BajaNomad - Turn your FMM in upon going to US of A

Turn your FMM in upon going to US of A

rts551 - 11-7-2014 at 05:33 PM

Excellent thread on Talk Baja about this subject. Tourists being told in Tecate to turn their FMM in upon exiting Mexico.

Maybe immigration reads forums on the internet :light:

Mulegena - 11-7-2014 at 05:54 PM

My take on the thread is that tourist visas are single-entry, not multiple entry.

The tourist attempted to enter Mexico on foot with the plan to obtain a visa, then leave Mexico, then enter again at a later date (in his case the next day). This is what they stated to the immigration officer.

The Mexican immigration officer simply clarified that if this was their plan they could not do that.

Once a person in possession of a Mexico tourist visa exits the country, the visa is invalid; hence it should be turned in, relinquished, but if not it is still invalid and can't be used for multiple entries.

They said they did this because it was difficult to park their big rig in Tecate. Rest assured the immigration officers are accustomed to big rigs entering their country and will direct the driver to appropriate, safe parking for the time it takes to go get their visa(s).

Bottom line: Mexico tourist visas are not for multiple entry. They're single-entry only. You can't enter Mexico with a validated tourist visa; by legal definition it is invalid even if it were acquired the same day or only one day prior. When you leave Mexico, the visa is invalidated even if you're there only 1 hour or 1 day of the 180 days granted.

Once you leave Mexico on a tourist visa, you're no longer a tourist in Mexico.
The visa you used is no longer valid.
Whether you turn in the visa or not is really a moot point -- the tourist visa is invalid once it leaves Mexico.

Kapich?

[Edited on 11-8-2014 by Mulegena]

willardguy - 11-7-2014 at 05:56 PM

its like deja vu all over again :wow:

pepegaspar - 11-7-2014 at 07:23 PM

I believe you mean Tourist Card, or FMT. Not always true! Friends have tried to surrender their TCs at the border & were laughed at! I've personally crossed several times in a vehicle w/o having to re-purchase one. When travelling in a plane, yes, they make a point to collect them. Why the flock should I pay every time I cross the border during the 6 month permit time?! It's not a carnival ride for petes sake. You do what you like. :spingrin:

gallesram - 11-7-2014 at 07:33 PM

I never turn mine in; I keep it for the entire 6 months, then get a new one after it expires. I thought I was told at some point that when they changed the visa to a longer period it was for multiple entries, but who knows. I usually fly out of TJ and each time I return the immigration officer recognizes me, looks at the date and then waives me through; I haven't been questioned about whether or not I plan to leave the country before it expires (and my guess is that if they could nail me on that, they would).

David K - 11-7-2014 at 07:43 PM

I detail my trips here on Nomad... and I specifically asked the INM officer at Tijuana about this last time I got the FMM. The following was in July, 2012... and yes, things can change in Mexico... but this topic is a decade + old.

I went to Tijuana the Sunday before our vacation solely to get the FMM in advance so we wouldn't need to stop on a busy Saturday morning (unless I got a red light of course):

I asked the officer: Can I begin to use the FMM in 6 days from now when I begin my big trip to Baja Sur?

Answer: YES.

Other question, can INM accept the fee or only the bank teller (about 50 feet away in the same building)?

Answer: It doesn't matter, whatever you wish.

I paid the officer, who had a cash drawer/ box and stamped my FMM. Again, all this was posted here on Nomad in July, 2012.

rts551 - 11-7-2014 at 08:12 PM

Just relaying what happened. Why does everyone ignore what it says on the back. no comment?

that is in writing, no he said/she said/nomad said

[Edited on 11-8-2014 by rts551]

rts551 - 11-7-2014 at 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by David K
I detail my trips here on Nomad... and I specifically asked the INM officer at Tijuana about this last time I got the FMM. The following was in July, 2012... and yes, things can change in Mexico... but this topic is a decade + old.

I went to Tijuana the Sunday before our vacation solely to get the FMM in advance so we wouldn't need to stop on a busy Saturday morning (unless I got a red light of course):

I asked the officer: Can I begin to use the FMM in 6 days from now when I begin my big trip to Baja Sur?

Answer: YES.

