BajaNomad

Tourist Visas

motoged - 11-23-2013 at 02:39 PM

Nomads,
I have always obtained my tourist visa at the customs office in Tecate when I cross. Someone told me that I could obtain one prior to that and maybe could through Bajabound insurance brokers.

True?

If so, do I still need a passport stamp upon entering if I pay for the visa outside (before or after) Tecate???

Gracias

sancho - 11-23-2013 at 02:58 PM

The prepaid fmm never made sense to me, you have
member of one of Baja Travle Clubs to get one, $40?,
you then pay approx $38 dlls for a $24 dll fmm
to what purpose? You still have to stop at Mex Immigration
to get the fmm validated and time stamped, and sometimes
a Passport stamp, time saved?

David K - 11-23-2013 at 04:44 PM

Yes Ged. It needs to get validated/ activated at the border INM office.

Jack Swords - 11-23-2013 at 05:31 PM

Fact check: Vagabundos membership: $35 a year. Prepaid FMMs $26 plus $6 handling is $32. All forms are typed up by the club. Passing through Tijuana at 5:30 AM means a very short stop at immigration, no forms to be filled out, just sign. FMM stamped, no need to go to the bank. On your way in less than 10 minutes, no concern if bank is open or not. Worth it to me as my next stop is Guerrero Negro. The Vagabundos also carry our annual automobile insurance and our annual boat (in the water) insurance so the membership fee is a given.

DaGreen - 11-23-2013 at 05:38 PM

Excellent information. A question on the offices in Tecate, what's the protocol here?? Do you park before you cross?? Where are the offices located??

Safe Travels.

Bajahowodd - 11-23-2013 at 05:59 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Jack Swords
Fact check: Vagabundos membership: $35 a year. Prepaid FMMs $26 plus $6 handling is $32. All forms are typed up by the club. Passing through Tijuana at 5:30 AM means a very short stop at immigration, no forms to be filled out, just sign. FMM stamped, no need to go to the bank. On your way in less than 10 minutes, no concern if bank is open or not. Worth it to me as my next stop is Guerrero Negro. The Vagabundos also carry our annual automobile insurance and our annual boat (in the water) insurance so the membership fee is a given.


Except that the last time we went through San Ysidro at 10am, we stopped and got our whole business done in 15 minutes. So, I really do not see the benefit in paying an additional fee.

dasubergeek - 11-24-2013 at 08:56 AM

If it makes you feel more comfortable, pay the convenience fee. I wouldn't�it only ever takes me 10-15 minutes at the SY border.

To get your FMM at Tecate, just drive through, then park (there's spots on both sides) in the first block. INM is on the right as you drive south through the gate, bank is across the street. The bank isn't always open but if it isn't the INM people will tell you where you can pay, and it doesn't have to be in Tecate.

Everything's about fifty feet from each other and it's no big deal unless you're pulling a trailer because it's angle parking.

Tecate INM

bajaguy - 11-24-2013 at 09:17 AM

From another post

"Drive over (the border), after customs take the first right, then the first right, then the first right..you will be in the alley at the Aduanas office.There are some red cones...the nice man will move them for you. Park, go in and do your thing. When you come out, shake the nice mans hand, slip him 50 pesoss, and go on your way..."

The bank is on the same side of the street as the INM office.

Takes about 15 minutes...........

Jack Swords - 11-24-2013 at 10:17 AM

Certainly to each his own with regard to Mexican insurance, health certificates for dogs, prepaid FMMs, etc. Having experienced an accident, request for dog's health certificate, and over an hour wait for the "bank" to be operational, I have come to try to reduce inevitable hassles on our many trips down the peninsula. With over 200 trips down to our home in Todos Santos, then a sailboat in La Paz we do what works for us. We always cross at 5:30 AM, and the bank, especially, has been a question whether it is open or not. Several times there is no one there, then there were the times we had to bang on the window because the person is asleep in a sleeping bag on the floor. At the old crossing usually we had to walk back to the turnstile office to get tourist cards since the immigration office was not manned. But the bank guys seemingly don't like to get up early (partying?) Too many times we have experienced problems with the bank (in fact, last year there were questions if the bank was even open so early at the new crossing-it was) that the $6 fee to be prepaid and NOT need the bank was well worth it. Like all things Baja, we all have different experiences, various scenarios, and different paths.

windgrrl - 11-24-2013 at 11:39 AM

Pre-paid through Discover Baja via e-mail. Extremely fast mail delivery to Canada. Works to save paperwork and payment time for us last 4 trips through Tecate. You have to specify which border you will cross at in advance. Yup, gotta flash the passport and get stamped. You also provide the original bank payment receipt that you get in your package from DB.

Yes it costs more. Why would we do this? So we can spend less time in bureaucracy and more time in Jardine's. :smug:

[Edited on 11-24-2013 by windgrrl]

Bajahowodd - 11-24-2013 at 05:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by windgrrl
Pre-paid through Discover Baja via e-mail. Extremely fast mail delivery to Canada. Works to save paperwork and payment time for us last 4 trips through Tecate. You have to specify which border you will cross at in advance. Yup, gotta flash the passport and get stamped. You also provide the original bank payment receipt that you get in your package from DB.

Yes it costs more. Why would we do this? So we can spend less time in bureaucracy and more time in Jardine's. :smug:

[Edited on 11-24-2013 by windgrrl]


I'll buy the Jardines part of it. I would love to hear from other Nomads about their recent experience at the SY border. Because last time went went through there, no bank was involved. The IMM officer gladly took our money, gave change in US dollars, and we were on our way.

I'm thinking that the idea of having to go to the bank was because the government in DF did not trust their own employees with money.

[Edited on 11-25-2013 by Bajahowodd]

[Edited on 11-25-2013 by Bajahowodd]

dasubergeek - 11-26-2013 at 12:38 PM

Really? I've always had to go down to the Banj�rcito office at SY. It's right next door so no big deal, but still had to go pay elsewhere. Then again, I often get my FMMs at the airport because there's only one stop.