BajaNomad - Paperwork to San Quintin

Paperwork to San Quintin

Havabass - 6-29-2014 at 08:41 AM

Drove to San Quintin last week. Stopped at Immigration office in Ensenada to get required "Visa". They told me it is not needed for a 5 day stay?

Is there a Visa or Tourist Card or whatever needed and who checks?

Thanks

woody with a view - 6-29-2014 at 09:35 AM

get them at the border and no one checks EXCEPT maybe your insurance agent when you get in a wreck and are illegally in the country.

David K - 6-29-2014 at 10:03 AM

Not Baja Bound.

sancho - 6-30-2014 at 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by woody with a view
get them at the border and no one checks EXCEPT maybe your insurance agent when you get in a wreck and are illegally in the country.

With you on that, we all know the 2 San Diego based clubs/ Brokers claim their Mex Ins Co's do not invalidate their policies
if the holder does not have an fmm. To me, that leaves too
much to chance, I don't trust that statement. Have read in
the past at least 1 Mex Ins Policy that states 'one has to
be in the country for the policy to be valid'. I don't feel
like standing at the side of the road after an incident
discussing with a Cop or Ins agent I don't need an fmm. I like all my bases covered when driving in Mex

BajaGeoff - 6-30-2014 at 11:39 AM

We have asked both ACE and HDI if not having a FMM at the time of an accident would be grounds for denial of a claim. They both have said a claim would not be denied for that reason. I always get an FMM when I am going south of Maneadero regardless...and carry multiple copies of my insurance documents. I am with Sancho and like having all my bases covered as well...

Bajahowodd - 6-30-2014 at 05:01 PM

Wouldn't it really be nice if we could all get a definitive official clarification on how far and how long you can travel in Baja without the FMM?

David K - 6-30-2014 at 07:50 PM

The how long part is pretty set at 72 hours.

The how far south part has always been Maneadero, but we have heard other points, even the entire state being in the zone.

If you are going to be anywhere in Mexico for more than 3 days you need an FMM.

If you are going south of the 'Border Zone' (where-ever that may be in Baja) for any days, you need an FMM.

If you are going by air to San Quintin, you need an FMM and it is $28 southbound and $5 northbound.

bajario - 6-30-2014 at 08:26 PM

Is there a form available online to avoid filling them out for each family member there?

jkchaffee - 7-3-2014 at 04:01 PM

WHy does the Mexican Consulate website say the following: "Mexico tourist visa is not required for citizens of United States for a stay up to 180 days"?

http://consulmex.sre.gob.mx/seattle/index.php/visas-requirem...

Where it appears everone on this site says it is needed. I am leaving tomorrow to drive to La Paz from San Diego but now I am confused

BajaGeoff - 7-3-2014 at 04:20 PM

You don't need a visa...you need an FMM, which is often referred to as a "tourist card".

Sandlefoot - 7-3-2014 at 05:25 PM

I would be careful of the information on that site. Just glancing over it, it looks out of date by a couple of years at least!!! The best thing to do is stop at the border and pay the fee for the FMM, make sure it is for 180 days, and make sure you get a receipt. The last time we came through (June 2014) we paid at the IMN desk and the agent could not give us a receipt, we went to the bank and got one and returned a copy of the payment to the IMN office. Being that you are along way south, just make sure you do not need to fly out, that is the most likely place you will get checked ( that is why you also need a receipt). If there is any chance you will need to fly out a quick trip back to the border will save you a fine of, in the neighborhood of 100 US per person that needs one. I live in La Paz and have traveled Mex 1 for 16 years and never been asked. But...I have found that things down here can be "less than predictable" so I always stop and get mine.

Welcome aboard!!

Good luck
Happy Trails

[Edited on 7-4-2014 by Sandlefoot]

[Edited on 7-4-2014 by Sandlefoot]

David K - 7-3-2014 at 05:56 PM

Last week, we flew out someone from south of San Quintin who drove there without an FMM.

The INM officer at the Ensenada airport charged him the full round trip amount for his departure... about $36 US. So whatever fine was tiny. I was charged $28 going south and $5 going north by the same guy.

Alm - 7-3-2014 at 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Havabass
Drove to San Quintin last week. Stopped at Immigration office in Ensenada to get required "Visa". They told me it is not needed for a 5 day stay?

Is there a Visa or Tourist Card or whatever needed and who checks?

Hopefully you've gathered already from other answers that a Tourist Card FMM is necessary if you plan to stay longer than 72 hours OR travel south of "border zone", which is approximately 16 miles.

