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GATO9632
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VISA vs FMM
Heard on the news they are enforcing visitors to MX need a VISA (unless you have dual citizenship). So do we also need a VISA and a FMM? Confused.
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4x4abc
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the permit to visit a foreign country is called a visa
Mexico like most countries has various forms of it
the FMM is a tourist visa
even though many want to argue that it is not
but it is waht the Arizona station had in mind
do NOT follow their advice and get one online!
Too many fraudulent sites and even the legitimate ones can cause you headaches
like when your proposed day and time of entry do not match your actual entry time - the INM people might refuse to accept your pre paid paper
you'll have to pay again
sometimes they do not pre printed application period - legit or not
you'll pay again
so, save yourself from headaches and present your passport at the border and pay your fee - on you go
it is your responsibility to find the immigration guys at the border - they are not in your face like entering the US
do NOT skip getting the FMM!
Mexico has stepped up controls and you'll be in deep doodoo if you don't have the FMM
it is not a slap on the wrist and a small fine
those times are over
you go to jail for a week and be deported (your vehicle confiscated)
Harald Pietschmann
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mtgoat666
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Quote: Originally posted by GATO9632  | | Heard on the news they are enforcing visitors to MX need a VISA (unless you have dual citizenship). So do we also need a VISA and a FMM? Confused.
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‘Visa’ is a universal word that most people use in conversation about travel permissions issued to tourists visiting foreign countries. Mexico
calls their most common travel permission an ‘FMM,’ and the FMM is the travel permission that is issued to American tourists. Mexico does issue
‘visas’ for some nationalities.
I have been getting FMMs for many years, but I often call it a ‘visa’ in conversation.
Woke!
Hands off!
“Por el bien de todos, primero los pobres.”
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Pronoun: the royal we
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surabi
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Slight correction- an FMM isn't synonymous with "tourist visa", it's a migratory document that all but Mexican citizens have to fill out when crossing
by land. Residents have to fill them out, so calling it a tourist visa is a misnomer.
The part they give back to you as a tourist serves as a tourist visa.
It may seem like a nit-picky thing, but it's important for temporary or permanent residents to understand- when filling out the FMM, you have to make
sure that they mark it with the appropriate residency status. If they check you in as a tourist, you automatically forfeit your residency status and
have to reapply, starting the residency process from scratch. Also no part of the FMM form is handed back to residents.
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latitude32
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| Quote: Originally posted by surabi | Slight correction- an FMM isn't synonymous with "tourist visa", it's a migratory document that all but Mexican citizens have to fill out when crossing
by land. Residents have to fill them out, so calling it a tourist visa is a misnomer.
The part they give back to you as a tourist serves as a tourist visa.
It may seem like a nit-picky thing, but it's important for temporary or permanent residents to understand- when filling out the FMM, you have to make
sure that they mark it with the appropriate residency status. If they check you in as a tourist, you automatically forfeit your residency status and
have to reapply, starting the residency process from scratch. Also no part of the FMM form is handed back to residents. |
if you are a temporary or permanent resident why would you be getting an FMM?
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4x4abc
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lets expand this
lets say you have temp or perm residency
you drive in and no FMM is required of you
so far so good
now, if you have fly out one day, what steps do you have to take before you do?
since you have neither the stub of the FMM nor the new ticket version, you have nothing to show when you leave the country
Harald Pietschmann
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SFandH
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| Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc | lets expand this
lets say you have temp or perm residency
you drive in and no FMM is required of you
so far so good
now, if you have fly out one day, what steps do you have to take before you do?
since you have neither the stub of the FMM nor the new ticket version, you have nothing to show when you leave the country
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"you have nothing to show when you leave the country"
Show to who?
Why wouldn't your resident card work if you're talking about a Mexican official?
[Edited on 3-8-2025 by SFandH]
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surabi
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It seems you didn't comprehend anything I wrote. If you are a resident, you don't "get" an FMM. An "FMM" is not a tourist visa- it is a migratory form
that everyone but citizens have to fill out when crossing by land. If you are a tourist, immigration hands you back the bottom half of the form, which
serves as your tourist visa. If you are a resident, the form is only used for statistical purposes and you don't get anything back.
