BajaNomad

Getting Your FMM (aka tourist cards) at Tijuana

BajaGeoff - 8-4-2015 at 12:45 PM

A few weeks ago my wife and I were headed down to Erendira for five days so we stopped in at the office to get our FMM paperwork dialed in. I have to say that it was the most pleasant experience I have had getting paperwork done in 25 years of traveling Baja.

When I entered the office, a very nice lady came out from the back and greeted me. I told her I needed to get an FMM and she asked where I was going and for how long. I replied and she asked for my passport, which I provided. She took the passport, opened it up, filled out the FMM form for me, stamped my passport, stamped the FMM and told me to have a great trip. All told it took about 2 minutes and the FMM was free because the trip was less than 7 days.

¡Viva Baja!

:biggrin:

SFandH - 8-4-2015 at 01:04 PM

They stamped your passport? Hmmm, that's something new, at least to me. Next time I'll take my book in addition to the card.

BajaGeoff - 8-4-2015 at 01:06 PM

Actually...I think that is the first time I have seen them stamp my passport as well SFandH.

Ateo - 8-4-2015 at 01:18 PM

I've had them stamp my passport, and as Geoff said above, it was quick and easy! They filled everything out and seemed to be in the best moods ever.

AKgringo - 8-4-2015 at 01:19 PM

I only have one stamp on mine. That was from when I flew into Manzanillo in Nov 07, which reminds me, I need to renew it this year!

Passports vs Passport Cards

bajaguy - 8-4-2015 at 01:37 PM

This brings up a few questions.....

How are they going to "stamp" the passport card ???

When they stamped your Passport, is it an entry stamp??

If it is an entry stamp, how would someone get an exit stamp???

BajaBliss - 8-4-2015 at 01:57 PM

I had a very similar experience as well. I had my seven year old son with me, and the immigration officers were quite friendly with him especially, asking him loads of questions about our trip while they filled out our forms for us and wished us on our way. I actually told them then that it was the best border crossing experience I had ever had!

We did have to pay for the FMM, since we were staying in the country for nearly three weeks. We paid them directly at the office.

In and out in about five minutes.

BajaGeoff - 8-4-2015 at 01:58 PM

Agreed on the fast and pleasant service Ateo!

Let me check the details on the passport stamp when I get home bajaguy...

Bob and Susan - 8-4-2015 at 02:47 PM

susan was there last Thursday morning...

the lady was very nice
our baby was given a visa for 180 days
no charge...she's 1 year 8 months old

another easy task for a tourist

edit...they stamped the passport
in sept they stamped my daughters
it's a small stamp

[Edited on 8-4-2015 by Bob and Susan]

BajaGeoff - 8-4-2015 at 03:33 PM

Welcome to Baja Nomad BajaBliss!

Bajahowodd - 8-4-2015 at 04:01 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaGeoff  
A few weeks ago my wife and I were headed down to Erendira for five days so we stopped in at the office to get our FMM paperwork dialed in. I have to say that it was the most pleasant experience I have had getting paperwork done in 25 years of traveling Baja.

When I entered the office, a very nice lady came out from the back and greeted me. I told her I needed to get an FMM and she asked where I was going and for how long. I replied and she asked for my passport, which I provided. She took the passport, opened it up, filled out the FMM form for me, stamped my passport, stamped the FMM and told me to have a great trip. All told it took about 2 minutes and the FMM was free because the trip was less than 7 days.

¡Viva Baja!

Last time we went through there, the officer was extremely helpful, and even took our payment on the spot so we did not have to run over to the bank and back.

:biggrin:

sancho - 8-4-2015 at 04:31 PM

They stamp my passport book at the Old Downtown Mexicali
crossing. I've had one guy stamp the back of my birth cert.
Noticed on the Discover Baja site a curious bit of info. under
the fmm requirements, it states Ensenada is not in the border
zone so all visitors to Ensenada need an fmm. For yrs the tourist
card info has been muddy. I would bet the line at the TJ Imm
office at the SY crossing, if every tourist was in full compliance,
would at times be a bit busy.










i

BajaBliss - 8-4-2015 at 06:51 PM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaGeoff  
Welcome to Baja Nomad BajaBliss!


Thank you!!! Although I've been mainly a lurker on the forum, I really appreciate all the useful info I have found here over that past few months. I just had a lovely three week road trip with my son from Washington state all the way down to La Paz/Cabo and back again (and insured by BajaBound as well for the Mexico portion!).

I guess I should post a trip report and some photos for you all here (if I can figure it out). If you're interested, though, you can find some of them here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/38430824@N07/sets/721576534313...



BajaBlanca - 8-5-2015 at 10:38 AM

I second the welcome, BajaBliss!

BajaBliss - 8-5-2015 at 10:51 AM

Quote: Originally posted by BajaBlanca  
I second the welcome, BajaBliss!


Thank you! :D

BajaGeoff - 8-5-2015 at 12:00 PM

Nice photos BajaBliss!

@bajaguy....my passport was stamped with the exact same date stamp as the FMM was...

bajaguy - 8-5-2015 at 01:09 PM

Thanks!!!
Quote: Originally posted by BajaGeoff  
Nice photos BajaBliss!

@bajaguy....my passport was stamped with the exact same date stamp as the FMM was...

Maron - 8-5-2015 at 01:19 PM

BajaBliss

Thanks for the photos. A trip report would be nice. I love it when parents expose their young kids to the magic of The Baja.

dasubergeek - 8-10-2015 at 11:30 AM

I get my passport stamped with every single FMM. I had to get pages added to my last passport. :-/

David K - 8-10-2015 at 01:51 PM

Stamped our passports as they had the two previous times getting FMMs and FMTs (2009, 2012, and now 2015).

Nice photo at El Requeson, BajaBliss... Thank you!

SFandH - 8-10-2015 at 02:06 PM

They've never stamped my passport because I've always used my passport card, which so far has worked. I think I'll keep it that way.

BigBearRider - 8-11-2015 at 11:16 AM

Did it this weekend. Very easy, took all of 5 mins around midnight. When walking back to our parked car, we bypassed the building that houses the xray machines. Once we had passed the building, a customs lady jumped out and asked us what we were doing. I told her we were going to our car. She said we had to go through the building with the xray machines, and to do so "next time."