BajaNomad - border crossing into USA

border crossing into USA

jbrown - 10-5-2018 at 01:35 PM

Is it correct that I can return to USA with an original birth certificate and government issued photo id (enhansed driver license)? My passport can not be renewed intime for the Baja !000. Can any one comment on the Monalisa Rv park and Playa Campo Rv park. I need to make reservations asap. Thanks ever so much. Okiegumbo@wcc.net

Howard - 10-5-2018 at 01:40 PM

1: You have time to renew your passport, it doesn't take that long.

2: The rules are you cant use the ID you are talking about to return to the USA

3: The border guards will not deny you entry back, maybe give you a little lip service.

Around 6 months ago I applied for my passport renewal, took a photo copy of the passport and along with my birth certificate crossed with no problem. They didn't even want to see my birth certificate. I had a feeling that there computers showed it was in for renewal.

Flying is a completely different story.

By the way, do you use that vile, horrible Okra in your Gumbo? :biggrin:

[Edited on 10-5-2018 by Howard]

bajaguy - 10-5-2018 at 02:05 PM

Can you return to USA with an original birth certificate and government issued photo id??? - Yes. You will be admitted. The CBP doesn't like it and you might get a lecture or sent to secondary....or just passed through

The other issue with your passport is that you cannot get the FMM (Mexican Immigration form) commonly referred to as a "tourist visa" without a valid passport or a passport card. If you enter Mexico without the FMM, you are in the country illegally

Quote: Originally posted by jbrown

Is it correct that I can return to USA with an original birth certificate and government issued photo id (enhansed driver license)? My passport can not be renewed intime for the Baja !000. Can any one comment on the Monalisa Rv park and Playa Campo Rv park. I need to make reservations asap. Thanks ever so much. Okiegumbo@wcc.net

sancho - 10-5-2018 at 02:23 PM

You can come back with as little as no ID, the threat of
secondary is not the case, they won't make you sing
the Star Spangled Banner. Getting a Tourist Card (fmm),
is another story, I just did a self mail in passport renewal,
17 day to get it mailed to me

David K - 10-5-2018 at 05:48 PM

It's not returning home that requires a passport... It is entering Mexico when you are supposed to get the FMM (Tourist Card) that requires a valid passport!

mtgoat666 - 10-5-2018 at 07:42 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K

It's not returning home that requires a passport... It is entering Mexico when you are supposed to get the FMM (Tourist Card) that requires a valid passport!

Dk,
Actually, USA law says you should have a passport. Not enforced, as a lot of drunken day trippers that cross border don’t bother to know and follow the law. Just too many scoflaws to prosecute on limited resources.

David K - 10-5-2018 at 08:00 PM

Yes, you should... but you cannot be denied entry back into your own country. A passport is the best way to prove that. However, following my reply above, if you don't leave without one, then that is that. Mexico requires your passport to get their FMM that we all are supposed to have to visit Mexico... even for an hour!

aburruss - 10-5-2018 at 08:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by jbrown

My passport can not be renewed intime for the Baja !000.

The Baja 1000 is in the middle of November. In NORMAL circumstances, that is PLENTY of time to get your passport renewed (I'm not sure if you have some extenuating circumstances??). They will tell you that it might take 6 weeks for normal processing, and up to 4 weeks for an expedited processing. My experience with the expediting on a new passport OR a renewal is that it takes less than 3 weeks.

Go down to the post office, fill out the paperwork, and pay the extra $60. You'll have it in time. There's also the "super expedited" option, if you can prove that you have booked travel plans.. The fees look the same, but expedited shipping can also be added on.

Check https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/apply-r... for lots of details.

Again, all this goes out the window if you have some other situation that doesn't allow you to get this going...

JoeJustJoe - 10-5-2018 at 08:38 PM

I pray nobody comes to this thread and says, " it's the law, you have to have your passport, and get you FMM to go to Mexico, even if it's to cross the border for a day trip."

Sadly, I don't think my prayers will be answered.

AKgringo - 10-5-2018 at 09:01 PM

My passport renewal took less than three weeks, and I just paid the standard fee, no expedited delivery!

Howard had a good suggestion to make photo copies of your passport before you send the old one in with the renewal application. I am a technophobe/luddite, but I'll bet some of you can do that with your smart phones!

sancho - 10-5-2018 at 09:23 PM

Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe

I pray nobody comes to this thread and says, " it's the law, you have to have your passport, and get you FMM to go to Mexico, even if it's to cross the border for a day trip."

Well, I walked across at TJ at the newer Mex Imm, on the
east side of the 5 freeway, 4 yrs. or so back. Upon entering
the bldg. all tourists had to present passport-passport card
to get the free 7 day fmm for a day trip, those who did not
have either, were denied entry and escorted back, do not
know if that is still the same practice by Mex Imm

JZ - 10-6-2018 at 09:35 AM

You can get a passport in 24 hrs.

Howard - 10-6-2018 at 10:09 AM

It's the law, you have to have your passport, and get you FMM to go to Mexico, even if it's to cross the border for a day trip.
:biggrin:

By the way how would you feel if a non American were to sneak into the United States or any home country for that matter and then go back to their county without having to get documentation?

