BajaNomad

Immigration

DIWR17 - 11-1-2022 at 09:32 AM

Not sure if there was a post somewhere else on this.

Came back in through SJD yesterday. No immigration forms no mas. Just a customs form. Scanned our PR card and stamped US passport and away you go. Assuming we will not need to visit the immigration office on the way out as well.

Our United flight crew thought there was nothing to fill out so they didn't hand out any customs forms. I would help them with the fact that you still need to fill that one out.

Finally.

karenintx - 11-1-2022 at 03:23 PM

Same procedure for us when returning to SJD last Friday 10/28th.

However when we departed SJD on 10/12th we went to the INM office there at the SJD airport...just to make sure. The agent scanned our R/P and stamped our US passports then told us..."right now you need to fill out the bottom half only of the FMM form and the gate agent will take it from you when you board the plane."

When I asked the agent if R/P & T/P will need to continue coming to the INM office every time we depart, his reply..."At least for today, do not know in the future."

So I would advise to at least stop by the INM the next time you leave as you do not want to be at the departing gate without the FMM form...the plane will not wait for you if you have to go back out of the security area and down to the INM office. ;)

bajamary1952 - 11-2-2022 at 01:39 PM

I was at Tecate border yesterday & had to complete FMM form & passport was stamped too.

David K - 11-2-2022 at 02:43 PM

There is a difference between land travel across the border, and flying across.

karenintx - 11-2-2022 at 02:47 PM

Mexico INM has only changed the immigration process (FMM) for the travelers that are flying...not travelers driving across the border.

It is a lot easier for INM to "track" travelers that fly into a resort city for vacation since "most" of them will need to return back to their home country for their J-O-B. :lol:

Also, this only applies to a handful of resort cities in Mexico...PVR, CUN, SJD are not requiring the FMM. There could be more airports but I do not know for sure so I do not want to give false information.

It is my understanding by adopting this new procedure it allows INM agents to process travelers faster through the airport(s) which is what the tourist want!

DIWR17 - 11-9-2022 at 08:09 AM

A friend of mine just went out through SJD yesterday. They were made to go to the immigration office and fill out the form as per usual.

karenintx - 11-9-2022 at 10:44 AM

Quote: Originally posted by DIWR17  
A friend of mine just went out through SJD yesterday. They were made to go to the immigration office and fill out the form as per usual.


When you say..."fill out the form", are you saying the entire form as in both the top & the bottom portions?

As I reported early, on Oct 12th we were told to only fill out the bottom portion which was collected as the boarding gate. INM agent did not ask us for the top portion upon our return two weeks later.

Also an other reason R/P & T/P need to go by the INM office at "any" Mexican airport...INM agent needs to scan your R/P or T/P card then stamp your passport. Both of these actions by the INM agent will document your "legal" departure out of Mexico.

surabi - 11-9-2022 at 12:52 PM

Except that when I flew out from the PV airport back in July, the guy sitting at the Imm. booth waved me away when I went up there, saying I didn't need to do anything, Westjet didn't ask for any part of the form, and no one stamped my passport.

Coming back, they passed out the forms on the plane and I filled one out but Immigration didn't want it and just stamped my passport.

Honestly, we just don't know at this point how they're going to do it from one day to the next.

boe4fun - 11-9-2022 at 12:54 PM

Quote: Originally posted by David K  
There is a difference between land travel across the border, and flying across.


Any info on using the CBX bridge?

karenintx - 11-9-2022 at 01:31 PM

[rquote=Honestly, we just don't know at this point how they're going to do it from one day to the next.
[/rquote]

So true!!! For years just to "CMA...cover my a**", I have taken a photo of my arriving & departing boarding passes which go into a folder on my laptop. :spingrin:

surabi - 11-9-2022 at 03:24 PM

Yes, I have saved all my boarding passes in a folder, as well. I always say that you can't go wrong, when living and doing business in Mexico, to save every piece of paper you were issued since you were born. :-)

pauldavidmena - 11-9-2022 at 04:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by surabi  
Yes, I have saved all my boarding passes in a folder, as well. I always say that you can't go wrong, when living and doing business in Mexico, to save every piece of paper you were issued since you were born. :-)