The officer in Ensenada was wrong. You went to the wrong place so not surprisingly got a wrong person and a wrong answer. Happens in Mex offices all the time. Ensenada office near port don't (usually) issue FMM unless you arrived by sea, so they don't know much about tourists in cars. FMM are issued by offices at the border crossings, including international airports when you arrived by air. Airport offices will NOT issue FMM without fines when you arrived by land, unless the airport is within the border zone like Tijuana. I've heard reports of much higher fines than $5, btw, and people were sometimes told to go back to the border and get the FMM there.

papers

captkw - 7-3-2014 at 08:15 PM

I'd been getting my tourist card at the office near the port for years.. and as talked about here many times the Rude Dude is still working there..... past 3/4 seasons Ive got them the at the border (frontiera) and is SOO much easyer...you dont have to drive to the bank and back and can watch your "rig" while your doing it...easy,,fast,,simple......

Alm - 7-3-2014 at 09:21 PM

I also got my FMM at Ensenada port office once, because didn't have time at the border. Don't know about "Rude Dude". It was a holiday, there was only a young guy outside, he had to unlock the office when I apologized for interrupting his (apparently permanent) smoke break and told him what I wanted. There was no other gringos, so it all went smoothly, without questions when exactly I arrived (it was a few days earlier

) or why I didn't get FMM at the border. Paid him a regular fee $23. I knew that was breaking the law, but the whole conversation was relaxed so I even asked how far "normalemente" gringos can travel without FMM, and the answer was 25 km. Ensenada, as you know, is 115 km from the border.

Yes, it is easier to get FMM at the border. Also, cheaper - free parking and no fines.

[Edited on 7-4-2014 by Alm]

David K - 7-4-2014 at 10:34 AM

The rule book may give a kilometer distance from the border, but Baja and maybe Sonora has (had?) exceptions. In Baja, it has always been to Maneadero (10 miles south of Ensenada) on the west side, and San Felipe on the east side.

I think for Sonora that Puerto Peñasco and El Golfo were considered inside the 'border zone' so the hassle of getting an FMM for a 3 day or less trip wouldn't take away from tourism in those places.

Alm - 7-4-2014 at 11:51 AM

David, I can believe that there is an exception - not for entire Baja, but for Ensenada corridor to Maneadero. And there could be similar exception for San Felipe corridor (not sure how far in this case).

The fact is, - only border offices are more-less consistent. Other offices have varying level of knowledge about this. Then you can hear an oddity like "5 days without FMM". The officer in Ensenada that I talked to, was very sure that on Hwy 1 the border zone is "25 kilometros, es Rosarito" - "25 kilometers which is Rosarito".

I prefer getting FMM at the border, to avoid such uncertainties.

Now, if only somebody could tell when the likelihood of getting a VERY steep fine is higher - not getting FMM or not returning it

...

sancho - 7-7-2014 at 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Alm

Now, if only somebody could tell when the likelihood of getting a VERY steep fine is higher - not getting FMM or not returning it

The ONLY report I've seen was a few yrs. back, on another board, a frequent
crosser in Texas, was applying for an fmm, the Mex Imm
officer opened his passport, his expired fmm fell out, had
expired some 4 mo's back. Was threatened with a $5 a day
fine, $600, he claimed he settled for $50. It is assumed
they have the capability to track fmm's. Never heard of
anyone being questioned about not returned fmm's, it just
doesn't seem to be of concern to Mex Imm. On the BD Fishing
site, there was a guy going to San Quintin, was going for the
free 7 day fmm at TJ, was told by Mex Imm it is only good for travel to
Rosarito Beach, further so. needs the $23 FMM, each Imm
office/officer seems to have his own interpretation

David K - 7-7-2014 at 05:56 PM

It doesn't have to be complicated or based on hear-say. There is no computer checking if you didn't turn your last one in... Only problem is if you let the INM office see the expired one!

The free 7 day FMM is for land travel to anywhere in Mexico. Of course that would mean you can drive as far south for 3.5 days as you can get only to turn back!

The border zone is south to Maneadero/ San Felipe for up to 3 days. Longer stay anywhere in Mexico or travel south of the border zone requires FMM.

The pay FMM is an income funnel for government and government workers. It was started in mid 2000 and had such a negative impact on family vacationing, the free 7 day FMM was created.

Americans used to flow into Mexico for inexpensive vacations and the people of Mexico benefited. Taxing tourists to enter Mexico hurts the businesses in Baja and I would be interested to see if INM can show any money they collected going to the people of Mexico or improving tourist services.

sancho - 7-8-2014 at 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K

Americans used to flow into Mexico for inexpensive vacations and the people of Mexico benefited.

The $ bulk of the Mex Tourist Industry is NOT the guy who
goes to Baja, camps on a free beach , has a fish taco,
with his case of
Pacificos, it is the fly down vacations to the resorts or
the Colonial cities. Where the fmm fee is included in the
flight. In no way is the drop in US Tourists to the border Baja
areas due to the fmm fee, heck the average Tourist
barely know the fmm exists, much less bothers to get one.
The drop in border Tourism is strictly the result of the negative media
coverage, resulting in a perceived lack of security in Mex

David K - 7-8-2014 at 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sancho

Quote:

Originally posted by David K

Americans used to flow into Mexico for inexpensive vacations and the people of Mexico benefited.

Agree!