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surabi
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| Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc | lets expand this
lets say you have temp or perm residency
you drive in and no FMM is required of you
so far so good
now, if you have fly out one day, what steps do you have to take before you do?
since you have neither the stub of the FMM nor the new ticket version, you have nothing to show when you leave the country
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If you fly out, you just go to the immigration window at the airport, present your passport and residency card, and your boarding pass, and they stamp
your passport with exit date.
When they used to use the FMM forms at the airports, it worked the opposite for residents than for tourists- you filled out the FMM form when leaving
the country, they gave you back the small part to keep with you when out of the country, then you turned that in when flying back in. Residents didn't
have any part of the FMM form while in Mexico.
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pacificobob
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We both hold PR cards. When traveling abroad, we have never done any of the above. I traveled to Guatemala in February. No forms of any type. Same
with travel to the US.
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surabi
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There are no forms anymore when flying. Not even for tourists- they just stamp passports now.
If driving, although no one forces you to stop or fill out an FMM form, as a PR, I figure it's a good idea- you never know when Mexico might make some
changes and want to see how much time you have spent in and out of the country. And if you ever want to apply for Mexican citizenship, that
information is required.
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4x4abc
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| Quote: Originally posted by pacificobob | | We both hold PR cards. When traveling abroad, we have never done any of the above. I traveled to Guatemala in February. No forms of any type. Same
with travel to the US. |
well, I asked because things are changing rapidly in Mexico plus I had a bad experience at one point flying out
I have a PR
at the time, few years back, the bottom part of the FMM was collected by the airline staff before bording
collected from everyone, including holders of PR
I ran to get one
not fast enough
the plane left without me
Harald Pietschmann
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surabi
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4x4- Yes, that is exactly how it worked before they retired the FMM forms at the airports instead of just stamping passports as they do now.
Tourists handed in their tourist card when leaving, residents handed in the bottom half of the card (which wasn't a tourist card in that instance, but
marked resident), but residents retained the larger part of the FMM form to hand back in on their return to Mexico. However, the immigration agents
didn't seem to care if you lost that larger part before returning and just filled out a new one.
They may still, in some instances, use the FMM form at airports- someone I know recently was on a flight where everyone was given them to fill out
because the immigration computer system had crashed.
But regardless of whether they are using the FMM forms, or just stamping passports on exit, you still have to go to the immigration kiosk before
checking in for an exit flight. That has never varied.
Bummer that you weren't aware of that and missed your flight.
[Edited on 3-10-2025 by surabi]
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chatolj
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| Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc | the permit to visit a foreign country is called a visa
Mexico like most countries has various forms of it
the FMM is a tourist visa
even though many want to argue that it is not
but it is waht the Arizona station had in mind
do NOT follow their advice and get one online!
Too many fraudulent sites and even the legitimate ones can cause you headaches
like when your proposed day and time of entry do not match your actual entry time - the INM people might refuse to accept your pre paid paper
you'll have to pay again
sometimes they do not pre printed application period - legit or not
you'll pay again
so, save yourself from headaches and present your passport at the border and pay your fee - on you go
it is your responsibility to find the immigration guys at the border - they are not in your face like entering the US
do NOT skip getting the FMM!
Mexico has stepped up controls and you'll be in deep doodoo if you don't have the FMM
it is not a slap on the wrist and a small fine
those times are over
you go to jail for a week and be deported (your vehicle confiscated) |
Please share the information, Re: Place, date, name (s) of the jailed, deported and confiscated vehicle for simply not having having a FMM. I know its
the law and I personally always have one for myself and all occupants traveling with with me but why post some total BS as that.
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mtgoat666
Select Nomad
Posts: 19338
Registered: 9-16-2006
Location: San Diego
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Mood: Hot n spicy
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| Quote: Originally posted by chatolj | | Quote: Originally posted by 4x4abc | the permit to visit a foreign country is called a visa
Mexico like most countries has various forms of it
the FMM is a tourist visa
even though many want to argue that it is not
but it is waht the Arizona station had in mind
do NOT follow their advice and get one online!
