BajaNomad - Recent experience passport/fmm

Recent experience passport/fmm

absinvestor - 2-28-2013 at 01:52 PM

There has been much discusssion on this board about the necessity of a passport and tourist card when traveling Baja. Two days ago we had an interesting experience. At a military checkpoint( going North on Mx 1) north of San Ignacio there was one car immediately ahead of us. The soldiers asked us to get out of our car for a typical inspection. The driver from the car ahead of us was being led away from his car by a couple of soldiers. As I got out of the car the female passenger in the car ahead of us was obviously upset. She yelled at "I hope you have a passport and a tourist visa." She said "my boyfriend said we didn't need either and now we're in trouble." The soldier inspecting our vehicle did ask us for our passports. (This is the first time in dozens of trips that we have been asked for passports.) Our FMM's were in the passports and I really didn't look to notice if they looked at the FMM's or only the passports. After a short inspection we were told to have a safe trip. As we drove away the female passenger in the car ahead was still behind her car and the male driver was on the side of the road talking to the soldiers. I didn't notice the plates on the car ahead but the gal that yelled we needed a passport etc was definitely not a Mexican- either US or Canadian. I have no idea if this was an isolated experience but this is the first time we have been asked by a soldier for our passports.

Ateo - 2-28-2013 at 02:29 PM

Hmmmmm. Maybe I'll get a tourist card on my way down after reading this.

DENNIS - 2-28-2013 at 02:41 PM

It seems the country, from top to bottom, is taking a harder stance toward foreigners, even to the point of giving up their cordiality and replacing it with displays of power.
Matter of fact is....they're only following orders.

mtgoat666 - 2-28-2013 at 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by DENNIS
It seems the country, from top to bottom, is taking a harder stance toward foreigners, even to the point of giving up their cordiality and replacing it with displays of power.
Matter of fact is....they're only following orders.

the law is the law, says you should have a passport and visa, so you should have a passport and visa :light:

don't worry, be happy

sancho - 2-28-2013 at 03:12 PM

A few here have for yrs., voiced the opinion that
no Military, Mex Cop, Ins Adjuster can ask one for
Immigration papers, only Mex Immigration officials can,
out of their jurisdiction of the former.They are probably
correct technically, but I would like
to see these people argue the point to a Mex soldier
at a checkpoint, not gonna happen. I also hang
on to the idea, although both the San Diego Mex Ins
brokers state their Mex Ins Co's will not use this
as a reason, that for a Mex Ins policy to be valid,
one has to be in the Country legally, like with
the permissiom of Mex Immigration. I have read
on a policy stating as much, again not that a Mex
Ins Co would use that as an excuse to deny a claim
but I would not give them that opening

Never Argue With the Guys With Guns

Gypsy Jan - 2-28-2013 at 03:21 PM

They might shoot you just to shut you up.

DENNIS - 2-28-2013 at 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by mtgoat666
the law is the law, says you should have a passport and visa, so you should have a passport and visa :light:

don't worry, be happy

Ohh...I do agree. I was just mentioning what I see as a national personality shift. Mexico Homeland Security in action....so to speak.
When they start being as offensive as our airports, I'll have had enough.

mulegemichael - 2-28-2013 at 03:33 PM

we just experienced these san ignacio military guys the last coupla days headed both directions...yes indeed, i was asked for my passport i think, for the first time in almost 30 years...i simply told him it was at my casa and "here's my drivers license"...he did not give a s**t...just glanced at it and waved us on our way....there's a lot of drama queens/kings out there folks...just "kiss" it and drive on...life is so much simpler that way.

chuckie - 2-28-2013 at 03:45 PM

I was asked for my passport, I had it but it was in my bag, so I showed him my FM3. He took down some data, and sent me on my way...

DENNIS - 2-28-2013 at 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chuckie
I was asked for my passport, I had it but it was in my bag, so I showed him my FM3. He took down some data, and sent me on my way...

It shouldn't be any more complicated than that.

David K - 2-28-2013 at 04:26 PM

Then can ask all they want... but as in the above replies, not having one or either is of any concern or grounds for shooting you... lol.

Should you have both?: Sure you should.
If you have neither, will the military arrest you? That would be a first!

The drama queen at the San Ignacio checkpoint didn't help her or her man-friend by screaming that out... I bet it made the soldiers day as an excuse to 'play' with them for awhile... It has got to be boring out there 24/7, after all!

