BajaNomad

Officially, you DO need an FMM for San Felipe

dasubergeek - 2-25-2014 at 07:31 PM

Remember all the discussion about FMM checks at the Hwy 3/5 junction?

I asked INM if you need an FMM for a short stay (less than 3 days, which is the limit for Ensenada, et al.). They said yes, yes you do. Here is the exchange.
Quote:
Vie, 21 Feb 2014 11:17 a.m.
Estimados señores:

Buenos días, me urge saber si es necesario conseguir una FMM al cruzar la frontera norte para una estancia de menos de 72 horas en la ciudad de San Felipe, B.C. Ingresaremos en y saldremos del territorio mexicano en la garita oeste de Mexicali, B.C.

Les agradezco mucho sus esfuerzos para responderme.

Atentamente

Mar, 25 Feb 2014 2:00 p.m. - Respuesta INM
Si, si es necesario.


[Edited on 2-26-2014 by dasubergeek]

Mateo-Feo - 2-25-2014 at 09:41 PM

Yes. Getting through without is quite easy though

dasubergeek - 2-26-2014 at 05:14 AM

Of course. There was just talk of INM inspections at the retén at the junction, that's all.

sancho - 2-26-2014 at 11:46 AM

The word OFFICALLY when used in Mex can have
a few interpretations, just depends on which Mex
Immigration Officer/Office you are talking to at that time.
The San Felipe site has for a couple months reported
Tourists at the East Mexicali crossing being told to
get fmm's for SF. Read recently a post about fmm's being
required for day shoppers at Algodones. So dasubergeek
the info you recieved was ANY trip to Ensenada, of ANY length,requires
an fmm? I assume the free 7 day fmm still exists?
Have never seen a consistant application of the
fmm reg

3/5 intersection Q

bajaguy - 2-26-2014 at 12:37 PM

They are refurbishing the building at the 3/5 intersection.......anybody know what it is going to be???

DavidE - 2-26-2014 at 01:02 PM

It's the guy, you know, the one standing in front of you, with the law on his side is the ONLY thing that counts. Everything else is caca hyperbole.

If you don't care about learning about the law, and you get nailed, suck it up, zip the lip and take it like a man (or woman).

dasubergeek did the right thing, he asked INM. Has anyone here asked an INM migra in the last few years and received a reply that going to San Felipe did not require an FMT or FMM?

The migras in the Guerrero Negro office told me that the limited time that the office issued FMT's started a veritable flood of "extraneous" that would try to "blow by" Guerrero Negro without bothering to stop downtown when the office was open. The Jefe was rather disgusted that the tiny office took on the responsibility of issuing FMT's and instead of making things more convenient and amiable for tourists, too many extraneous took advantage of it.

Now if a tourist eligible for an FMM is caught south of Maneadero without an FMM they are wide open for a thousand peso multa PLUS be forced to get a TRANSMIGRANTE grade FMM ON THE SPOT that means no extensions and a 30-day limit. You can stop at any INM office and verify this if you wish.

nbacc - 2-26-2014 at 07:51 PM

today at the border she told me 7 days or more and you need one.....I got one for San Felipe..............We are here it is good!!!! nancy

DENNIS - 2-26-2014 at 08:05 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
It's the guy, you know, the one standing in front of you, with the law on his side is the ONLY thing that counts. Everything else is caca hyperbole.



On the other hand, questions asked of Mexico INM personnel when the residency visas were being sorted out got little more than the "Thousand Yard Stare." They just made up answers on the spot.
They aren't a reliable source of information concerning their responsibilities or the law, but they do have the hammer.

TMW - 2-27-2014 at 10:02 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bajaguy
They are refurbishing the building at the 3/5 intersection.......anybody know what it is going to be???


Someone said it was going to be an OXXO store. Anything is possible I guess.

David K - 2-27-2014 at 10:21 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by nbacc
today at the border she told me 7 days or more and you need one.....I got one for San Felipe..............We are here it is good!!!! nancy


Well, 7 days + is a paid FMM, but over 3 days (and less than 7) in the border zone requires a free FMM... Going south of the border zone for one minute requires an FMM (free or pay, depending on how long).

Now, for 40 years San Felipe was considered still in the border zone, but going south required a tourist card. However, there were also publications that said south of Mexicali required a tourist card.

It sounds like a money generator... No worries if you go south for up to 7 days (we don't get any money for that FMM)... but we can collect for 7 days +!! :light:

Bajajorge - 2-27-2014 at 10:32 AM

Best to get an FMM anymore, in Baja things change day to day and change from official to official, or Immigration Office to Immigration Office. I called the Consulate in Las Vegas for info a while back, and then called the Sacto Consulate for the same info and got two different answers. Baja does keep you on your toes.:biggrin:

DavidE - 2-27-2014 at 01:04 PM

Way the hell long time ago I did service calls for Impresiones del Desierto and their generator (a large printing business) in San Felipe. Out of curiosity I stopped at the border crossing INM office in Mexicali. When I asked for specific answers for the Tourist Card, they sent me "downtown" to another office of INM. A gentleman in an office invited me to sit down. He researched his official books and came up with an answer of some landmark south of San Felipe which was meaningless to me. We then consulted a giant laminated map on his wall and with a ruler determined that spot to be 16 km south of where the carratera becomes federal instead of municipal. I had to turn around and go back to the INM border station and get a tourist card. I don't remember the year but it was when those different color rectangular auto permit decals were smeared onto the windshield after bring dunked in water.