Hopefully my prayers will be answered with a fair and logical answer.

BajaTed - 10-6-2018 at 10:17 AM

Bracero program

mtgoat666 - 10-6-2018 at 10:42 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Howard

By the way how would you feel if a non American were to sneak into the United States

Having met many undocumented immigrants, I find them to mostly be fine people, so I am OK with some undocumented immigrants being present in USA. They work hard, pay taxes at similar rate as the wealthy that get rich off their low wage labor, and they enrich our communities. I am appalled by the bigotry and xenophobia that is evident in trump and his base when they spout their anti-immigrant nonsense, attack DACA, and scream and yell for a wall.

[Edited on 10-6-2018 by mtgoat666]

JoeJustJoe - 10-6-2018 at 11:17 AM

Quote: Originally posted by sancho

If you don't have a passport, don't try to walk across the US/Mexico, border, instead use your car and drive across, although I know a few cases where US Citizens, walked across without a passport, and still were allowed into Mexico, but it wasn't easy, and I wouldn't advise to try to walk in without a passport.

However, rules are made to be circumvented, by-passed, side-stepped, and ignored, especially if you want to visit Mexico, but you can't get a passport, because you can't afford one, or you owe back child support, are on probation, or have a serious felony charge on your record.

I would imagine, the list above, is a good percentage of "Nomad" members from seeing in another thread, how cheap people are that they didn't want to get both the passport, and pass card for a few extra dollars, and I have known of a few ex-cons on "Baja Nomad' through the years.

Nobody loves Mexico, more than American criminals, looking to hide out, hang out, get drunk, and do drugs.

If you drive over the border, Mexican custom officials, are not stopping cars of US citizens, or others and making them get a FMM filled out, and of course most people are not stopping and doing it voluntarily. I don't care how many people say it's the law, the fact is most people driving over the border for a day trip or longer, are not stopping to get a FMM, and nobody seems to care.

In fact I would bet most infrequent US citizens driving into Mexico for a day trip, even know that you are suppose to stop if an get an FMM.

Now as I said before, I usually walk in the US/Mexico, border, and I do have both a passport, and passcard, but I get upset, if they made me fill out a stupid FMM card, because usually I tell them it's a day trip to the pharmacy, and they let me right through without filling out an FMM.

Regarding the OP's, dilemma, of can not renewing his passport in time. We all mostly know, if you want to pay extra, you could get it done in time, so perhaps there could be another reason he can't get his passport in time?

Now since he is going really far into Baja, and could be staying longer than a week, even I would advise to get a passport, but if you can't get it for whatever reason, just drive in with your expired passport, and take your drivers license, and birth certificate.

You know you will be able to get back into the US easily, and what are the Mexican officials going to do with you while you're racing the Baja 1000? Perhaps pull you over and then deport you? If so, big deal.

[Edited on 10-6-2018 by JoeJustJoe]

woody with a view - 10-6-2018 at 12:06 PM

my passport took 2 weeks.

gnukid - 10-6-2018 at 12:44 PM

Mexican friends who applied for a visa to US were approved and can travel freely to visit US from Mexico legally

US friends who applied for a visa to Mexico were approved and can travel to visit Mexico from US legally

There is no societal benefit to illegal immigration - it benefits transnational criminals to further crime, human exploitation and terrorism

Those who support illegal immigration in either direction are putting populations at certain high risk of danger and exploitation and funding transnational criminal gang activity

The open border allowing illegal immigrant trafficking is a high risk threat to security on both sides of the border and puts hundreds of thousands of families and children in danger and certain harm oftentimes in situations that are difficult to recover from

Immigrants are trafficked by transnational gangs who receive $5k for each migrant, illegal immigration is directly funding transnational cartel activity

Mexican illegal immigrant criminals make up 22% of US prison population - Mexicans are the highest foreign prison population with columbians 2nd

MS13 gang member apprehensions are up 244% y/y

50% of illegal immigrants in 2018 are families and unaccompanied minors, 50% of those are being forced to transport drugs, many are abused, raped, and trafficked for labor, prostitution and a life of exploitation

Southern border route is used by international terrorists

Illegal immigrants are endangered by coyotes in extremely unsafe conditions

illegal immigrants families and unoccupied minors who are detected are delivered to border patrol in overwhelming numbers with no valid identification to assist in repatriation - the costs to identify, care and house illegal immigrants is extremely high and increasingly so

Sponsor applicants applying to "foster" unaccompanied minor illegal immigrants are increasingly identified as criminals - 70% of sponsors are identified criminals in recent 2018 reports

Cartels must constantly invent new ways to profit from the open border to traffic people and contraband

Those illegal immigrants who do arrive in the US must continue a life of criminal activity often with stolen identities and a life outside the rule of law that is extremely expensive to the legal population - 40 million US social security numbers are reported as stolen and used nefariously in 2018, at a cost of 5.8 billion in fraudulent irs refunds and 24 billion in refunds prevented in 2015

mtgoat666 - 10-6-2018 at 03:23 PM

Quote: Originally posted by gnukid

Mexican friends who applied for a visa to US were approved and can travel freely to visit US from Mexico legally