Too many fraudulent sites and even the legitimate ones can cause you headaches
like when your proposed day and time of entry do not match your actual entry time - the INM people might refuse to accept your pre paid paper
you'll have to pay again
sometimes they do not pre printed application period - legit or not
you'll pay again
so, save yourself from headaches and present your passport at the border and pay your fee - on you go
it is your responsibility to find the immigration guys at the border - they are not in your face like entering the US
do NOT skip getting the FMM!
Mexico has stepped up controls and you'll be in deep doodoo if you don't have the FMM
it is not a slap on the wrist and a small fine
those times are over
you go to jail for a week and be deported (your vehicle confiscated) |
Please share the information, Re: Place, date, name (s) of the jailed, deported and confiscated vehicle for simply not having having a FMM. I know its
the law and I personally always have one for myself and all occupants traveling with with me but why post some total BS as that.
|
261 Americans deported from Mexico through Baja California in 2023
https://fox5sandiego.com/news/border-report/261-americans-de...
Leading countries of origin of returned foreign migrants in Mexico in 2023
https://www.statista.com/statistics/949708/number-returned-m...
Woke!
Hands off!
“Por el bien de todos, primero los pobres.”
“...ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” “My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America
will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.”
Pronoun: the royal we
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4404
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: happy - always
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| Quote: Originally posted by chatolj |
Please share the information, Re: Place, date, name (s) of the jailed, deported and confiscated vehicle for simply not having having a FMM. I know its
the law and I personally always have one for myself and all occupants traveling with with me but why post some total BS as that.
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spare me the work - youtube is full of first hand reports
Harald Pietschmann
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4x4abc
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4404
Registered: 4-24-2009
Location: La Paz, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: happy - always
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| Quote: Originally posted by chatolj |
Please share the information, Re: Place, date, name (s) of the jailed, deported and confiscated vehicle for simply not having having a FMM. I know its
the law and I personally always have one for myself and all occupants traveling with with me but why post some total BS as that.
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not very kind of you to accuse us of spreading BS. I have not seen BS in this group when it comes to Baja information - ever.
Harald Pietschmann
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surabi
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6444
Registered: 5-6-2016
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| Quote: Originally posted by chatolj |
Please share the information, Re: Place, date, name (s) of the jailed, deported and confiscated vehicle for simply not having having a FMM. I know its
the law and I personally always have one for myself and all occupants traveling with with me but why post some total BS as that.
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I know a couple of people who were jailed and deported for not being able to produce any documentation re permission to be in Mexico. One had a
motorbike that was confiscated.
And no, I am not going to provide you with place, date and names- that would be a violation of those people's privacy.
And this was years ago. I would expect it to become more prevalent with the current US administration's anti-immigrant policies, including the US
deporting legal immigrants.
[Edited on 3-11-2025 by surabi]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65106
Registered: 8-30-2002
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Wow... so much BS. GATO9632 is just confused about an FMM also being called a "visa" (by almost everyone).
Technically, a visa is for most overseas visitors to Mexico and an FMM (also called by some, a 'Tourist Permit') is for most North American and maybe
a few other visitors. They are not the same and you don't need both if you are Canadian or American... just an FMM. A passport card or book is
required to get it.
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surabi
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6444
Registered: 5-6-2016
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| Quote: Originally posted by David K |
Technically, a visa is for most overseas visitors to Mexico and an FMM (also called by some, a 'Tourist Permit') is for most North American and maybe
a few other visitors. |
Technically, David, an FMM is not a tourist permit. It is just a migratory form that the bottom half of serves as a tourist permit, but that is used
to keep track of entries and exits of residents as well.
Just because Baja nomads insist on calling the part of the form they retain to prove their status while in Mexico "an FMM" does not mean that the form
itself is synonymous with "tourist permit".
But yes, a tourist permit is not the same, in Mexico, as a visa, which is required for travelers from certain countries, or for those who will be
conducting certain activities in Mexico other than tourism, has to be applied for and approved before coming to Mexico, and can't be obtained at the
border.
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