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Bajahowodd
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9274
Registered: 12-15-2008
Location: Disneyland Adjacent and anywhere in Baja
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| Quote: | Originally posted by BajaRat
Don't forget your passport |
Seems like this topic comes up every other week. The legal line is you need to get your FMM at the border. The extra-legal line is that many folks
travel Baja without the FMM and have no consequences.
The passport advice is primarily because you cannot obtain the FMM without your passport. You really don't need a passport to get back to the US.
Editorial: The passport requirement has had a huge negative effect on tourism to Baja. Yet, no one has ever been denied return to the US without a
passport. It's the worst of all worlds.
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6700
Registered: 9-5-2003
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A lot of people ignore the immigration requirements while living or traveling in Mexico. Doesn't make it right though. DO what is required and you
will be happy.
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5938
Registered: 7-18-2011
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Last time I pulled in to get my TC stamped at TJ, the secondary inspector wanted me to unload everything in my truck. I told him I just pulled in to
get my card stamped and he said, "no you didn't, you are in the secondary area, so you will now let me go thru your stuff". I tried the old "ignore
him and maybe he'll go away trick" but that didn't work. I had to pull out all my camping gear, food, beer, surfboards, clothes - everything! That
packing took me 3 hours the night before! Of course I repacked it in like 20 minutes cuz I wanted to get the hell outta there, but it really screwed
up my organization. I didn't know where anything was until i got to scorpion bay and unpacked. So from now on I'm stamping in Ensenada.
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65410
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Good luck with that, and let us know how Ensenada works for you! (Horror stories a couple years ago, but a different agent perhaps now?) There is NO
bank teller near the Ensenada customs, so you will need to drive into town, find an open bank, wait in the insane long bank lines, then go BACK to the
INM to get the validating stamp. I would just tough it out at TJ, or maybe park a block away, trust your truck to be left untouched, and walk back to
the INM...
The whole thing is so stupid, and you know there are plenty of gringos who don't read the Internet or books... who just drive south... as there are NO
SIGNS at the border or south of Ensenada/ San Felipe saying anything special is needed.
In the old days (pre 1995?), there was a booth south of Maneadero JUST for tourists to get their cards or have them validated... even then, with less
traffic, some gringos just sailed right by... but that was an easy solution.
The stupid part now is that fees must be paid at a bank, as they can't have a teller or bonded person take the payment at the INM office.
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Ateo
Elite Nomad
Posts: 5938
Registered: 7-18-2011
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Good luck with that, and let us know how Ensenada works for you! (Horror stories a couple years ago, but a different agent perhaps now?) There is NO
bank teller near the Ensenada customs, so you will need to drive into town, find an open bank, wait in the insane long bank lines, then go BACK to the
INM to get the validating stamp. I would just tough it out at TJ, or maybe park a block away, trust your truck to be left untouched, and walk back to
the INM...
The whole thing is so stupid, and you know there are plenty of gringos who don't read the Internet or books... who just drive south... as there are NO
SIGNS at the border or south of Ensenada/ San Felipe saying anything special is needed.
In the old days (pre 1995?), there was a booth south of Maneadero JUST for tourists to get their cards or have them validated... even then, with less
traffic, some gringos just sailed right by... but that was an easy solution.
The stupid part now is that fees must be paid at a bank, as they can't have a teller or bonded person take the payment at the INM office.
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Yeah, you're right - the whole thing is so stupid! Why not just have a simple building on the side of the road at Maneadero? Have the cards and make
a payment. 10 minute process. Could they make it any harder than it is now? I
've done the stamping at Ensenada twice and it was a hassle there too. I don't remember having to go in to town for a bank. I believe there was a
small bank booth onsite.
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rts551
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6700
Registered: 9-5-2003
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Stupid? Poor choice of words if you ask me. how many signs for people going north? and maybe (for reciprocity sake) we aught to adopt the good old
USA procedures for allowing tourists in our country. Todays Mexico toursit procedures are not that big a deal.
Even in the old days the check point was just that, a check point. Early they issued a permit if you didn't have on but Later they would send you
back to Ensenada (or take mordida) if you did not have your permit. | Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Good luck with that, and let us know how Ensenada works for you! (Horror stories a couple years ago, but a different agent perhaps now?) There is NO
bank teller near the Ensenada customs, so you will need to drive into town, find an open bank, wait in the insane long bank lines, then go BACK to the
INM to get the validating stamp. I would just tough it out at TJ, or maybe park a block away, trust your truck to be left untouched, and walk back to
the INM...
The whole thing is so stupid, and you know there are plenty of gringos who don't read the Internet or books... who just drive south... as there are NO
SIGNS at the border or south of Ensenada/ San Felipe saying anything special is needed.
In the old days (pre 1995?), there was a booth south of Maneadero JUST for tourists to get their cards or have them validated... even then, with less
traffic, some gringos just sailed right by... but that was an easy solution.
The stupid part now is that fees must be paid at a bank, as they can't have a teller or bonded person take the payment at the INM office.
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