Ateo - 2-28-2013 at 05:36 PM

Will be at border in 1 hour getting my tourist card!

David K - 2-28-2013 at 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ateo
Will be at border in 1 hour getting my tourist card!

It worked! Have fun Ateo... and there are some good tacos after you leave the INM building... at least tere was a place after walking out near the bridge over the northbound lanes at the original entrance (pedestrian)...

tripledigitken - 2-28-2013 at 05:42 PM

Are children req to have tourist visas also?

DENNIS - 2-28-2013 at 05:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tripledigitken
Are children req to have tourist visas also?

Well....David says he never gets one. :lol:

Awww Jeeeezo....I just couldn't resist that. :lol:

Jes Kiddin, DK.

David K - 2-28-2013 at 05:53 PM

Where did I EVER say that... In fact, I posted complete details on getting them last July, for our last big trip.

Children have been added to parents tourist cars by kind officers, as taxing the kids along with the parents has really wrecked family vacation budgets... makes Baja not as popular as it once was.

On my July, 2012 trip report top of report:

A week before our trip began, we did a run to Tijuana to get our tourist cards (also called an ‘FMM’, it is like a visa needed for trips beyond the border towns or stays over 3 days). The fee for an FMM (valid for 180 days) was 290 pesos or US$24, each The INM office at the Tijuana border is open 7 days a week from 6 am to 10 pm. The INM official can now receive the payment, so no need to have an open bank nearby, as in the past. We also purchased pesos at the Chula Vista Costco money exchange (Palomar exit, I-5 to Broadway, north) for some of our trip purchases (mostly gasoline) and the exchange rate was 12.905 pesos per dollar. Except for the border region gas stations, the cost of gasoline was $2.95/ gallon (10.05 pesos/ liter).
If I post a price in pesos, the equivalent dollar value will be shown.

[Edited on 3-1-2013 by David K]

DENNIS - 2-28-2013 at 05:56 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
Where did I EVER say that...

Not that it matters, but you used to say it all the time.
"Shell Beach without a visa" was your road motto. [actually, I made that up]
How soon you forget.

David K - 2-28-2013 at 05:58 PM

:lol:

Dennis, you do crack me up sometimes! Have a good day! :yes:

Posted 7-8-2012:

Well amigos, today we began preparing for our big Baja vacation, beginning in a few days!

1) Got Pesos at Costco, Chula Vista at 1:45 pm Sunday (exit I-5 at Palomar, go east to Broadway, go north to entrance just past Costco gasoline station (just one signal north on Broadway). No commission money exchange for members located inside store. Today the rate was 12.905 to the dollar. That teller window closed for 30 min. at 2 pm.

2) Drive to last U.S. exit in San Ysidro, and go left over bridge to $6 parking at motel, next to Jack in the Box, just north of border, northbound.

3) Walk over bridge to southbound pedestrian entrance for Mexico. Just inside Mexico is an INM building, not yet open... continue just ahead to elevated offices on the left, up a couple stair steps. The first office is the INM office, open door walk in.

4) With happy smiles and practicing Spanish, greet the nice (lady) official. Presented our passports, told her we were going as far south as Cabo San Lucas and going by automobile. Also asked if she would make the FMM valid for 180 days (just in case we are really enjoying ourselves). She filled out the FMMs and stamped them.

5) Was pleasantly surprised when she informed us that INM now can accept the fee/tax... No more searching for an open bank. The fee/tax was 290 pesos or $24 US (either currency was acceptable). That exchange rate is 12.08 pesos per dollar. We used our recently purchased pesos.

6) The whole experience was nice, quick and friendly. She even asked me the correct way to say 'Have a good trip' after we exchanged some weather terminology.

THE NEW INM HOURS (Tijuana/San Ysidro): OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK 6 am to 10 pm.

We walked on and the first taco stand we came to had us enjoying a wonderful taste treat and Mexican Coca Cola!

From the taco cafe we walked over the bridge to the northbound pedestrian walk, and there was some kind of LONG line... However, it moved fairly fast and we were back in the USA and to our nearby parked car in a reasonable while.

The Costco stop, walk into Mexico, FMM tourist cards (which are much smaller than the FM-Ts they replaced, just a 1/4" taller than a passport and the same width), some tacos for lunch, border wait walking north... all took 2 hours.

Here is what the FMM looks like, front and back:

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Until today, I wasn't positive that we could do this trip... Now we are sure, and only need to pack the Tacoma and head south. My wonderful wife really deserves a nice time off from work, so I am going to do my best to show here a good time and relax the way only a Baja vacation can. We look forward to seeing some of our Nomad friends on our trip and we will share it with you when we return.