US friends who applied for a visa to Mexico were approved and can travel to visit Mexico from US legally

There is no societal benefit to illegal immigration - it benefits transnational criminals to further crime, human exploitation and terrorism

Those who support illegal immigration in either direction are putting populations at certain high risk of danger and exploitation and funding transnational criminal gang activity

The open border allowing illegal immigrant trafficking is a high risk threat to security on both sides of the border and puts hundreds of thousands of families and children in danger and certain harm oftentimes in situations that are difficult to recover from

Immigrants are trafficked by transnational gangs who receive $5k for each migrant, illegal immigration is directly funding transnational cartel activity

Mexican illegal immigrant criminals make up 22% of US prison population - Mexicans are the highest foreign prison population with columbians 2nd

MS13 gang member apprehensions are up 244% y/y

50% of illegal immigrants in 2018 are families and unaccompanied minors, 50% of those are being forced to transport drugs, many are abused, raped, and trafficked for labor, prostitution and a life of exploitation

Southern border route is used by international terrorists

Illegal immigrants are endangered by coyotes in extremely unsafe conditions

illegal immigrants families and unoccupied minors who are detected are delivered to border patrol in overwhelming numbers with no valid identification to assist in repatriation - the costs to identify, care and house illegal immigrants is extremely high and increasingly so

Sponsor applicants applying to "foster" unaccompanied minor illegal immigrants are increasingly identified as criminals - 70% of sponsors are identified criminals in recent 2018 reports

Cartels must constantly invent new ways to profit from the open border to traffic people and contraband

Those illegal immigrants who do arrive in the US must continue a life of criminal activity often with stolen identities and a life outside the rule of law that is extremely expensive to the legal population - 40 million US social security numbers are reported as stolen and used nefariously in 2018, at a cost of 5.8 billion in fraudulent irs refunds and 24 billion in refunds prevented in 2015

Newkid,
I used to think you were a liberal with over-active imagination leading you to believe in paranoid big brother type conspiracy theories. Now i have to recategorize you as a trumpian white nationalist wall building N-zi.

Fyi, your wealthy/educated friends might be able ti get a visa to usa, but usa gestapo refuse to grant visas to most working class mexicans. If you werent a trust fund baby, you would be cognizant of usa anti-democratic restrictions on travel solely based on class/income

BornFisher - 10-6-2018 at 09:35 PM

I know of a family of 4 who are dirt poor but managed to get visas last month. Took them years, and lots of hard work and money but they did it. They live in east TJ, they have a vehicle, but until recently their floor was dirt.

JoeJustJoe - 10-7-2018 at 08:02 AM

How did a topic about border crossing into Mexico, become a debate about US immigration?

Gnukid, sure engages in a lot of Trumpian, fear mongering, especially when he talks about MS-13, the notoriously dangerous gang, that took the place of the African killer bees, that were making their way to American more than a decade ago, and the hysteria and newspaper articles, were sensationalized and over-the-top about the African killer bees, that were coming to America, to kill livestock, family pets, and chase down and kill people in the suburbs!

There is no doubt that the MS-13, is a dangerous gang, but like the killer bees, their dangers to communities never lived up to the hype, and most MS-13 members, are actually US citizens born in the US, and many local gangs take the name 13, and they have nothing to do with Salvadoran gang, and way less than even 1 percent of immigrants coming to the US are gang members in their home countries.

Immigrants, all immigrants have always been a net gain in America, and are not all criminals, that Gnukid, makes them out to be.

Regarding poor Mexicans, living in dirt floor home, getting a visas to come to the US. I'm not going to laugh, and say, "yeah right," but I will say, you need to look at the averages, and US immigration policy, usually does not allow Mexicans into the US with a visa, unless they have ties to the US, jobs waiting for them in highly skilled areas, or for humanitarian reasons.

Even Mexicans wanting to vacation in the US, better home a home, have money in the bank, and strong ties to Mexico, before the US will ever consider to give them a VISA. The Lottery VISA game, doesn't apply to Mexicans, and so that game is out for any Mexican.

A Border crossing card, or B-2, visa, that limits the distance you can travel in the US, has the same requirements as a tourist visit for a Mexican coming to the US.

The fact is for the majority of Mexicans wanting to come to the US, there is no line for them to stand it, and it's a waste of $131 dollars to fill out that visa application, because it will be denied.

But that shouldn't stop a determined Mexican from coming to the US anyway they can, because they are wanted here by employers, and there are jobs for them.

I would also advise central Americans, coming to the US to claim asylum, don't come through the point of entry, because you will most likely be turned away, your chances are better if you walk in where there is no gate, and then claim asylum. This will give you a better chance, and more of a chance of contacting an immigration attorney to help.

[Edited on 10-7-2018 by JoeJustJoe]

Alm - 10-7-2018 at 10:26 AM

Quote: Originally posted by JoeJustJoe

How did a topic about border crossing into Mexico, become a debate about US immigration?

There was a poem in my Spanish lessons: "Para dialogar, preguntad primero; después... escuchad".
There is more than enough to listen/read in this topic, to even ask this question. The subject line is: Border crossing into USA.