BajaNomad

tecate hours

bajabrant - 9-19-2012 at 02:33 PM

can i get a fmm at 6am in tecate ? imm & bank open at that
hour?-thanks for the info

David K - 9-19-2012 at 02:53 PM

Good question... and no matter what answer you get here... when you get there could be different story!

I am going to Tecate in a couple of hours to see the governor, riding with Max... if I can find out something I will post it here.

The safe bet is to go to San Ysidro, walk across the border and the first office inside Mexico is INM where they can issue the FMM and you can pay THEM. I posted the details on my July 15 Day Trip report.

OR

Go to Discover Baja Travel Club in San Diego and buy a pre-paid one there. Just stop at the border to have it stamped (if they are open)!

bajaguy - 9-19-2012 at 03:20 PM

David

I would be interested also on the bank and Immigration hours at Tecate

vacaenbaja - 9-19-2012 at 04:16 PM

"Then" or NOW?

David K - 9-19-2012 at 09:59 PM

8am to 6pm to pay for fmm. 6am to 11pm for free fmm (7 day). Per customs officer today.

David K - 9-19-2012 at 11:46 PM

Hi guys, I am back home now, I posted that above about the hours from my phone while Max drove, as soon as I could get back on the Internet after a great evening in Tecate... see separate thread later.

SOUTHBOUND: Max was driving and as soon as we were inside Mexico, we pulled up to some officials standing by the secondary inspection, which is in front of the INM office. I rolled down my window and spoke to the man with the customs uniform on and asked him what hours is the office open to get a tourist card. He said from 6 am to 11 pm. I then asked about being able to pay here at the INM office, and he said yes, but only between 8 am and 6 pm. I then confirmed that and said "here, not at a bank?"... "Yes, here".

This is also the word I got at the Tijuana INM office last July: NO longer must you go to a bank and return to the INM office to validate the FMM (formerly FMT). However they are not open 24/7 for purchasing a tourist card, or in the case of Tecate, not all the hours the border is open.

My personal WARNING about this data: Even though this was said to me tonight at Tecate, by the customs officer, never be shocked if different rules are in force when YOU get to the border... it is Mexico... and a little adventure and mystery is part of the rush coming here! :wow:;D:D

Thanks, David

bajaguy - 9-20-2012 at 08:04 AM

Appreciate the info!!!

FMM

russchung - 9-24-2012 at 07:01 AM

It's been three years since my last visit to Baja, and when I crossed the border yesterday in Mexicali I discovered that a lot has changed with the procedure to get a "tourist card". First I discovered that the office at the Mexicali POE has moved to a different building; second, the FMT form is now an FMM form. I don't speak Spanish, and the agent didn't speak English, but I did find a brochure in English that helped me fill out the form. Third, I was surprised when the agent stamped the form and stamped my passport before I paid any fee. I asked about the fee and he said "no fee, no fee". At first, I thought that there was no longer any fee, but then I studied in the brochure and I understand that there is no fee if the stay is under 7 days, but if it is more than 7 days, you "shall pay the corresponding duties on DPA form (Duties, Proceeds and Users) and shall attach proof of payment from the bank to the "Departure Record" section of the FMM in order to submit it when you leave the country".

Since my stay in Baja will be for two weeks, I understand I will need to pay the fee at any bank and I will need to return the FMM when I leave the country. Is my understanding correct? I'm planning to drive the length of the peninsula and return to the U.S. through Tecate. Where do I return the form?

[Edited on 9-24-2012 by russchung]

David K - 9-24-2012 at 09:12 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by russchung
It's been three years since my last visit to Baja, and when I crossed the border yesterday in Mexicali I discovered that a lot has changed with the procedure to get a "tourist card". First I discovered that the office at the Mexicali POE has moved to a different building; second, the FMT form is now an FMM form. I don't speak Spanish, and the agent didn't speak English, but I did find a brochure in English that helped me fill out the form. Third, I was surprised when the agent stamped the form and stamped my passport before I paid any fee. I asked about the fee and he said "no fee, no fee". At first, I thought that there was no longer any fee, but then I studied in the brochure and I understand that there is no fee if the stay is under 7 days, but if it is more than 7 days, you "shall pay the corresponding duties on DPA form (Duties, Proceeds and Users) and shall attach proof of payment from the bank to the "Departure Record" section of the FMM in order to submit it when you leave the country".

Since my stay in Baja will be for two weeks, I understand I will need to pay the fee at any bank and I will need to return the FMM when I leave the country. Is my understanding correct? I'm planning to drive the length of the peninsula and return to the U.S. through Tecate. Where do I return the form?

[Edited on 9-24-2012 by russchung]



How many days was written on the FMM? You pick either 7 (free) or 180 (pay)... or anything over 7 is pay so why not make it for the max. number of days?

There is no easy mechanism to return the FMM when you are driving back north, so an address is provided where you mail it back in before it expires.

That the agent said "no fee" is a bit weird since it has been reported that getting the free 7 day card takes some arguing... as they are more motivated to get you to buy the 180 day one.

Also, (at least at Tijuana and Tecate) the INM office now can take your money... no more searching for an open bank and returning. However, the INM isn't open as long as the border, so pick your time to cross based on the hours their office is open for FMM card sales. Tijuana was 6 am to 10 pm and Tecate was 8 am to 6 pm (I recall).

A receipt is not attached as it was with an FMT... at least for us in Tijuana last July it wasn't...

Here is my FMM and you can see the place where 180 days is written in...








I enlarged and showed my FMM above, where you can see it says to surrender them when you leave Mexico. However, who at INM could guess that a 'tourist' would take more than one 'vacation' in a 6 month period?

When we were saying our goodbyes to the INM official, I told her we were beginning our trip in 6 days and had her point the way for us to walk back to the USA. Obviously, that constitutes a second trip into Mexico, at least. She didn't say there was anything wrong with that.

We will keep these FMMs until they are about to expire, then mail them in (if I don't forget to) to the address provided by Discover Baja Travel Club some time ago... or a newer address if one becomes known... Here is from that post (Dec. 2009):


Return Tourist permits before they expire to any Mexican Immigration office OR send by mail to:

Instituto Nacional de Migracion
Puente Puerta S/N
Colonia Federal
Tijuana, B.C. Mexico C.P. 22310

(postage is 79 cents from U.S.)

If you fail to have you tourist permit validated when you enter Mexico (using a pre-paid FM-T) or fail to return them before they expire you could be fined up to $220 dollars for each permit.

SFandH - 9-24-2012 at 09:16 AM

My Tecate hours, when in Mexico, are 4 to 7 PM or so, usually with Sabritas. ;D

[Edited on 9-24-2012 by SFandH]

CortezBlue - 9-24-2012 at 10:48 AM

Oh I thought you were talking about happy hour

russchung - 9-24-2012 at 11:15 AM

David,

Yes, it is strange. The agent wrote "180" in the space on the back of the departure form, stamped the form and stamped my passport, but didn't collect any fee. My departure card looks the same as yours, except that there is a rubber stamp in red ink over the bar code. I can't read the stamp very well; I'll see if I can find someone who might be able to read and translate the stamp.

Russ

BAJA.DESERT.RAT - 9-24-2012 at 11:52 AM

Hola,

BAJA.DESERT.RAT - 9-24-2012 at 11:57 AM

OOPS !

Hola,
took this off the bloodydecks website and this past august, i went to san quintin for four days. i did mail my one week fmm to this different address about four days after it expired and havn't received any notice of a fine.

hopefully, i won't be surprised when i go back to mexico and request another fmm ?

BIEN SALUD, DA RAT

Yet another FMM Return Address

I looked into this last year and got a reply from the Tourism people with a address in the US (Chula Vista, CA) where the FMM can be returned. That's a little better than international postage. Anyway, here is a portion of the e-mail that they sent 5/11.

2.- You can send your immigration form to our

State Secretariat of Tourism
P.O. Box #2448
Chula Vista Ca.
91912

, and we happily can deliver it to Immigration ( We call the Immigration office and they told us that you don't have to return it personally).

Thank you for visiting our great State of Baja California.

David K - 9-24-2012 at 12:38 PM

Thank you for the US address!

absinvestor - 10-7-2012 at 01:07 PM

I had plan to cross at Tecate on Monday but can arrive today before the 6pm close time. and it would be nice to get the paperwork today for an early morning Monday crossing. I am assuming that the office is open on Sunday? Can anybody confirm? Thanks Ron

absinvestor - 10-7-2012 at 07:50 PM

Unfortunately I answered my own question. Went to immigration around 230pm Sunday Oct 7th. Immigration open but bank closed. Person at immigration desk said bank part only open Mon-Fri. Hours are correct. Got the FMM and will pay at another bank on the way to El Burro. The gal told me and showed me a flyer that said if caught with the stamped FMM without paying (ie next bank day) the fine is $220 US!!

David K - 11-26-2013 at 12:32 PM

Bump