Hook - 2-28-2013 at 06:01 PM

The last time I drove south in Baja, as far as the Mulege area, I was asked to produce a passport AT THE CHECKPOINT NEAR SAN IGNACIO.

This was in about 2005, folks. They recorded our passport numbers and our license plate numbers. There were pretty substantial lines at it, in BOTH directions.

That checkpoint has always been the most anal one on the peninsula, in my experience.

[Edited on 3-1-2013 by Hook]

mulegemichael - 2-28-2013 at 06:02 PM

uhhhhh, the "forget" word has now taken on new dimensions....lemme tell ya; i forget......and now it's became a game...ok, ...no googling...."gimme the guy's name that married his 13 yr. old niece and played the best honkytonk you've ever heard????...in yer life??!!.....liberace??...nahhhh....uhhhh...

Hook - 2-28-2013 at 06:06 PM

Jerry Lee Lewis, right?

David K - 2-28-2013 at 06:07 PM

Is this a game.. Jerry G. Lewis? What about Jerry Sienfeld... what is it about Jerry's and under age girls?
What does this have to do with FMMs?
:?:

David K - 2-28-2013 at 06:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Hook
Jerry Lee Lewis, right?

Oh, I think you got it! :light:

tripledigitken - 2-28-2013 at 06:09 PM

That would be Jerry Lee Lewis.

Bob and Susan - 2-28-2013 at 06:09 PM

a couple months back I asked the military boys why they are logging travelers...
answer...orders

they ONLY want your ID ...then they write down the car license...
year and model

they don't really need your passport or visa

this is NOT a IMM stop

BajaBlanca - 2-28-2013 at 06:16 PM

what she said

they ask for a passport because it is the easiest to say in English as the word is essentially the same in Spanish.

at the SI checkpoint, they recently started asking for a passport and we just give them our DL. They need a name. where you are coming FROM and where you are going TO. passsport means I need your ID ...

David K - 2-28-2013 at 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca
what she said

they ask for a passport because it is the easiest to say in English as the word is essentially the same in Spanish.

at the SI checkpoint, they recently started asking for a passport and we just give them our DL. They need a name. where you are coming FROM and where you are going TO. passsport means I need your ID ...

Right on!

vacaenbaja - 2-28-2013 at 06:26 PM

I have been asked for many things at check points, batteries,cd player, knife sharpener, soccer ball, car registration(San Ignacio on Mex 1 by San Ig police not FDC)
BUT NEVER FOR MY PASSPORT. I always have it handy because they want it on the U.S. side. Times are changing.

bajagrouper - 2-28-2013 at 07:13 PM

Thanks david for posting a picture of an FMM, we have discussed on previous threads that keeping one so folks could enter and re enter Mexico up to 180 days...As you can see on the front top it explains you can not do what you suggested..........

[Edited on 3-1-2013 by bajagrouper]

absinvestor - 2-28-2013 at 09:10 PM

I have always had a valid passport and got the fmm (or had one that had not expired) before entering Mexico. The law says we should have one. For me it is easier to supply it if asked for than seeing if I can get by with less. I guess it might be just me but I go to Mexico to enjoy life. For me, if i have it, it is just easier to give them what they ask for.

mulegejim - 3-1-2013 at 06:21 AM

Quote:

Heading north last Monday from Mulege I was asked for my passport at the San Ignacio checkpoint and I just indicated I would write my name on the form myself. I was handed the clipboard and filled in my name in the space indicated. Was asked the year of my truck - "dos mil y cinco". They ask for your passport because it is easy for them to copy your name from for the form they are filling out. In the past I have given them my passport, my DL or my FM-3. Don't read too much into it. Jim

[Edited on 3-1-2013 by mulegejim]

mulegejim - 3-1-2013 at 06:32 AM

Another point - they could ask for your name but most of us don't know how the letters of the alphabet are pronounced in Spanish so it's just easier to get something with your name on it to copy from. Jim

dzrtracer - 3-1-2013 at 04:58 PM

Passed through the same check point about week and half ago heading back from San Ignacio and after I gave them my FM3 the soldier checking was only interested in my 21 year old daughter and if she wanted a Mexican boy friend along with her American boy friend, we all had fun with that nice guy he wanted to stay in contact on facebook. It does get boring and lonely out there. :lol: