BajaNomad

San Ysidro Migracion Office

Rossman - 12-16-2013 at 08:23 AM

I'll be crossing at San Ysidro and driving to Guerrero Negro right after xmas and I still am confused on the location of the Migracion office where I can get my FMM. I know this has been covered about a billion times before on this board and I apologize for re-asking the question.

I understand that it is on the right just after the red light/green light station but is it before I make my first right towards Via de la Juventud Ote, which is about a half mile after entering Mexico? Has anyone ever posted a satellite view of this area with a big arrow pointing to the Migracion office building? I'm a visual kind of guy and that would be very helpful.

Thanks for your help.

Ross

David K - 12-16-2013 at 08:39 AM

It is right after you turn into the check area (red/green lights) at the new crossing. Building on the right, parking ahead. INM office.

bajaguy - 12-16-2013 at 08:42 AM

So get into the far right (not declare) lanes, go through the red/green lights and it is to your right???
Quote:
Originally posted by David K
It is right after you turn into the check area (red/green lights) at the new crossing. Building on the right, parking ahead. INM office.

dasubergeek - 12-16-2013 at 09:25 AM

You'll make a sharp right as you hit the bottom of the 5 and go maybe a quarter mile before there's an even sharper left and you're faced with the row of booths. Swing wide, it's on the right just past the initial booths.

bkbend - 12-16-2013 at 10:43 AM

There's parking before red/green light lanes and declare lanes way to the right (west) of the declare lanes behind a fence. IMN is a short walk south from there. When you leave the lot you can cross back over the declare lanes and merge into the red/green light lanes.

fandango - 12-16-2013 at 11:01 AM

Here is a link to a video of the el chapparel border crossing.

At the 60-110 second mark you will see the huge mexican flag. Go towards the flag. That is the parking area to declare items and also to enter the building for visas. Everything you need is in that building.

Once you take care of business you will exit that parking area and join the other cars to cross the border.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zKgKsfl1sn0

On edit:
Once you make the first sharp right turn, be in the right lanes. There is a large sign that you will drive under that directs you. This video was made before the sign was installed.


[Edited on 12-16-2013 by fandango]

Rossman - 12-16-2013 at 01:54 PM

Thanks a lot for your information folks. I was always under the impression that one went through the red light/green light station and then find the IMM office on the right but now I see that business is taken care of before the red/green station.

Thanks for the video. That helps a lot!

Rossman - 12-16-2013 at 01:57 PM

Or... According to bajaguy, one could do it after the red/green station too. Hmmmmm

David K - 12-16-2013 at 08:21 PM

Bajaguy was asking me or ?? about it being on the right... I am just repeating what everyone else has posted since all are in agreement about it being on your right. I have not been through that border crossing since they moved it... as I suspect Bajaguy hasn't either?

Now, Mexicali gets both sides mentioned, but the downtown crossing from Calexico, the INM is on the LEFT! Ken Cooke and TW have posted great photos and Google Earth images proving it.

Rossman - 12-16-2013 at 08:31 PM

Got it. I missed the ??? On bajaguy reply. Thanks for the clarification. I've been through calexico several times but this is my first trip through San Ysidro.

Thanks fo the help

liknbaja127 - 12-16-2013 at 08:35 PM

Go straight in do not make the left to, The boths, big opeing, great parking,
they have a bank there also. much easier than the old crossing.

CRS

bajaguy - 12-16-2013 at 09:48 PM

I'm an old guy and have CRS.

We will have visitors and I was trying to get info on the location of the office and parking. Never been to the San Ysidro INM office before, always have used Otay

Thanks to all for making it somewhat clear

colamex4 - 12-16-2013 at 10:44 PM

I have a friend who is taking the San Diego trolley to San Ysidro. He wants to get his tourist card at the border. Is the Immigration office for pedestrians at the same place as discussed above, for cars? If so, how does he get there from the trolley station?

Thanks.

dasubergeek - 12-16-2013 at 11:24 PM

No, the temporary pedestrian INM office is a table in the dank, unwindowed room you come into after you walk behind the old customs building. You can't miss it; you hit the button for the traffic light and the table is pretty much right there.

This will change when the U.S. opens the Virginia Avenue crossing to the currently-vehicular-only crossing at El Chaparral, sometime in 2015.

huesos - 12-17-2013 at 10:02 AM

Can you provide a definition of CRS? I think my brother has it.

bajaguy - 12-17-2013 at 12:22 PM

I forgot........
Quote:
Originally posted by huesos
Can you provide a definition of CRS? I think my brother has it.

