BajaNomad

4 night stay do we need to get visas/

scotinexcile - 4-13-2021 at 03:18 PM

We are driving Southbound Wednesday late evening and back Sunday. I saw a few posts saying we don't need visas for a short stay? Is that true? :o

Bajabus - 4-13-2021 at 04:09 PM

Where are you going for your 4 nite stay?

scotinexcile - 4-13-2021 at 04:37 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Bajabus  
Where are you going for your 4 nite stay?


Bahia Ascension just over 1/2 way down Baja

HeyMulegeScott - 4-13-2021 at 05:03 PM

It's called an FMM and yes you need to get one. Under 7 days and it's free.

David K - 4-13-2021 at 05:15 PM

1 minute in Mexico requires it... Things changed just a few years ago.

David K - 4-13-2021 at 05:21 PM

Quote: Originally posted by scotinexcile  
Quote: Originally posted by Bajabus  
Where are you going for your 4 nite stay?


Bahia Ascension just over 1/2 way down Baja


Bahía Asunción :light:

[Edited on 4-14-2021 by David K]

Baja Peninsula.jpg - 99kB

scotinexcile - 4-13-2021 at 05:33 PM

Quote: Originally posted by HeyMulegeScott  
It's called an FMM and yes you need to get one. Under 7 days and it's free.


Thank you, that clears things up

scotinexcile - 4-13-2021 at 05:35 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
Quote: Originally posted by scotinexcile  
Quote: Originally posted by Bajabus  
Where are you going for your 4 nite stay?


Bahia Ascension just over 1/2 way down Baja


Bahía Asunción :light:

[Edited on 4-14-2021 by David K]


Mia Culpa as my Italia friend likes to say :)

David K - 4-13-2021 at 05:41 PM

:D

Lee - 4-13-2021 at 06:43 PM

Quote: Originally posted by scotinexcile  

Mia Culpa as my Italia friend likes to say :)


That's ''mea culpa.''

surabi - 4-13-2021 at 07:39 PM

Quote: Originally posted by HeyMulegeScott  
It's called an FMM and yes you need to get one. Under 7 days and it's free.


The form you fill out is called an FMM, but FMM is not synonymous with tourist visa. All non-citizens fill them out, regardless of whether you are a tourist, a temporary or permanent resident. The bottom half is given back to tourists when they enter Mexico and serves as their tourist card. For residents, it's just used for statistical purposes and they don't need to retain any of the form.

scotinexcile - 4-14-2021 at 08:22 AM

Quote: Originally posted by Lee  
Quote: Originally posted by scotinexcile  

Mia Culpa as my Italia friend likes to say :)


That's ''mea culpa.''


Languages, got to love them :)

BajaMama - 4-14-2021 at 11:45 AM

You need to have passport or a passport card to obtain your FMM.

Alm - 4-14-2021 at 04:15 PM

Quote: Originally posted by scotinexcile  
We are driving Southbound Wednesday late evening and back Sunday. I saw a few posts saying we don't need visas for a short stay? Is that true? :o

Americans and Canadians don't need tourist "visas" to Mexico. What they need is FMM, a piece of paper sometimes called a tourist card. Visas are issued at Mexican consulate for nationals of the countries that require them, they are not issued at Mexican border. Different process, different document.

Like others noted, you need a passport or passport card to get FMM. One thing to remember is that at the Mexican border the law is what the border agent says it is. They should issue you a free 7-day FMM but they might also wave you through, or tell that you must pay same price as for 6-months FMM.

sancho - 4-14-2021 at 05:28 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Alm  


One thing to remember is that at the Mexican border the law is what the border agent says it is. They should issue you a free 7-day FMM but they might also wave you through, or tell that you must pay same price as for 6-months FMM.










True enough, the Immigration regs are what the Imm officer
says they are 'at the time you are talking to him', regs may be
different when next officer comes in. A few weeks back,
Mexicali West was not granting free 7 day fmm's, they
would perhaps validate a 7 day that one brought in off
the internet, perhaps not

John Harper - 4-14-2021 at 06:16 PM

Quote: Originally posted by scotinexcile  
We are driving Southbound Wednesday late evening


Good luck. Be very cautious driving at night in Baja.

John

mtgoat666 - 4-14-2021 at 07:16 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Alm  
Quote: Originally posted by scotinexcile  
We are driving Southbound Wednesday late evening and back Sunday. I saw a few posts saying we don't need visas for a short stay? Is that true? :o

Americans and Canadians don't need tourist "visas" to Mexico. What they need is FMM, a piece of paper sometimes called a tourist card. Visas are issued at Mexican consulate for nationals of the countries that require them, they are not issued at Mexican border. Different process, different document.
.


Don’t be pedantic! This is a discussion in English about tourist card (visa). ‘Visa’ is a fine (and commonly accepted) English word for FMM.
Border agents will understand if you say “visa,” “tourist card” or “FMM.”

‘Visa’ is a universally accepted for travel document, only an anal wanker would attempt to lecture John q public on the minutia of immigration terminology in Spanish...

Alm - 4-15-2021 at 01:49 PM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  

Border agents will understand if you say “visa,” “tourist card” or “FMM.”

Border agents will understand, yes. My neighbor is traveling every year through "Meksikali" - this is how he's calling it, and believe it or not, never had problems finding his way.

From the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs:



Edit-PS: you're not the only one having difficulties understanding these things. This is why they wrote this piece with red color, caps and fonts in bold. Well, they tried :) ...

[Edited on 4-15-2021 by Alm]

Bajabus - 4-15-2021 at 02:11 PM

Quote: Originally posted by scotinexcile  
Quote: Originally posted by Lee  
Quote: Originally posted by scotinexcile  

Mia Culpa as my Italia friend likes to say :)


That's ''mea culpa.''


Languages, got to love them :)


As long as we are being pedantic, Italians ( I am one ) do not say Mea. that word does not exist in Italian, it would be said as Mia Culpa. Mea Culpa is a latin phrase.

David K - 4-15-2021 at 02:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Alm  
Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  

Border agents will understand if you say “visa,” “tourist card” or “FMM.”

Border agents will understand, yes. My neighbor is traveling every year through "Meksikali" - this is how he's calling it, and believe it or not, never had problems finding his way.

From the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs:



Edit-PS: you're not the only one having difficulties understanding these things. This is why they wrote this piece with red color, caps and fonts in bold. Well, they tried :) ...

[Edited on 4-15-2021 by Alm]


Excellent... but note when done online or pre-purchased through a third party (travel club, etc.), it is NOT valid until you stop at the border, walk into the INM office, and get it stamped! Making any advantage to pre-buying them or online ordering them very small. The agent who stamps it is the same person who hands you a blank one to fill out. Also, when pre-purchasing one online, you must indicate which border crossing location and the date of your crossing. If you don't cross at that border or on that day, it is a wasted effort and cost.
:light:;)

Bajabus - 4-15-2021 at 02:33 PM

I concur with David. It's easy at the crossing. I would only add that we have always tried to cross at insanely early hrs. This last one a month or so ago at Mexicali West was about 10 min including the crossing. The last shift was about to end, everyone was half asleep and we were waved thru as if we were family.