Other question, can INM accept the fee or only the bank teller (about 50 feet away in the same building)?

Answer: It doesn't matter, whatever you wish.

I paid the officer, who had a cash drawer/ box and stamped my FMM. Again, all this was posted here on Nomad in July, 2012.

no facts here. only here is what I did. can you provide something in writing? like the back of the FMM does?

David K - 11-7-2014 at 08:23 PM

Ralph, I am not saying changes were not made. I am only stating exactly what it was for me (and many others who have posted on Nomad), that for a time (at least), you could get the FMM before your big trip began and that the INM officers could collect the fee... which was a big relief if the bank teller happened to close.

monoloco - 11-7-2014 at 08:56 PM

If one were to leave without turning it in, then return and use it again, how would migracion ever know that you weren't in Mexico the whole time?

Answer:

They wouldn't.

rts551 - 11-7-2014 at 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by monoloco
If one were to leave without turning it in, then return and use it again, how would migracion ever know that you weren't in Mexico the whole time?

Answer:

They wouldn't.

Is true. today. but why do we advocate breaking the rules?

Bajaboy - 11-7-2014 at 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rts551

Quote:

Is true. today. but why do we advocate breaking the rules?

yep, we should all drive the speed limit :light:

rts551 - 11-7-2014 at 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajaboy

Quote:

Originally posted by rts551

Quote:

Is true. today. but why do we advocate breaking the rules?

yep, we should all drive the speed limit :light:

or if you don't. face the consequences without whining.

willardguy - 11-7-2014 at 09:10 PM

actually they have RFID chips in them now. the hot setup is as you approach the border find an isolated spot to pull off the road, find a suitable flat rock that you can hide the document under (in a Ziploc of course) upon return simply reclaim said document!
so simple, like the jitterbug...........

bajabuddha - 11-7-2014 at 11:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by willardguy
so simple, like the jitterbug...........

Willard, dear boy.... with your avatar, is that a dance reference or a food report???
:lol:

DENNIS - 11-8-2014 at 07:13 AM

If we never agree on anything again as long as we live, we should agree to never ever talk about this again until we see a definitive ruling, with comments on feasibility, from the Mexican government.
Let the can of worms seal itself and go about our business.

DaliDali - 11-8-2014 at 07:46 AM

If the MX government wants tourists to return the FMT on exiting the country, provide a EASY way to do that right in the lineup when approaching the gate.

Instead of selling churros and curios, have authorized agents collecting FMT's.

To ask tourists, to veer out of the lineup to get to the IMS office is daunting enough, even if you know the location and path there.

Or simply make those FMT's valid for multiple entries, until the 6 months validity period is over.

DaliDali - 11-8-2014 at 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by rts551

Quote:

Is true. today. but why do we advocate breaking the rules?

Let thee without sin cast the first stone.

Jack Swords - 11-8-2014 at 08:28 AM

Not that I always follow the rules, but do prefer to avoid hassles. We turn in our FMMs by mail to:

Instituto Nacional De Migration
Puente Puerta S/N
Colonia Federal
Tijuana, B.C. Mexico C.P. 22310

This has been posted before on Nomads. They are probably promptly thrown away, but never had one returned. Hopefully they are deleted from the computer. Our auto TIP from the mainland stayed on the computer and we were caught returning thru Tijuana and had to go to the Army Bank to get it deleted....so sometimes someone does keep track. Easy to mail it when back home.

Mulegena - 11-8-2014 at 09:16 AM

Quote:

Mexico would know. You stop just inside at the border crossing whenever you enter Mexico. How can you then present them with a prior-dated tourist entry card already in-hand.

The rules of immigration are clear. However, the application of these rules is decidedly subjective.

elgatoloco - 11-8-2014 at 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena

Answer:

.

Mexico.......the application of these rules is decidedly subjective.

Enough said. :dudette:

monoloco - 11-8-2014 at 11:09 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena

Quote:

In 30 years, I have never once had anyone ask me for any immigration document or passport when entering Mexico by car, even when sent to secondary or declaring imported items. So how would they know if I had a FMT from a previous trip, or if I had recently been to Mexico? I think you are giving them way too much credit of knowing their burros from a hole in the ground.

