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gringorio
Senior Nomad
Posts: 812
Registered: 4-10-2004
Location: Tucson, Arizona
Member Is Offline
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tourist visa
So, I did a search on Nomads for "tourist visa" and "visa" and didn't come up with what I'm looking for.
Since it's been 5 years since I've traveled to Baja, I'm wondering how I go about getting a tourist visa? I'll be entering at Mexicali.
Sorry if this is a common question.
Thanks for your help!
Greg
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2753
Registered: 5-10-2011
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Don't know about Mexicali. Otherwise, visa procedure and cost is the same as 5 years ago. The blank form has changed, though.
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dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
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Cross at the main (west) crossing and the INM office is on your far right as you cross. They're supposedly open 24x7 but the last time I went through
there the INM office was open but the Banjército bank was not... they just gave me a list of acceptable banks and I paid later.
Make sure to ask for 180 days, and make sure you turn it back in before you leave to avoid hassles.
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2753
Registered: 5-10-2011
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While technically possible, I haven't heard of people having trouble for not returning their tourist card. Not yet.
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rufflife
Junior Nomad
Posts: 82
Registered: 1-3-2013
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If you will be staying in Mexico for more than 72 hours, and you will be traveling further than the 'Border Zone' (25 kilometers across the border).
You can get your Tourist Visa at the border crossing point, or from most cities close to the Mexico/US border. If you acquire a blank Tourist Visa
prior to entering Mexico, you will still need to have the Tourist Card stamped by Mexican Immigration officials upon entering Mexico. As of February
2013, tourist cards cost $295.00 pesos. This is the general procedure for obtaining a tourist card:
1. Fill out an FMM (tourist card) form at the immigration office
2. Walk to the nearby bank and pay for the tourist card (or, go to another approved bank)
3. Return to the immigration office to get your tourist card stamped
Hope this helps. It is kind of generic, but gives the general idea.
Rufflife
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 65411
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Ken Cooke posted photos of the Mexicali (west/ downtown) INM office location... it is on the LEFT just after entering Mexico... at least when he made
the report. I always got mine at Tijuana (downtown) crossing... INM office.
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paranewbi
Senior Nomad
Posts: 913
Registered: 4-15-2011
Location: San diego
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Just did the Mexicali tourist visa thing 2 weeks ago.
DK is spot on! Stay in the left lane when entering. You will come to an orange cone 30 or so feet in front of a booth impeding your progress. Stop and
the Mexican agent will come out and ask if you have anything to declare. We said no and she moved the cone for us and told us to park on the left
(double park if crowded) and the visa office is there on the left just after the booth you just passed. The visa guy will take your passports and
enter information first in the system and then have you fill in the visa itself at the counter.
We were only getting the free up to 7 days version so we didn't have to do the bank thing. I'm sure the agent will direct you to where to go...really
nice people all around.
When you get back in your car fade over to the right/center and look for the signs for San Felipe and Puertocitos. Don't go anywhere there is not a
sign saying one of these and be ready for lane changes to follow the lane the sign is over...not bad just stay alert. A half hour and you should be
out of the city and on your way south on open road. A half dozen dirt side road diversions on your way down for road work...add some time to your
arrival estimation.
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bkbend
Senior Nomad
Posts: 695
Registered: 11-27-2003
Location: central OR or central baja
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At Mexicali East go thru declare lane, politely ask where IMN is (it and the bank are in the cluster of buildings to the right) and where you can
park. You will be directed to a small parking lot a short distance ahead. In my case I was not hassled by customs on the way out. In the last three
years I've been through every crossing except the new Tijuana and this was the easiest. Getting to Hwy 5 is a little trickier and a good co-pilot
helps pointing out turns and hidden stop signs.
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dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
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The 25-mile thing does not apply to Baja California. Officially, the free zone in B.C. ends south of San Felipe on the eastern side and at Maneadero
on the western side, but there are no checks until you cross the state border into Baja California Sur (and not even then).
The new Tijuana is easy, just keep right as you head along the border fence and swing wide as you turn left—you'll see the bollards there and the
autodeclaration line.
Clarification on my "hassles" bit—the hassles are only when you haven't been stamped "out" and you need another FMM—as I found out, they do love to
take out their frustration at being stuck in a tiny, unhappy-looking office on people, though they're still rather politer than some of the northbound
guards I've encountered.
[Edited on 10-31-2013 by dasubergeek]
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2753
Registered: 5-10-2011
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| Quote: | Originally posted by dasubergeek
Clarification on my "hassles" bit—the hassles are only when you haven't been stamped "out" and you need another FMM... |
Yes, this is what I meant - did not return or stamp out. I think nobody cares to do this except for when flying out. I also think - correct me if I'm
wrong - that tourist visa is not a multiple entry, and you are supposed to get a new one every time, so why keeping and showing at the re-entry the
old one that you have not returned or not stamped out?
If you didn't return it and go in again within 180 days - or whatever time they gave you - then you go in without asking for FMM. Later in Baja if
anybody checks, old visa still not expired and there is no way to tell whether you left before and came back or are staying from your very first
entry.
If you ask for another FMM because the 1st one expired and you didn't return the 1st one - this is different, and I'd like to know how many people had
troubles then.
[Edited on 10-31-2013 by Alm]
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Floatflyer
Nomad
Posts: 314
Registered: 2-15-2009
Location: Whidbey Island, WA
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Mood: Wet & Cold
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We took another option. After about 15 yrs of having FM3's, we gave them up(did not renew) last year.This fall when we headed south for the winter,
we joined Discovery Baja, about $39, and then a couple of weeks before departure we e-mailed scanned passports and paid about $34 ea for our tourist
cards. They arrived promptly, all ready to be presented to immigration at your choice of border crossings, ready to be stamped and with the required
bank receipts.
Totally hassle free. For us, highly recommended.
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Alm
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 2753
Registered: 5-10-2011
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Floatflyer, there is no hassle in getting a tourist card at the border, and it costs half of what Discovery Baja charges. The question was whether
there is any hassle for not returning it upon exit, as returning it seems to be more hassle than not returning 
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KurtG
Super Nomad
Posts: 1211
Registered: 1-27-2004
Location: California Central Coast
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Mood: Press On Regardless!!
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Alm
Floatflyer, there is no hassle in getting a tourist card at the border, and it costs half of what Discovery Baja charges. The question was whether
there is any hassle for not returning it upon exit, as returning it seems to be more hassle than not returning |
I have turned in my last two expired 180 day permits when getting a new one and both times the old one was accepted without comment, last year in
Tecate and earlier this month at the new crossing at TJ. While in theory the permit is not multi-entry I suspect many of us use it that way and
Mexican Immigration officers have told me not to worry about it.
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MICK
Nomad
Posts: 499
Registered: 11-12-2003
Location: Rio Hardy
Member Is Offline
Mood: livin the good life on the river
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We go to the East border just because you have a good parking lot and not much traffic. Also the bank and the INM office are on the same side of the
street. At the downtown crossing I don't like parking there and you have to cross the incoming traffic to get to the bank. We come and go all the time
and never turn in our visas. when they expire we just stop and get new ones.(never been asked about the old ones). At the east border, once you pass
thru the border, look for the parking lot on the right. just past secondary. ( I never go there unless I have to, but either way ) pull in and park
anywhere.. You will see the bank at the end of the buildings. walk back to the border and go in the office there. the visas are at the counter on the
right side. Present your passport and they will fill them out for you, you then walk back to the bank (about 150 ft) pay then go back to the office
and they stamp it and you are off. It takes us about 15 mins total time.
Have fun Mick
Getting there is ALL the fun!
Ok being here is fun to
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dasubergeek
Senior Nomad
Posts: 694
Registered: 8-17-2013
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It would be just my luck to get the cranky INM officer (the short lady with the mole on her upper lip), then... she read me the Riot Act when I
stopped to get another FMM, and I just rolled my eyes while she ticked off all the egregious violations of Mexican immigration law I had committed.
Maybe if it weren't such a pain in the arse to find your way through Col. Federal and find the parking and then walk backwards through the gates like
salmon swimming upstream...
In any case, Alm is right—it's not worth the fee for Discovery Baja. All you're saving is ten minutes while the INM agent shows you how to fill out
the form and then going to the bank next door to pay. You still have to stop, you still have to get it stamped, you still have to go and deal with it.
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Floatflyer
Nomad
Posts: 314
Registered: 2-15-2009
Location: Whidbey Island, WA
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Mood: Wet & Cold
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Ok, about using Discover Baja for a tourist card. First, DB charges $5 per tourist card. Yes, you have to be a member to use this service.
For us, not being restricted by the hours a bank is open, whether it is a holiday or not, whether it is a Sunday or not, is well worth the price for
this service, and we use different border crossings depending on our travel plans.
I am as cheap as they come on some things, but for others, a nominal fee is just fine. We used a fixer for years renewing our FM3s. We were just not
willing to get run all over the place and wait in lines to save a few dollars. If that is the way you want to enjoy your time, go for it.
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Mula
Super Nomad
Posts: 1663
Registered: 8-16-2011
Location: San Nicolas y Lopez Mateos
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We're with Floatflyer on this Discover Baja facilitating for us.
Have been members and used them for 7 years and really happy with their service for a nominal fee.
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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tourist card
I have never heard of anyone turning the card back in.....myself come down for the winters.... 3 to 5 months. and always get a 180 days on the
"card"... Far as anyone knows they don't kept track on the tourist driving down..and there is no need to return the card when heading north.complete
waste of your and their time..but,, I could write abook about being stuck at the mex/guatamala border for a few weeks due to a bad mexican im
officer.............
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bryanmckenzie
Senior Nomad
Posts: 561
Registered: 9-23-2009
Location: 400 Km from Mexico Beach, Florida
Member Is Offline
Mood: Hot & humid --- not hot & dry.
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Since 2009, and multiple crossings, various destinations both BC & BCS, sometimes with tourist card and sometimes without, I have never once been
asked to present it by police, military or border crossing.
What happens if you are caught without one ??? 
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.”
-Mark Twain
Samuel Langhorne Clemens (November 30, 1835 – April 21, 1910)
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captkw
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 3850
Registered: 10-19-2010
Location: el charro b.c.s.
Member Is Offline
Mood: new dog/missing the old 1
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tourest card
I have heard of folks being fined and I always get asked at the Monument G.N. and have been asked over the years for it.. its not a big thing..I used
to get thru Vagabundos Del mar no I just grab at the border and be done with it..........
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