jono
Newbie
Posts: 12
Registered: 4-7-2005
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Tourist Cards on a Saturday?
My father and I are riding motorcycles into Baja on Saturday morning. We would like to avoid TJ and cross in Tecate. Is there a way to obtain and
pay for tourist cards on a Saturday morning/early afternoon in either Tecate or Ensenada? If there is, where specifically do we we go?
TIA for any light you can shed on the subject.
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bajaloco
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You can pick them up in Ensenada at the Immigration office. I think it opens at 9:00am. You won't need a tourist card if are just going to Ensenada.
The immigration office is located on Blvd Azueta, down across from the marina.
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Sharksbaja
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FMTs
If you get a card in Ensenada and its for the max(180) limit you will need to pay. If the bank is open they will keep your passport while you go pay
at the bank then return with proof of payment.....or....... go there 5-8 pm and since the banks are closed they will instruct you to pay at a banco as
soon as possible.
The Ensenada immigration office was closed on Sat. of Easter weekend but don't know about now.
[Edited on 4-7-2005 by Sharksbaja]
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jono
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I guess I need to know if anyone knows if the banks are open on Saturdays in Ensenada.
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bajaloco
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Ensenada Banco
There are two that I know of that are close, both right across the street from each other. After you leave immigration you will come to the corner of
Lazaro Card##as and Gastelum. There will be a Pemex station on the right. Go straight about five blocks and you will see banks on each side of the
road, take your pick. We use the one on the left, easier to park at. I don't know the business hours but we are always in the about 10:00 am. It is
also good to change dollars for pesos there, makes everything much easier if you use pesos...
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Pappy Jon
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I had a fun time when I went down in March. I attempted to get my FMT in San Felipe, but the office was closed on Saturdays. Monday morning, I'm
there, but while waiting I find out the bank is closed for holiday. I ask, and sure enough, they can't do the paperwork.
So, the guy sends me to the airport where they fill out the paperwork, I pay right there to the same guy, and I'm on my way. I really felt lucky, so I
didn't ask any questions ... like can somebody do this on the weekend.
BTW, it was a different form. The airport guy said if I have any problems to tell them I flew in, and jumped into my own car. Frankly, I would have
just said the banks were closed. When I crossed a week later in GN they didn't even seem to notice.
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Hook
Elite Nomad
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Personally, I think
that the hassle of trying to get one someplace other than San Ysidro far outweighs the inconvenience of crossing there.
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cristobal
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HOOK .....
I agree .....
At the busiest border crossing in the world ... to stop ... fill out the paperwork ... pay your fee ... get it stamped ... and get back on the road
... shouldn't take much more than 5 minutes .........  
  
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Elena La Loca
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Why not stop by Discover Baja to get your Tourist Card? Pay for it when you happen across a bank when you're down south and avoid all the hassle at
the border.
And, for that matter, do you really NEED one?
a) will you be in Baja less than 72 hours? (no need for one at all!)
b) will you be going beyond the "border region" i.e; Ensenada or San Felipe? (if not, AND your'e going south for less than 72 hrs, again, there's no
need for one)
c) why not check into getting one of the "SEVEN DAY FREE" tourist cards?
Just a couple thoughts...
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Hook
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Elena La Loca.....
...you mean the Discover Baja tourist cards are not pre-paid? What's the point?
The bank portion of the tourist card process is the big hassle. To have it simply stamped, all you have to do is stop at SY or GN.
The Vags sell pre-paid cards.....but they are only practical by mail for us Southlanders.
I agree, Cristobal. The whole process at SY has never taken me more than 5 minutes. And I am usually pulling in there with 50 feet of combined
vehicle.
[Edited on 4-8-2005 by Hook]
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turtleandtoad
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Why bother trying to get one on a Sat?
You have 72 hours to get it (how they know when you crossed the border is a mystery to me), so just wait until a weekday. You can get them in just
about every town in Baja Norte and also at the Baja Sur border, for those that drove all the way down there without one.
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