BajaNomad

Visa question

nbacc - 10-10-2016 at 05:22 PM

I went to Passport and visa services and it says " a Mexico tourist visa is not required for citizens of the USA for a stay up to 182 days.............this still true?

Rossman - 10-10-2016 at 05:51 PM

Nope

SFandH - 10-10-2016 at 05:57 PM

Yes it is true but you need a tourist card, a FMM, which is not a visa.

http://www.inm.gob.mx/index.php/page/Paises_No_Visa


[Edited on 10-11-2016 by SFandH]

nbacc - 10-10-2016 at 06:28 PM

Thanks............always have gotten a visa when entering (tourist card). Things change fast in Mexico so just making sure. Thanks again

gnukid - 10-10-2016 at 09:12 PM

nbacc,

Tourist card (permit) is different from a visa. It's easy to be confused. You need a FMM tourist card for sure if you don't have a permanent or temporary residency visa, get it at the border port of entry at INM, its cheap, comes with a plane ticket, but if you don't get one at the border entry it can be a big hassle and you may be asked to return to a port of entry or deported.

[Edited on 10-11-2016 by gnukid]

mtgoat666 - 10-10-2016 at 09:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by gnukid  
nbacc,

Tourist card (permit) is different from a visa. It's easy to be confused. You need a FMM tourist card for sure if you don't have a permanent or temporary residency visa, get it at the border port of entry at INM, its cheap, comes with a plane ticket, but if you don't get one at the border entry it can be a big hassle and you may be asked to return to a port of entry or deported.

[Edited on 10-11-2016 by gnukid]


Tourist card is a visa. Different words in different countries. But effectively same thing.

gnukid - 10-10-2016 at 09:39 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  


Tourist card is a visa. Different words in different countries. But effectively same thing.


Goat, Awesome to continue your life long tradition of being wrong everytime.

Gulliver - 10-10-2016 at 10:14 PM

http://visasmex.com/Eng/mexican_visas/fmm/fmm.html
http://www.banderasnews.com/1006/to-fmm-form.htm
They are definitely two different things. There are a lot of references on the web calling the FMM a "Tourist Visa."
Citizens of some countries DO need to have a Visa. U.S. and Canadian citizens don't.
I mean, go ahead and get a Visa if you want to go to the trouble and expense. But in 47 years of crossing the border southbound, I have never even seen a Visa.
Now turning in an FMM going North is one that I have yet to manage. I haven't a clue where in Tecate I might find a place to do it.

gnukid - 10-10-2016 at 10:35 PM

A visa is not required for visitors to mexico from USA or Canada, if the foreigner has no valid visa, a tourist permit (FMM) is required.

Travelers can definitely avoid having a visa or FMM and risk getting caught and being delayed, hassled and fined but why would you? The cost is about $25 for 180 days.

KasloKid - 10-10-2016 at 10:43 PM

The debate now is whether one has to turn the FMM in upon exiting the country. Depending on which immigration officer you talk to (Baja) some say it simply expires so be out of the country before it does, others say no, you have to return it to them upon exiting and have your passport stamped.
With this debate, I choose to return it and have my passport stamped. It's a hassle, but a guaranteed no hassle down the road....

Gulliver - 10-10-2016 at 11:11 PM

But where would I turn it in? There is no Mexican office of any sort when leaving the country. At least at Tecate. I guess I could have parked and looked around.

So far I haven't met anyone who has gotten any sort of hassle about old FMM's when getting a new one.

Don't get me wrong. I gladly pay the fee and I gladly pay the tax on new stuff that I bring in. Doesn't amount to hill of beans anyway.

David K - 10-11-2016 at 08:10 AM

Folks, in my July 2016 trip report, I fully detail the Tecate return procedure with satellite maps.

The major news to some is ONLY the free 7 day FMM must be returned. Your passport is scanned when you get it and again when you turn it in.

The pay 180 day FMM does NOT need to be turned in. These words said by INM officer.

In September, me and others on the Baja Extreme tour bought the 180 day FMMs... again, they do not get returned and I still have mine for future trips until next March.

BajaUtah - 10-11-2016 at 09:57 AM

This should be a complete waste of time but, what the heck -

Dictionary definition of "visa"

Simple Definition of visa
: an official mark or stamp on a passport that allows someone to enter or leave a country usually for a particular reason.

So, FMM, Residente Temporal and Residente Permanente documents are NOT visas. Visas are what gets stamped into your passport when you get an FMM. FMM, RT and RP are STATUS documents. They give you the legal status to be in the country as a tourist, temporary resident and permanent resident.

That is why, when you start the residente process you need a visa page put in in your passport at your local consulate. That is the visa portion that goes with your status card. That gets stamped when you first enter the country and you have x amount of time to complete the RT or RP process.

So with the stamp in your passport and the FMM, RT or RP you have a visa and legal status. But they are 2 separate animals.

Just to muddy my own water, I don't know how Mexico works around allowing the passport card to get an FMM. No place to stamp a card??

....and down the rabbit hole we go

willardguy - 10-11-2016 at 10:13 AM

at either otay or tecate is there a INM you can WALK into FROM THE MEXICO side and buy an FMM?
it was easily done at the old SY crossing.....no mas.

sancho - 10-11-2016 at 11:01 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Gulliver  

So far I haven't met anyone who has gotten any sort of hassle about old FMM's when getting a new one.










Me niether, except 1, as has been discussed before, at the
Downtown Mexicali crossing, for some reason known
only to them, if you get the free 7 day fmm from that
office, they are adament on you return it, makes no
sence. Read of a guy entering there was denied another 7
day fmm because he did not return the previous 1. Was
allowed to purchase the 180. TJ does not make such a request,
es Mex

David K - 10-11-2016 at 11:27 AM

They seem to want to make sure you don't get a free one, then stay longer than 7 days, thus the passport is scanned at both pick up and drop off, when you leave.

If you pay for the 180 day FMM, then they are "good" and don't need to track you!