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Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

http://thorntree.lonelyplanet.com/messagepost.cfm?postaction=reply&catid=17&threadid=1257242&messid=10951978&STARTPAGE=1&parentid=0&from=1

MELEE · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:35 pm Post subject:

Samantha · Joined: 25 Oct 2003 Posts: 2038 Location: Mexican Riviera

Yes, you have a really good point there. I need to get out of the tourist town where no one bugs foreigners; my memory tentatively left me. Embarassed

That very thing is pointed out to him in the Thorn Tree link I posted above.

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

hlamb · Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 431 Location: Canada

I flew into Guadalajara and got the tourist card but did not get a stamp in my passport. I recently got the card renewed and no one at migration said a word about it. But, will this be a problem when I leave the country in a couple of months?

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:27 pm Post subject:

To the OP. This situation is entirely your fault. Why? You didn't do your homework. I am pretty sure what happened. You probably took the Greyhound bus or the San Diego trolley to the San Ysidro border crossing, right? Then you walked across the border through the turnstiles, right? That's where the INM office is located at. There is a big sign which announces it. Kinda hard to miss it. That is where you pay the $ for your FM-T(tourist card). You would actually pay at the bank window about 10 feet away and then give them the form showing that you paid. That's what I did the last time when I was coming from TJ and going south. They gave me a 180 day tourist card, no problem. Then I went to the airport and took an Azteca airlines flight to Aguascaliente, making stops in Hermosillo, and Culiacan, before arriving at Aguascaliente. Gives a whole new meaning to airbus, right?

It's a little thing to do with the border situation, so you don't have to pay the $ or get the FM-T for short (less than 72 hours) visits to the border region. That's to encourage day trippers and other party types to spend it up with no hassles. Right now, as I understand it you are illegally in the republic of Mexico. That is technically a felony under federal Mexican law, punishble by 2 years in prison. Yes, it's a serious crime to be in Mexico without papers, unlike the U.S. where it's only deportation. You really need to have a very humble and apologetic attitude with the people at INM and be very, very sorry to have made such a mistake or to have been very foolish to have lost your tourist card, as you prefer to present it to them.

By the way, the FM-T IS NOT A VISA!!! WHY??? Because a visa is something that you have to apply for at the embassy or consulate before you depart for the country. The FM-T is something that you can get on any air or ground crossing into Mexico, with no hassles. I know people that have to get a visa just to come to Mexico and it's a totally different process.

Anyways, nobody every asked to see my FM-T once I was in country. Except when travelling by bus. I remember going through several military checkpoints, usually no hassle, I just pretended to be asleep and nobody tried to wake me up(unlike all of the other passengers), but one time I did have to show my passport and FM-T to a soldier with a very large automatic rifle. I wasn't going to get into a debate about wheather the military has jurisdiction over immigration affairs or not. I was coming from Chiapas and they ARE trying to stop illegals from Central and South America.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

MELEE · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:41 pm Post subject:

I have zero stamps in my passport. I got it in Mexico City in 2003 and haven't left the country since. But I do have a up-to-date FM3. hlamb as Guy says, its the FMT that counts. Is your new school not helping you get an FM3?

asi va · Joined: 03 Nov 2006 Posts: 19

I`ve entered Mexico maybe ten times (almost always by air) and never had my pasport stamped. I didn`t even know they did it for FM-T holders.

I`m wondering about something. It seems I read somewhere that foreigners are required to carry their passports and visas at all times. I don`t because I`m worried about it getting lost or stolen. Is that a bad plan? In practice, do you folks carry those items everywhere? I know the chances of having it stolen while out and about are pretty slim, but they`re virtually nonexistant if I leave my paperwork in someone`s house.

MELEE · Posted: Thu Dec 07, 2006 6:57 pm Post subject:

Asi va,

Actually I was just talking about this with two teachers yesterday. We live in a very small town and none of us take those around with us. I do carry my Mexican driver's licence, but most people just carry their university ID card with them. It's a photo id, has our RFC numbers and IMSS numbers on them and for our little town, more than enough ID. But there is a military check point on the highway out of Oaxaca City towards our town. Transport is in Vans, and technically, all public transport vehicles are supposed to stop there. Usually the soldiers are just waving vehicles through. Sometimes they stop them and look at the cargo. Sometimes they stop them and look at the passengers. Sometimes stop them and want to see everybodies ID. Over the past eight years I've gone through this check point many many times. 4 times I was asked for ID and Surprised

I didn't have it! All I had was my university ID, none of these experiences has been in the last three years by the way, I've been going to Oaxaca much less often since this motherhood thing started. Laughing

Each time I was scolded and told that they better never catch me again without my ID. Wink

hlamb · Joined: 09 Dec 2003 Posts: 431 Location: Canada

Ben Round de Bloc · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 1946

ls650 · Joined: 10 May 2003 Posts: 3484 Location: British Columbia

gordogringo · Joined: 15 Jul 2005 Posts: 159 Location: Tijuana

Fat white guy here.Thought I'd check in between classes. It is confusing as I assume you crossed at San Ysidro. On foot. The only way you could have gotten an fmt was to wake up the guy sleeping with a machine gun as you went through the gates and he could unlock the door to get you to the motor vehicle side where you can pick up fmt. There are no warning signs regarding needing an fmt at the border anywhere. Not necessary as 99% of visitors are coming to get drunk,see naked women and buy cheap garbage. They go no farther than Ensanada. I vote for the I lost my fmt card plan. Go to office and get new one wherever you are with apologies to them. Am very suprised they did not inquire as to your fmt status at the airport. I cross three days a week and have never been stamped.Considering the 1000's of people who cross everyday Mexico could not afford all the ink.Hope you enjoyed my city and did'nt pay too much for a cab.