BajaNomad

Is my passport considered valid?

Ken Cooke - 3-28-2016 at 05:43 PM

My passport expires in May. Is it considered valid for a simple trip to Rosarito for the day? I won't be traveling south of Rosarito Beach (in my 2wd Pilot). Thanks for everyone's help on this!

DENNIS - 3-28-2016 at 05:46 PM



No problem.
Jeeezo, Ken....they really have you terrorized, don't they.

Alm - 3-28-2016 at 06:25 PM

"They", I understand, is "US". Since you don't need FMM to get to Rosarito for one day, and very likely won't have to show passport on when driving in.

mtgoat666 - 3-28-2016 at 07:12 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Ken Cooke  
My passport expires in May. Is it considered valid for a simple trip to Rosarito for the day? I won't be traveling south of Rosarito Beach (in my 2wd Pilot). Thanks for everyone's help on this!


If May of 2015, it's expired. If may of 2016, it's not expired.

I heard the USA and Mexico now accept the Costco card in lieu of passport. I chit you not.

WestyWanderer - 3-28-2016 at 08:31 PM

I drug my feet renewing my passport last year, mine expired May of 2015, because it was expensive. I crossed into the states no less than 6 times with the expired passport until I finally renewed in October. Mexican immigration probably (I'm guessing) won't accept it if you're applying for an FMM (which I know you aren't) but coming back across won't be an issue just bring the expired passport with you.

ehall - 3-28-2016 at 08:49 PM

Wasn't there something on the news about not being able to fly if your passport was within 6 months of expiring. But your probably not flying Ken.

Ken Cooke - 3-28-2016 at 09:07 PM

I'm driving. Just to Rosarito for the day.

David K - 3-28-2016 at 09:41 PM

Ken, it's still March. If you stop for FMM after it expires, they won't issue you one.
Probably do the same thing we all did last year at Mexicali?

durrelllrobert - 3-29-2016 at 10:21 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Ken Cooke  
I'm driving. Just to Rosarito for the day.


probaly still flying low down the toll road

BigBearRider - 3-29-2016 at 10:32 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Alm  
"They", I understand, is "US". Since you don't need FMM to get to Rosarito for one day, and very likely won't have to show passport on when driving in.


FYI, as many here know, there is no longer a free border zone. An FMM is required for Rosarito, even if it's just for the day (it is free for 7 days or less):

http://www.discoverbaja.com/go/fmm-tourist-permits/




Alm - 3-29-2016 at 01:27 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  

I heard the USA and Mexico now accept the Costco card in lieu of passport.

Sure. With a Mexican entry stamp on the tourist forehead, since the back of the card was too darn slippery :)

ID other than passport are acceptable for US internal flights though.


[Edited on 3-29-2016 by Alm]

toronja - 3-29-2016 at 01:48 PM

**note that I absolutely don't recommend this, just sharing an experience**

We were issued an FMM with a (recently) expired passport at San Ysidro in the past couple of years. The agent noted it was expired by a couple of months (we didn't notice until he said something, yes it was stupid, no, it will never happen again), saw us having a panic attack, said it was no big deal, took our money and issued the FMMs. As per usual, no one looked at the FMMs during the 3 months we were in Baja. The US Border agent did not mention the passport or send us to secondary when we returned to the US with the same expired passport.

Again, not recommended, if we had been stopped by immigration officials elsewhere, it could have been a major problem. Next time we go south everyone will have valid passports and FMMs.

AKgringo - 3-29-2016 at 02:02 PM

My passport expires in a couple of months, and I dread getting a new one. The face on my passport is ten years younger, and twenty pounds lighter than the one I see in the mirror now!

Who wants to upgrade to that?

Bajahowodd - 3-29-2016 at 04:40 PM

So Ken, just when were you going to renew your passport? It takes a bit of time to get a new one.

And,as BigBearRider noted, we now need to obtain an FMM just to go to the border zone.

I pretty much feel that many people don't do it, and if they get a gren light at the border, just drive trough. But if any problems arise, you could be in a world of mierda.

Expired Passport

J.P. - 3-30-2016 at 10:35 AM

We cross at least twice a month. my passport had been expired for 3 mos. they looked at it and handed it back every time. I got really worried so I went down and applied for renewal.
They told me it would take about 4 weeks so the next time we went up I showed my Ca. drivers lisc. and renewal receipt and the officer handed it all back to me and replied I don't need this your new passport was mailed out an the 2nd and should be at your mailing address, which it was.
:o:o:o