Jonno_aus - 12-17-2013 at 07:34 PM

I'm making the crossing myself at San Ysidro in a couple of weeks. So just to confirm, it's on the right just BEFORE the actual border crossing?

Near the big mx flag?

fandango - 12-17-2013 at 07:50 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Jonno_aus
I'm making the crossing myself at San Ysidro in a couple of weeks. So just to confirm, it's on the right just BEFORE the actual border crossing?

Near the big mx flag?


That's correct. As you make the sharp right, get to the right lanes as everyone else will be making the next sharp left.

Jonno_aus - 12-18-2013 at 04:32 AM

Thank you very much.

Bob and Susan - 12-18-2013 at 06:18 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zKgKsfl1sn0

bruce's video is great...
watch it and you'll see this picture

visa.jpg - 42kB

colamex4 - 12-18-2013 at 11:44 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
No, the temporary pedestrian INM office is a table in the dank, unwindowed room you come into after you walk behind the old customs building. You can't miss it; you hit the button for the traffic light and the table is pretty much right there.


Thanks.
I've never crossed on foot before, nor has he. Will he be able to easily find it after getting off the trolley?

Bob and Susan - 12-19-2013 at 06:29 AM

the foot crossing is way the hell over...
a long walk
i'd get a cab to take me...you'll need one any way

dasubergeek - 12-19-2013 at 01:01 PM

Not anymore, Bob and Susan... they moved the southbound crossing to the east side of the freeway, near the trolley.

colamex4, when your friend gets off the trolley, he will turn left (south) toward the border. He'll walk past the McDonalds and then turn left just past that building. He'll walk around the back side of the building that's south of the McDonalds. The Old Customs House, which is the very last building in the United States, will be on his right as he goes up a ramp. A big bluff and a railroad track will be on his left. There's a big, extremely ugly and Soviet-looking (but brand-new) grey steel gate.

Once he walks through there is literally only one place to go—up a set of truly horrific looking stairs and into the room. There's no mistaking where to go, but anyone will ask, just ask for the INM office ("oficina de migración", oh-fee-SEE-nah day mee-grah-SYOHN"). It's a very, very small room with a full-sized traffic light in it.

If he misses the office and ends up outside (above the pedestrian entrance line back into the U.S.), all he has to do is turn around and go back in.

[Edited on 12-19-2013 by dasubergeek]

Bob and Susan - 12-19-2013 at 02:32 PM

so you are saying there are two visa offices now...

a walk in one and
a drive to one

that would make it easy for people that want to walk across and get the visa
then go back and drive across

David K - 12-19-2013 at 05:19 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by Bob and Susan
so you are saying there are two visa offices now...

a walk in one and
a drive to one

that would make it easy for people that want to walk across and get the visa
then go back and drive across


Yes Bob... like there are two types of dogs... ones that bite and ......



... ones that like the taste of Pacifico, but must lick it off your face!!!

dasubergeek - 12-19-2013 at 11:22 PM

Yes, except that unless you have a passport card or another Ready Lane-enabled card, you're going to cool your heels for at least an hour in the northbound regular pedestrian lanes.

They're planning to open the permanent pedestrian crossing at Virginia Avenue in 2015 (so they say), which will lead to the current vehicular INM office and provide a super easy walk to la Revolución. No idea if they'll keep the eastside pedestrian crossing open; if not, the pedicabs on the US side will get a lot of business.

colamex4 - 12-20-2013 at 05:23 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
Not anymore, Bob and Susan... they moved the southbound crossing to the east side of the freeway, near the trolley.

colamex4, when your friend gets off the trolley, he will turn left (south) toward the border. He'll walk past the McDonalds and then turn left just past that building. He'll walk around the back side of the building that's south of the McDonalds. The Old Customs House, which is the very last building in the United States, will be on his right as he goes up a ramp. A big bluff and a railroad track will be on his left. There's a big, extremely ugly and Soviet-looking (but brand-new) grey steel gate.

Once he walks through there is literally only one place to go—up a set of truly horrific looking stairs and into the room. There's no mistaking where to go, but anyone will ask, just ask for the INM office ("oficina de migración", oh-fee-SEE-nah day mee-grah-SYOHN"). It's a very, very small room with a full-sized traffic light in it.

If he misses the office and ends up outside (above the pedestrian entrance line back into the U.S.), all he has to do is turn around and go back in.

[Edited on 12-19-2013 by dasubergeek]


Thanks, that is very helpful!