatboy
Quote:
Originally posted by gnukid
No passport needed with birth certificate or some form of id and both parents at the moment. Very few people have passports and they let them all pass. No one is turned back.



Are you just talking about the kids or both Kids and Adults?


I think you are being silly, you know that the US says you need a passport. You are asking if you need one? Very few people do, and they pass daily. Obviously the CBP can not hold back people nor do they want to. Its just a complete joke, unless you are a rich looking gringo or Canadian then they will bug you and put you in secondary and hassle you with body scans looking to see if you have a kiwi in your pocket.

Do you whatever you want and then report back here and tell us what happened.

[Edited on 5-12-2010 by gnukid]

mtgoat666 - 5-12-2010 at 12:56 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by sancho
there is a rumor that
sometime in June, US Customs will impose
a fine for no passports, that remains to
be seen.


every entry into US is logged. easy for inspectors to identify repeat offenders of the rules.

they should have a lock up at border, with $500 fee to get out. if you don't have cash of CC, they can add fee to your IRS tax obligation :lol::lol:

DENNIS - 5-12-2010 at 01:09 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by sancho
there is a rumor that
sometime in June, US Customs will impose
a fine for no passports, that remains to
be seen.


Yeah....I'll believe it when I see it.
If it does become fact, I'll be the first to believe this is what they wanted to do all along, charge admission.
What a bunch of crap.

Cypress - 5-12-2010 at 01:41 PM

willardguy, Good.

Woooosh - 5-12-2010 at 01:53 PM

A US Citizen cannot be denied his return entry into his own country. Period. You will jump through hoops and may be delayed at secondary to prove it, but you will be let in. Is it the right way to do things and travel abroad, no- it isn't. Is it a good example for the kids? Will it ruin your vacation while you are dreading the return entry?...probably. Apply for the renewals on-line- then print and bring your receipt. A receipt for a passport renewal complies with the law and you'll be doing it the right way. You may even get your passports back in time- based on the zippy passport service other nomads are getting. JMHO though.

I had not heard about the $500 fine, but if people repeatedly re-enter the USA without passports just to save from having to pay for a passport- they deserve it. Your visits are tracked.

BajaWarrior - 5-12-2010 at 03:55 PM

A border agent at the Mexicali East crossing told me that they would honor an expired passport. This was 6 months ago.

BW

Bajahowodd - 5-12-2010 at 04:00 PM

I agree with Woooosh. Not sure why, perhaps hubris, but Americans have the lowest percentage of passport holders in the industrialized world. My feeling is that if you are going to travel abroad, comply with the rules. Just think this identifies a sub-culture who could and would never travel beyond Mexico and Canada. Because, if they wanted to, they would absolutely have to obtain a passport.

[Edited on 5-12-2010 by Bajahowodd]

irenemm - 5-13-2010 at 12:07 AM

My daughters passport was expired and than never said a word about it.
she then renewed it and it took only 2 weeks.
I think to get a tourist visa you have to have a passport and if it is expired the Mexicans won't except it. so they could turn you back from Mexico.
your vacation

durrelllrobert - 5-13-2010 at 08:24 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by sancho
there is a rumor that
sometime in June, US Customs will impose
a fine for no passports, that remains to
be seen.


Yeah....I'll believe it when I see it.
If it does become fact, I'll be the first to believe this is what they wanted to do all along, charge admission.
What a bunch of crap.


If you can't pay the fine they will deport you to the US:lol::lol:

docsmom - 5-13-2010 at 06:08 PM

I just applied for a first time passport and recieved it in just under 3 weeks, no expedited service. BUT, the important part is that when we applied we were told that for crossing back in @ Nogales, if we didn't receive the passport yet just print the acknowledgement from the passport tracking website and we'd have no problem at the border. That info from the passport application clerk at the post office. I'm sure it's the same crossing into CA as it is into AZ. That info is for the adults, not sure what docs the kids need.

mrfatboy - 6-8-2010 at 04:51 PM

I just wanted to update everybody on the passport situation. We went down to San Felipe for 3 day weekend (june 3-6). Had a great time.

Anyway, the family traveling with us had the follow creditials for crossing the border back into the US.

They are caucasian.

Father - Legal passport
Mother - Expired passport with maiden name
4yr & 8yr old kids only had photocopies of their birth certificates.

They were able to cross the mexicali border back into the US without any problems. :biggrin:


They actually went down to the San Ysidro border and talked to an official a week before to see if what they had would be acceptable. The official said it would be no problem at all.

I'm glad it worked but I'm confused by what the law states and what is actually enforced. :?:

baja829 - 6-8-2010 at 05:00 PM

We have had apartment guests leave here to return to the U.S. without their passport - even though they were forewarned. Calexico East Gate.

They had to go in to secondary -- no fine, just produce a certified copy of their birth certificate and photo I.D. which they had - and were told to get their Passports for the next trip. No hassle, etc., just time consuming.

It's just easier with the Passport or Passport Card.