Airlines are leaning toward paperless boarding passes these days, but you can't use a barcode as a bookmark.

surabi - 11-9-2022 at 06:21 PM

I got my boarding pass on my phone when I checked in online. Not a barcode, an actual boarding pass that looks like the paper one. Which I can easily download and save.

karenintx - 11-10-2022 at 12:15 PM

I agree with surabi. My mobile boarding ticket/pass not only shows a QR code, it also has my name, gate #, boarding time, boarding ends time, departure time, destination, confirmation number along with other info.

I do not bookmark...I take a screenshot then forward it to "a special" folder.

The airlines maybe going paperless in certain areas, or they may charge the passenger for a paper copy, but the airlines will never be able to eliminate a gate agent from printing a paper ticket when a passenger ask for one.

Howard - 11-10-2022 at 11:05 PM

Today I flew from Loreto to Los Angeles. I drove to Loreto about one month ago and did not have any paperwork for entry. ( I am a Residente Permenente) Previously I had to go to immigration and get the small part of the entry form to give the airlines. Today, no paperwork was requested by Alaska, just my passport.

Tomorrow is another day and could change by then after all, eets Mehico.

DIWR17 - 11-11-2022 at 07:45 AM

The immigration guy filled out the bottom for my friend to hand to the WestJet counter.

surabi - 11-11-2022 at 09:07 AM

Quote: Originally posted by karenintx  
I agree with surabi. My mobile boarding ticket/pass not only shows a QR code, it also has my name, gate #, boarding time, boarding ends time, departure time, destination, confirmation number along with other info.

I do not bookmark...I take a screenshot then forward it to "a special" folder.

The airlines maybe going paperless in certain areas, or they may charge the passenger for a paper copy, but the airlines will never be able to eliminate a gate agent from printing a paper ticket when a passenger ask for one.


Because I had a checked bag, I had to go to the ticketing counter anyway, not just straight to my gate after online check-in. The Westjet agent asked if I wanted a paper boarding pass as well as the one on my phone, to which I said yes. I actually find it easier to show that all the times we have to show the boarding pass, i.e. at security checkpoints, than using my phone. I prefer to keep my phone safely in my bag, with my passport and paper boarding pass in my hand.

DIWR17 - 11-23-2022 at 09:07 AM

A friend went out of SJD last week (PR) and did not have to go to immigration for a bottom half.

Marty Mateo - 11-23-2022 at 09:31 AM

We flew into San Jose del Cabo as tourists and no fmm was issued to us . Heard they are testing it out at certain airports.

Alan - 11-24-2022 at 12:58 PM

Quote: Originally posted by boe4fun  
Quote: Originally posted by David K  
There is a difference between land travel across the border, and flying across.


Any info on using the CBX bridge?
I just went across on the 1st. Seems like nothing has changed other than how you pay. Needed fill out the FMM using the machines in the CBX lobby to scan your passport then when you get to INM on the other side of the bridge they now have ATMs to pay the fees and then you present the receipt to the agent. Just as usually when you come back. No need to present your FMM or turn it in to anyone so no change there,

eastmeetswest - 11-25-2022 at 08:35 AM

We flew to SJD via WestJet on October 22. They gave us the Customs form and the FMM on the plane. We filled them out and handed them to the person at the counter. They took the entire FMM form and did not return the bottom. We flew out of SJD on November 18. No request for the FMM at the ticket counter. No problems. But... who knows about next time?

boe4fun - 12-9-2022 at 10:22 AM

We had to print out our FMM’s prior to crossing the CBX bridge for our flight to Cabo via Volaris. Nobody checked after crossing the bridge into Mexico, no collection or checking upon return to the USA.

DIWR17 - 1-19-2023 at 01:18 PM

Flew back in last week and United was still handing out immigration forms. Did not try to correct them.

JZ - 1-19-2023 at 02:19 PM

They give you just the customs form on Alaska.