BajaNomad

FMM return Calexico East

akshadow - 12-13-2014 at 12:34 PM

This week when we turned in our stamped FMM which had been issued for 60 days the agent asked for our receipt from the bank. Eventually he accepted the FMM without it but told us that in the future we need to keep both of them together. The receipts were not asked for in April when we turned in our FMMs. Guess we will keep the documents together.

willardguy - 12-13-2014 at 12:50 PM

geeze, and the saga continues...if you pay the agent directly there is no receipt? another reason to not return one?

David K - 12-13-2014 at 12:51 PM

This was driving or walking... can you describe the steps if driving?

Typically, one gets into the end of a 45-120 minute line of cars some distance from the border, and not even in an area that allows one to park northbound, walk over to the southbound border (INM office), and return to continue the wait in line.

The mail-in method is seemingly the only logical method, but I am interested to hear yours. My last FMM was single sheet, but the one before had a separate receipt for payment.

Thank you!

sancho - 12-13-2014 at 03:40 PM

I go in and out thru downtown Mexicalli/Calexico, generally
a 45 min + wait going out, alllows me time to let the wife drive in the
border line for 15 min while I walk to Mex Imm return the
fmm and get an exit stamp, however I have yet to see any
indication returning an fmm matters at all. If it did, there
would be dozens of tourists complaining. I have yet to hear
one mention of any reprecusions on not returning an fmm.
I like to keep paperwork in order, but in real practice I don't
believe it matters, but it is Mex

FMM turn in East Calexico

akshadow - 12-13-2014 at 04:23 PM

this was driving at Calexico East. Just use the road entrance into the mexican border facility instead of the lanes to exit Mexico. Pull into the staging area behind the inspection stations. Park and walk into the Immigration building. In past I just told anyone who asked why I was there that I was returning an FMM. The officials then advised where I should park. Walk into building and return the FMM. Drive as if you are entering Mexico and take a sharp left when you get to the main road and enter the lanes to the US border facility. You may get strange looks as I drive on the shoulder of the road against traffic which is stopped at the multi way stop sign and enter the lanes to the us facility. A police man saw me do it and gave me a strange look until he realized what I was doing.

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
This was driving or walking... can you describe the steps if driving?

Typically, one gets into the end of a 45-120 minute line of cars some distance from the border, and not even in an area that allows one to park northbound, walk over to the southbound border (INM office), and return to continue the wait in line.

The mail-in method is seemingly the only logical method, but I am interested to hear yours. My last FMM was single sheet, but the one before had a separate receipt for payment.

Thank you!

David K - 12-13-2014 at 05:52 PM

A gold star for your efforts to appease the bureaucracy!

Thank you for your detailed answer, I am sure many Nomads were also interested in how it was done!

Me thinks mailing it back to them from home before it expires may continue to be the more popular method (other than throwing it away, as perhaps 90% of land travelers do, if they ever bothered to get one)?

dasubergeek - 12-15-2014 at 05:48 PM

I returned an FMM at San Ysidro once (back when it was Puerta Mexico, not El Chaparral). The agent literally threw it in the trash. I've never been "stamped out" of Mexico the way I've been stamped out of, say, the Schengen Area in Europe, or Russia, or Hong Kong.