Job Discussion Forums

sarahsmith70 · Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 11 Location: small-town mexico

What about flying out of DF? I live in the city now and like an idiot my tourist card expires next month three weeks before my primaria's holidays start. I'd hate to have to leave twice-it woud suck! My amigo told me I could just present the expired card and pay a fine of maybe more or less 500 pesos and get out that way. What think you?

MO39 · Posted: Fri Mar 21, 2008 12:33 am Post subject:

MELEE · Posted: Mon Mar 24, 2008 5:49 pm Post subject:

Down here in the Southern part of the country, there are many military check points along the highways. I've been scolded many times for not having my FM3 or passport on me when the bus I was travelling on was routinely stopped just outside of Oaxaca City. Each time they said, if we catch you again we'll fine you, but never noted down my name and it was never the same guy twice and I seriously doubt if they would remember me.

dixie · Joined: 23 Apr 2006 Posts: 644 Location: D.F

MELEE · Posted: Tue Mar 25, 2008 11:38 pm Post subject:

Back then, no. I only carried my university id with me!

But I kept forgetting my passport when I went to the bank, and the bank wouldn't take my university id as an id. So I figured since I've never been mugged here, it was fine to carry my real passport and FM with me, I have a little passport case that fits them both and I just keep that in my purse now. (now being since being a mom, so for the last 3 years)

tglea · Joined: 15 Jan 2008 Posts: 5

Same story here. I took a bus to Matamoros and walked across the border and walked back in a matter of minutes. I was carrying a tourist visa that had been expired for 3 months. Nobody ever asked to see it and I had to track down an immigration agent on the Mexican side to get my new visa. The worst part was was the US immigration agent. He was asking all sorts of questions and scanned by backpack. When I was getting my FM3, I was afraid that somehow they would discover that I overstayed or never turned in my original tourist visa. Nothing ever came of it and they gave me an FM3.

I now have a driver's license from Queretaro and that works great for the whole ID thing. Obviously it's accepted everywhere here as an official ID and I don't have to worry about losing my passport or FM3. Also, it's much easier to replace if I lose it.

debmport · Joined: 10 Nov 2007 Posts: 34 Location: Guadalaholla

Hey guys, again thanks for all the helpful info!

As I understand, traveling and crossing by bus is relatively low risk and flying out is risky.

What about flying within the country? Are they likely to check documents then? I would like to fly to the border and cross by bus.

bjcor · Joined: 22 Apr 2008 Posts: 5

This tread raises me a question about my situation.

I went to Mexico once on a tourist visa and when I left the country, nobody asked me to show my tourist card.

It's been more than 8 months since I left and I still have that paper so I'm wondering if I'm in trouble for keeping it or not having it stamped.

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:05 pm Post subject:

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

No, you won't be in trouble. It's simply a card to turn in...no exit stamp needed on it or your passport.

Strange, but it seems to happen from time to time that people get out without needing to turn in the visa. I'll bet you flew out through Cancun, PV, or Acapulco?

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 11:08 pm Post subject:

Gringo Greg · Posted: Wed Apr 30, 2008 1:17 pm Post subject:

Maybe I am missing something on this thread, but I have made at least a dozen bus trips to el norte from el df in the last 10 years. There are many checkpoints along the way where friendly military/police come on board to look for central americanos. They usually do a quick check of ID and at least several times I have been asked to show my FMT.

I have always been legal, but I do wonder what would happen if I wasn't. After spending 6 days in a jail in Tapachula for sitting on the bus next to someone without an FMT, I am gunshy about not having proper paperwork.

jfurgers · Joined: 18 Sep 2005 Posts: 442 Location: Mexico City

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

The reason the tourist card must be turned in at airports is because it is tied to the accounting which ensures the airline pays the Government of Mexico for that tourist card. Remember all those taxes on the ticket you buy outside Mexico? One of those taxes is your tourist card fee and it must be paid to Mexico by the airline that collected it.

When you cross into Mexico by land you pay the tourist card fee then and there. It's the fee they are concerned with, not the return of the tourist card. If you are found without a valid tourist card in Mexico, that's a different matter.