Sandlefoot - 11-8-2014 at 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rts551
Excellent thread on Talk Baja about this subject. Tourists being told in Tecate to turn their FMM in upon exiting Mexico.

Maybe immigration reads forums on the internet :light:

I think they do read a lot of blogs and forums. I think the more hits a single topic gets the more likely they are to "look into it deeper". So for those that want it to be a subject of their discussion and enforced, just keep it in the sight!!!! There is a learning curve here and just remember the roll out of the latest immigration rules, and "how smoothly" that went for all of us. Just saying!!!

Happy Trails

On edit: I forgot to suggest to keep the idea of TIPS on the Baja in their thinking also.

Don't understand why some people want to "fix" something that aint broken!!!

[Edited on 11-8-2014 by Sandlefoot]

Bajahowodd - 11-8-2014 at 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mulegena

Quote:

In the border zone, there is no need for the FMM, and thus, they would never ask to see it when crossing the border into Mexico.

elgatoloco - 11-8-2014 at 07:56 PM

I just pulled our now expired (22/03/14 issue) FMM's from the file so I can mail them to the Instituto. We will be getting new ones in a few weeks, if they let us.

On the front the form reads in part:

"Registro De Salida/Departure Registration"

I notice on the back it reads in part:

"Important - During your stay in Mexico, you must retain this immigration form and surrender it upon leaving the country"

Like most countries this form is to be filled out on entry and surrendered on exit. When you fly out of Mexico they have an easy mechanism to collect your form but not so much when you go via land. We just got back from a trip where we had to do the same at airports in Singapore, Bali and Japan. Could not drive home from any of those so no idea what happens when you hit those land borders.

US Mail tells me it will cost me $1.15 US to send.

Viva USPS!

bajaspuds - 11-8-2014 at 07:58 PM

why not authorize borderline churro vendors to collect visas from anyone who bothered to get one and continues to give a damn?

gorv - 11-9-2014 at 08:29 AM

We crossed ten days ago at Algodones, walking across the afternoon before to get our tourist visas, and mentioned to the immigration officer we would be driving across the next day heading for La Paz. He spoke excellent english, gave us directions for leaving town and he was also there the following morning at 6:30 am when we drove up. He looked at us and said..oh yes, you have your permits, drive ahead to the customs check. No hassles.

David K - 11-9-2014 at 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by gorv
We crossed ten days ago at Algodones, walking across the afternoon before to get our tourist visas, and mentioned to the immigration officer we would be driving across the next day heading for La Paz. He spoke excellent english, gave us directions for leaving town and he was also there the following morning at 6:30 am when we drove up. He looked at us and said..oh yes, you have your permits, drive ahead to the customs check. No hassles.

Exactly! Viva Mexico!! Did he accept the payment or did you pay a bank teller for the FMMs?

gorv - 11-9-2014 at 11:44 AM

We paid the immigration officer. There is a sign on the wall stating it is 306 pesos and they want exact change. And there is a money change place across the street if you need it. The fellow entered our info into the computer while we waited. It all felt aboveboard to us.

Bajahowodd - 11-9-2014 at 04:41 PM

I'm waiting to see if Mexico develops a data base that would provide the IMM officer the knowledge that a previous FMM was not surrendered. It has not been the case so far.

Kgryfon - 11-10-2014 at 03:14 PM

Quote:

The rules of immigration are clear. However, the application of these rules is decidedly subjective.

"I don't always follow the rules, but when I do, I expect everyone else to follow them as well."

msteve1014 - 11-10-2014 at 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kgryfon

Quote:

The rules of immigration are clear. However, the application of these rules is decidedly subjective.

"I don't always follow the rules, but when I do, I expect everyone else to follow them as well."

It's the American way. :lol:

bajabuddha - 11-10-2014 at 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Kgryfon

"I don't always follow the rules, but when I do, I expect everyone else to follow them as well."

So what do you expect from everyone else when you don't? :biggrin:

rts551 - 11-10-2014 at 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Bajahowodd
I'm waiting to see if Mexico develops a data base that would provide the IMM officer the knowledge that a previous FMM was not surrendered. It has not been the case so far.

it is all entered into the central computer system now :tumble: