PaulW
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Imagration check point Algodones
We did not have papers required and after 45 minutes and a call to the head immigration guy in Mexicali they let us pass.
Papers needed are either an FMM or an un-expired FM1/2/3 or the residente permentente or residente temporary ID and your PP.
We are in process of getting our permenente and did not have the required letter that documents the web site for our file that shows we have completed
all the requirements and are waiting for our final ID. All we had was PP and expired copy of our FM.
The guy at the border said to be sure to avoid the immigration check point in San Felipe until we have our papers or ID.
And nobody in SF has ever seen that checkpoint.
PW
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woody with a view
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so why did you stop in Algo?
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grace59
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Immigration Check Point in San Felipe?? Have been going there for 10 years and I've never seen a check point. I guess no one told the folks in
Algadones. Does anyone on here ever recall a check point there??
Whenever I hear that rainy, chill wind blow. I think it may be time to head for Mexico. Tengo que obedecer mi corazon!
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Sweetwater
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Mood: chilly today hot tomale
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North of SF is a major military check point, very easy going south but not going north. It's just south of the junction from the west.
Not much real information if the traveler was northbound or southbound. Algondones is normally an easy border cross if paperwork is in order going
north and a place to process your FMM going south.
Seems to me to be a confusing post....?
Everbody\'s preachin\' at me that we all wanna git to heaven, trouble is, nobody wants to die to git there.-BB King
Reality is what does not go away when you stop believing in it. -Philip K Dick
Nothing is worse than active ignorance. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe(1749-1832, German writer, artist and politician)
When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I\'ve never tried before. - Mae West
Experience is what keeps a man who makes the same mistake twice from admitting it the third time around.
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by grace59
Immigration Check Point in San Felipe?? Have been going there for 10 years and I've never seen a check point. I guess no one told the folks in
Algadones. Does anyone on here ever recall a check point there?? |
Two... the big one 32 miles north (by the Hwy. 3 jcn.) and between Km. 0 & 1 on the Puertecitos Hwy. It has been closed for a couple years now.
These were both military checkpoints (drugs, guns, ammo search) and not INM (immigration) checks.
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apple
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Has anyone run into any other immigration checkpoints elsewhere in the Baja lately? There were a few mentions of one near Ensenada recently
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by apple
Has anyone run into any other immigration checkpoints elsewhere in the Baja lately? There were a few mentions of one near Ensenada recently
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BajaNomad (Doug) just drove to La Paz and found NO INM checks. Non of the military checkpoints asked him for his tourist card either (it was reported
that San Ignacio and El Rosario checkpoints had just a week before his trip).
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grace59
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Posts: 614
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Location: San Felipe, Baja, Mexico
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
| Quote: | Originally posted by grace59
Immigration Check Point in San Felipe?? Have been going there for 10 years and I've never seen a check point. I guess no one told the folks in
Algadones. Does anyone on here ever recall a check point there?? |
Two... the big one 32 miles north (by the Hwy. 3 jcn.) and between Km. 0 & 1 on the Puertecitos Hwy. It has been closed for a couple years now.
These were both military checkpoints (drugs, guns, ammo search) and not INM (immigration) checks. |
I am aware of the Military Checkpoints near San Felipe and down by Gonzaga Bay. However, I've never in all these years seen an Immigration check
point. Are these usually set up within the Military Checkpoints or are they separate?? We have recently applied for Permenente so I am not concerned
about myself, but we sometimes have friends who will come down for a few days and not bother with stopping at border for the visitors card. Would this
be a big problem for them??
Whenever I hear that rainy, chill wind blow. I think it may be time to head for Mexico. Tengo que obedecer mi corazon!
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by grace59
| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
| Quote: | Originally posted by grace59
Immigration Check Point in San Felipe?? Have been going there for 10 years and I've never seen a check point. I guess no one told the folks in
Algadones. Does anyone on here ever recall a check point there?? |
Two... the big one 32 miles north (by the Hwy. 3 jcn.) and between Km. 0 & 1 on the Puertecitos Hwy. It has been closed for a couple years now.
These were both military checkpoints (drugs, guns, ammo search) and not INM (immigration) checks. |
I am aware of the Military Checkpoints near San Felipe and down by Gonzaga Bay. However, I've never in all these years seen an Immigration check
point. Are these usually set up within the Military Checkpoints or are they separate?? We have recently applied for Permenente so I am not concerned
about myself, but we sometimes have friends who will come down for a few days and not bother with stopping at border for the visitors card. Would this
be a big problem for them?? |
Hi Grace, sorry if I was not clear, but in my post is this line: "These were both military checkpoints (drugs, guns, ammo search) and not INM
(immigration) checks."
In the last dozen years there has only been ONE immigration checkpoint in all the peninsula, and that was at the Eagle Monument (near Guerrero Negro).
All others were either military of federal police checkpoints.
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apple
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asking for a friend, but what do you suppose happens if you run into one of these checkpoints while travelling back to the states and your tourist
visa is expired by a month or two?
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by apple
asking for a friend, but what do you suppose happens if you run into one of these checkpoints while travelling back to the states and your tourist
visa is expired by a month or two? |
What??? In Mexico beyond the time limit of your visa??? Torture no doubt awaits you!!
Sorry... dark humor. But seriously, you are supposed to go home before your FMM expires otherwise it looks like you are no longer on a vacation
('tourist') and instead living in Mexico part of the year (or longer)!
There are INM offices in La Paz, Santa Rosalia, etc. where you can TRY to get an extension. Otherwise, time to get the proper visa to live in Mexico
(FM3, FM2, etc.), perhaps?
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apple
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i think my friend's tourist visa has already expired, so trying to get an extension seems pretty unlikely.
I'm mostly just curious what they would do if they stopped my friend without the proper documents. Fine? Escort to the border? Impound your vehicle
and arrest you? that last one seems pretty unlikely.
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David K
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All they can do is try and extract a fine from you for breaking the rules... or send you northbound. They collected US$100 from edm1 at the Guerrero
Negro INM checkpoint because his wife didn't have an FMM (the border INM wouldn't issue her one because her passport had recently expired). This was
in July, 2011.
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sancho
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Have heard of the Mex Army, in the past, asking for Passports, although further
down than San Felipe, not their Jurisdiction? Perhaps.
There has been, for 3 mo.s or so, an online fishing fmm required
for boats coming out of the US, San Diego, fishing the
Conorado Isle's off TJ and the coast so., the Mex Navy
enforces that, so could the Mex Army ask for Immigration
papers, like tomorrow, I don't see why not. Seems a lot aviod the fmm if there is not a Checkpoint on their route, the San Felipe site has for a few
weeks claimed ALL tourists
need an fmm for SF, I assume this means so. of Mexicali
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David K
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| Quote: | Originally posted by sancho
Have heard of the Mex Army, in the past, asking for Passports, although further
down than San Felipe, not their Jurisdiction? Perhaps.
There has been, for 3 mo.s or so, an online fishing fmm required
for boats coming out of the US, San Diego, fishing the
Conorado Isle's off TJ and the coast so., the Mex Navy
enforces that, so could the Mex Army ask for Immigration
papers, like tomorrow, I don't see why not. Seems a lot aviod the fmm if there is not a Checkpoint on their route, the San Felipe site has for a few
weeks claimed ALL tourists
need an fmm for SF, I assume this means so. of Mexicali |
When they want to write down your name, a passport is FAR easier for them to copy it off of then the words or letters you speak in English. A passport
or driver's license is NOT something you are being checked for, just something that has your name in print for them to copy down.
PaulW cleary says they were checking 'papers' and said that meant FMM or FM-2, FM-3, not passports.
What I am not sure is where in 'Algodones' this happened.. as it is a border town. The border... or outside of town at some kind of new checkpoint?
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PaulW
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Algonodones INM ck
here is the story
Enter with a green sign that says "stop" then "enter" after the car in front clears the gate - drive up to the gate and wait for the red light to
turn green - Customs guy and immigration guy are standing beside your car, Gate stays closed, and red. immigration guy says drive to curb side and
meet him in his office. red turns to green gate goes up. Drive up to military guys and they wave me to the curb. Met the Immigration guy in his
office.
Both the customs and the military guys just stood there and watched.
When we were told we could go. we jumped in the car and drove off and left the military guys standing in their place.
BTW, the military does checks for northbound cars in the north lane.
No big deal just eye wash. Look in your windows and wave you on. The poor guys are bored something terrible.
We have our papers now. and will have the permanent pass in 5 more weeks.
I suppose the next thing will be to get Mx tags for the cars??? I wonder what agency will show up at the border looking for tags for those of us with
permanent residency???
PW
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David K
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Thank you Paul for the clarification that you were stopped at the border and told to get your tourist cards right there.
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rts551
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I was stopped at the "gate" about a year ago. After a cursory look at my card, the official waved me on.
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PaulW
Ultra Nomad
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| Quote: | Originally posted by David K
Thank you Paul for the clarification that you were stopped at the border and told to get your tourist cards right there. |
=
Yes The INM office is where the guy sells the FMM for $25us. Of course we are not eligible for FMM
PW
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