Job Discussion Forums

[Olivia]

Here is my situation:

I have bought a one way ticket to Mexico, and need to enter the country as a tourist. My work visa will be sorted for me when I arrive.

My concern is whether I will be hassled at customs upon entering.
I don't have to present a return ticket, and have the address and name of the person I am staying with.

I am just worried that they will see my two suitcases and my tourist card and think something is up.

Also, I'm Canadian.

So I guess my questions is: will I be hassled? Can I pack as much as I want, or do I need to keep up the ilusion that I am a tourist?

[amelie]

I flew in from Calgary to Guadalajara about three weeks ago with 2 huge suitcases and a one-way ticket. I didn't have any trouble getting through customs. (But I didn't get a 'red' light.) I asked for a 180 day tourist visa but the guy said that the longest Canadians can get is 90 days. Whether this is actually true or not, I have no idea. He didn't ask me why I was staying so long or to see my return ticket. My school director thought that 90 days was ample time to get started on my FM3 because once your paperwork is submitted, it doesn't matter if the tourist visa expires.

You'll be fine!

[MELEE]

Immigration and Customs are two different places.

Immigration comes first before you have picked up your checked luggage. The immigration official won't have any idea how much stuff you have with you. I've never had a return ticket checked (But I've only entered twice as a tourist and once was 14 years ago!), and neither have any of the many other teachers I've helped arrange arrival for.
The thing to make sure of is that they give you the full 90 days. They sometimes have their stamp set for 30 days, since so many people who enter Mexico as tourists leave within two weeks. IF by chance you don't get your FM3 applied for before you 90 days expire, you can apply for an extension of your tourist visa--I think this costs about 20 US dollars.

[MixtecaMike]

I last flew into Mexico from LA in 1995, and it was the airline that insisted I have a return ticket. I had to buy one there at the airport, which I later cashed in.

Immigration doesn't care, and if they did just say you are going to Guatemala by bus.

As far as I know nobody gets 180 days, but you can extend your tourist visa up to 180 once you are here, it wasn't expensive when I did it for my wife and kids in 2000.

As said above, once your FM3 papers are in it doesn't matter if your tourist visa expires.

A smile and respect for the person looking at your papers is more than enough to deal with most immigration people.

(Vaguely relevant anecdote follows)
Last week I crossed from Guatemala into Mexico by car and forgot to get my exit stamp from Guatemala. When the Mexico guy pointed out I had no exit stamp, I just said "Hijoles, solo cancel� el sello del coche, eh?" and he stamped my entry no problem. (I do have an FM3) He didn't even mention that my wife had no exit stamp, and she is Guatemalan and usually subject to hassling from the Mexican migra.

If you get onto the plane all right with only a one-way ticket, then no problem.

[some waygug-in]

Last time I went, which was last January, I just wrote the 180 days on the tourist card myself while I was in the airplane. When I got to the gate, the guy asked me, very politely why I needed 180 days and I replied - para ver el pais.

I'm not saying everyone has it so easy, but it can be.

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