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October 21, 2017
Crossing into Mexico at the San Ysidro/Tijuana(El Chaparral) Crossing
This guy's video shows him pretty much rolling through into Mexico, which is about how I recall it.
Guests traveling by land who plan to stay longer than 72 hours and travel beyond Ensenada must obtain a tourist permit at the Mexican consulate in the United States or at the Immigration office near the border entrance. The migratory from must be turned in when leaving the country and minors must be accompanied by their parents, or have a notarized letter from the absent parent, authorizing the leave the country.
Mexico Visitor's Permit (FMM) ‒ Forma Migratoria Múltiple. FREE if the trip is 7 days or less and you cross by land.
If you travel beyond the 22 miles/35 km "free zone" after crossing a land border into Mexico you will need to pay a fee of around US $22. Your USA tourism visa is enough to return to the United States after visiting Mexico.
So, I think that, ideally, I need to get the following:
Mexico Visitor Permit (FMM - Forma Migratoria Múltiple)
Banjercito Vehicle Permit - If you get this, then you'll be able to drive anywhere in Mexico for 6 months.
There are signs that say, "Aduanas" just beyond the big MEXICO sign in the big line of traffic outside of Tijuana. Don't blow past these signs if you want to get the Banjercito car permit!
https://www.banjercito.com.mx/registroVehiculos/#
If you do the San Ysidro border crossing to Tijuana, you'll cross under a sign that says, "MEXICO". If you aren't already in the right lane at this point, merge into the far right lane. You aren't going to follow most of the cars. After the big MEXICO sign, you'll turn left behind all the other cars, but then, way over to the right of this line of cars, you'll need to drive toward a sign that says, "Aduanas" (all the other cars will be going the other way). This part isn't especially intuitive. That's why we missed it the first time. You can go here to watch us successfully get the Banjercito vehicle permit on video.
izquierda = Left
Derecho = Right (or straight)
Aduana = Customs
Immigracion = Immigration
OK. So, I think that I now understand how to get the Banjercito Temporary Vehicle Permit. But I'm still not clear if I need a VISA or not.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Mexico
A foreign national wishing to enter Mexico must obtain a visa unless they are a citizen of one of the 65 eligible visa-exempt countries or one of the three Electronic Authorization System eligible countries.[1]
OK. So, the USA is one of the exempt countries, and I don't need a VISA to enter Mexico. Big surprise there, right?
OK. But this is different than a VISA, it seems.
Mexico Visitor's Permit (FMM - Forma Migratoria Múltiple) ‒ FREE if the trip is 7 days or less and you cross by land.
All visitors entering by land and traveling farther than 20 kilometres (12 miles) into Mexico or staying longer than 72 hours should obtain a document Forma Migratoria Multiple to present at checkpoints within the country.[2] In 2016 Mexico has introduced the electronic version of the form (Forma Migratoria Múltiple Electrónica, or FMME) which can be obtained online at a price of 390 Mexican pesos.[3]
https://www.google.com/search?q=Mexico+Visitor+Permit+FMME
The FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) is a document issued by Mexico's INM (Instituto Nacional de Migración aka INM) Casually called a tourist card or tourist "visa" although it is not officially a visa. Issued to U.S., Canadian and other nationalities for vacation purposes. ... The stamped FMM is valid for land travel throughout Mexico.
You can fill it out online, but they want dates and reservations. I don't have any of that stuff, obviously.
https://www.inm.gob.mx/fmme/publico/en/solicitud.html
Also, even if you do it online, you still have to stop at INM at the border for the official stamp:
Easily obtained at an INM office at the border or online (online still requires a stop at INM at the border for the official stamp).
OK. Here's how to get the FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple) document. You get it at Immigracion.
https://www.bajabound.com/before/permits/chaparralimmigration.php
All you have to show is your passport. Cost is $24 USD. You get it at Immigration.
Where is the new immigration office at El Chaparral located?
As you cross the border, the small immigration office is in the blue SAT Aduanas building on the right. The entrance to the office is on the outside of the building up a few stairs.
https://www.bajabound.com/before/permits/chaparralimmigration.php
Posted by Rob Kiser on October 21, 2017 at 10:49 PM
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