BajaNomad

Where to pay for FMM with cash?

cupcake - 4-23-2024 at 10:36 AM

Greetings All,
I crossed into TJ yesterday. I wanted a 180 day FMM, but was only able to get a 7 day FMM because I did not have a card to use for payment. The INM Officer told me that there are some offices still accepting cash, but he could not recommend a specific office. I am hoping someone on this forum can advise where I can pay cash for a longer term FMM.
Thanks.

[Edited on 4-23-2024 by cupcake]

David K - 4-23-2024 at 11:43 AM

FMMs are issued at the INM office/desk in the first building inside Mexico, as well as in port cities and International airports (for non-driving visitors).
I have always paid for them with cash. However, the last time was in 2022. Things do change!

cupcake - 4-23-2024 at 03:45 PM

Thanks David. Yes, in 2022 FMMs were still payable in cash at the San Ysidro crossing, but alas no more.

The INM agent I dealt with yesterday was quite friendly and helpful, and he told me that places like Ensenada, Tecate, Mexicali would not allow me to convert my 7 day FMM to a 180 day FMM and accept cash. He said possibly La Paz, and the best chance would be Mexico City. That is a long way to go with only a 7 day FMM, when there is no gaurantee of success. Luckily, there is plenty to do in northern Baja, so I will hang out here for the time being.

I am still hopeful someone will be along to advise of a recent FMM purchase that was paid in cash.

ftrphb - 4-23-2024 at 06:43 PM

Walk through San Ysidro on Sunday afternoon. In the pedestrian lane. AMLO changed to cards only because of corruption. The boss ain't there on Sundays.

PaulW - 4-23-2024 at 07:36 PM

Get a prepaid credit card.
I think Walmart sells them?

mtgoat666 - 4-23-2024 at 07:56 PM

Quote: Originally posted by cupcake  
Greetings All,
I crossed into TJ yesterday. I wanted a 180 day FMM, but was only able to get a 7 day FMM because I did not have a card to use for payment. The INM Officer told me that there are some offices still accepting cash, but he could not recommend a specific office. I am hoping someone on this forum can advise where I can pay cash for a longer term FMM.
Thanks.

[Edited on 4-23-2024 by cupcake]


I paid cash 2 months ago in Mexicali west xing.
Maybe you lost something in translation? Maybe the IMM officer told you to go pay at the bank window and you misunderstood the instructions… or maybe they were just yanking your chain that day…
Anywho, do people without a CC or debit card really exist? Are you a fugitive unable to obtain credit or ID to open a bank account? Are you a hobo living on only cash?

cupcake - 4-24-2024 at 09:33 AM

Quote: Originally posted by ftrphb  
Walk through San Ysidro on Sunday afternoon. In the pedestrian lane. AMLO changed to cards only because of corruption. The boss ain't there on Sundays.


I figured they changed to card only because of corruption. They did that in LA with the Flyaway bus some years ago for the same reason. Do these same sometimes corrupt people have access to my card info when I enter it? Save the government from the risk and instead pass it to the card barer?

cupcake - 4-24-2024 at 09:39 AM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW  
Get a prepaid credit card.
I think Walmart sells them?


This looks like a good way out of my predicament, thanks for the suggestion. Google is showing three Walmart locations in TJ.

cupcake - 4-24-2024 at 09:48 AM

Quote: Originally posted by mtgoat666  


I paid cash 2 months ago in Mexicali west xing.
Maybe you lost something in translation? Maybe the IMM officer told you to go pay at the bank window and you misunderstood the instructions… or maybe they were just yanking your chain that day…
Anywho, do people without a CC or debit card really exist? Are you a fugitive unable to obtain credit or ID to open a bank account? Are you a hobo living on only cash?


I was thinking about trying Tecate. Mexicali is a bit of a slog round trip from TJ. The INM agent said I would not be able to convert my existing 7-day FMM into a 180-day FMM at Tecate or Mexicali (he said they were too close to TJ and that I would be refered back to the originating office), but he said nothing about exiting Mexico and re-entering on a new FMM at these locations. I don´t think anything was lost in translation. My Spanish is so-so, but the INM agent was speaking English and seemed fluent to me. He also seemed to be honest and with a good knowledge of what he was advising about.

I want to be a cash-only hobo, but detaching completely from ´the grid´is apparently not a realistic goal.

[Edited on 4-24-2024 by cupcake]

RFClark - 4-24-2024 at 12:29 PM

Try paying online with a CC then pick up the FMM in TJ.

cupcake - 4-24-2024 at 06:41 PM

Thanks to all of you for the great suggestions.

I was able to pay with cash for a 180-day FMM today at the Tecate crossing without any problems. There is a small Banjercito office/kiosk there that is currently processing FMM payments in a variety of plastic cards (the logos of those they accept are posted next to the clerk window - I dont know if the Walmart debit card is one of them), dollars, and pesos. I paid with pesos (717).

I exited Mexico and then returned in order to get a new FMM, rather than trying to convert my existing 7-day FMM. I was amazed at how quiet that crossing was in both directions, just a trickle of traffic. It kind of felt like going back in time a few decades.

[Edited on 4-25-2024 by cupcake]