The generator was an Allis Chalmers engine with a Stamford generator. NO ONE in TJ, Ensenada, or Mexicali wanted to touch it. God was it hot. 116 degrees. I replaced the rectifiers on the conformal coated secondary field plate and installed a better voltage regulator. At the time I had a valid Work Permit for the state of Sonora but it was invalid in Baja California.

David K - 2-27-2014 at 02:51 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by DavidE
Way the hell long time ago I did service calls for Impresiones del Desierto and their generator (a large printing business) in San Felipe. Out of curiosity I stopped at the border crossing INM office in Mexicali. When I asked for specific answers for the Tourist Card, they sent me "downtown" to another office of INM. A gentleman in an office invited me to sit down. He researched his official books and came up with an answer of some landmark south of San Felipe which was meaningless to me. We then consulted a giant laminated map on his wall and with a ruler determined that spot to be 16 km south of where the carratera becomes federal instead of municipal. I had to turn around and go back to the INM border station and get a tourist card. I don't remember the year but it was when those different color rectangular auto permit decals were smeared onto the windshield after bring dunked in water.

The generator was an Allis Chalmers engine with a Stamford generator. NO ONE in TJ, Ensenada, or Mexicali wanted to touch it. God was it hot. 116 degrees. I replaced the rectifiers on the conformal coated secondary field plate and installed a better voltage regulator. At the time I had a valid Work Permit for the state of Sonora but it was invalid in Baja California.


The is interesting Dah-veed... You are describing the southern boundary of Mexicali County (Municipio)... this is the big arroyo just past the Valle de los Gigantes cactus park (between Punta Estrella and Rancho Percebu).

This would mean south of Mexicali municipality and not south of the city of Mexicali. San Felipe is well inside the Municipio de Mexicali. :light:



01: Ensenada
02: Mexicali
03: Tecate
04: Tijuana
05: Playas de Rosarito

Since the above map was made, San Quintin became a separate municipality and is now the largest.

DavidE - 2-27-2014 at 03:20 PM

Oops I think you misinterpreted...

At the edge of every highway town every municipio takes responsibility for a federal highway.

TERMINO TRAMO de CARGO de SCT

PRINCIPIA TRAMO de CARGO de SCT

Translated Tramo de Cargo means section of responsibility (charged with).

Federal highway responsibility ENDS at the upper sign
Federal highway responsibility BEGINS at the lower sign

As an example when entering the town of VIZCAINO from the north, the above applies, and when leaving toward Sn Ignacio the lower sign applies. In between the responsibility of the the highway is Municipio Mulege. Traffic regulations included. But traffic law must adhere to federal law as dictated not by Mexico DF but by Guadalajara Jalisco who sets precedents for federal traffic law enforcement (standarization).

So basically, I was told that Tourist Cards were necessary 16 km south of the PRINCIPIA TRAMO de CARGO de SCT on Mex 5.

David K - 2-27-2014 at 04:51 PM

"A gentleman in an office invited me to sit down. He researched his official books and came up with an answer of some landmark south of San Felipe which was meaningless to me. We then consulted a giant laminated map on his wall and with a ruler determined that spot to be 16 km south of where the carratera becomes federal instead of municipal."

The San Felipe airport road takes you to the 're-start' of Hwy. 5 (Km. 0) about 6 miles (10 km.) from the traffic circle in San Felipe (the one with two Pemex stations). Now the municipality border is at about Km. 12, as I recall... 22 km. from downtown San Felipe, and is the south end of 'Mexicali' (municipality)!

sancho - 2-27-2014 at 05:01 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek


I asked INM if you need an FMM for a short stay (less than 3 days, which is the limit for Ensenada, et al.). They said yes, yes you do












Si, si es necesario







Speaking of Hyperbole (used to evoke strong feelings
but is not meant to be taken literally), back to he OP's
post, aside from imaginary Municipal lines in BC Norte, the meat of his post is, according to one Immigration Official,
is that an fmm is required for all Tourists visiting San Felipe,
regardless of time 1 hr., 72 hr., etc., no border/free zone,
or any other meaningless term

David K - 2-27-2014 at 05:25 PM

Sancho, I think the way things are going in Baja, everyone not just spending the day in the border towns should stop at the INM office at the border... everyone!

Can you imagine what that would do for tourism, if it took 2-4 hours just to get into Baja! LOL

DavidE - 2-27-2014 at 05:31 PM

It'd be damned difficult to read it any other way. Some people demand proof or at least pose doubts as to the validity of someone's opinion. Seems to happen a lot on this forum. What I wrote was an "example" of what I encountered back when Reagan was in office.

The MEXICALI BORDER INM office will have the "official" interpretation of what THEY think the border zone is. Is it so damned hard to stop for 3 minutes and find out? It is their jurisdiction. They enforce the rules.

dasubergeek - 2-27-2014 at 09:27 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by David K

Since the above map was made, San Quintin became a separate municipality and is now the largest.


Actually, the citizens voted to separate from the Municipio de Ensenada, but at the eleventh hour, the ex-governor of B.C. refused to allow it, saying that not enough people in Ensenada (the northern bit) voted in the plebiscite. There are still only five municipios in Baja California, which ties BCS for the fewest number.

David K - 2-28-2014 at 12:25 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by dasubergeek
Quote:
Originally posted by David K

Since the above map was made, San Quintin became a separate municipality and is now the largest.


Actually, the citizens voted to separate from the Municipio de Ensenada, but at the eleventh hour, the ex-governor of B.C. refused to allow it, saying that not enough people in Ensenada (the northern bit) voted in the plebiscite. There are still only five municipios in Baja California, which ties BCS for the fewest number.


Thank you for that...