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

Scenario: My most recent annual visit to the U.S. The first leg of my flight was from Merida to Houston via Continental Airlines. After waiting in line for over an hour in the Merida airport for the standard luggage search, I approached the check-in counter and handed my e-ticket info and other necessary documents to the airline employee. He looked at my e-ticket info and began doing whatever those guys do on their computers to produce my boarding passes.

Then he said, "There's a 20-dollar tourist fee that you must pay."

I admit that his comment caught me off guard, which I'm sure was apparent to him by the expression on my face. I said, "I'm not a tourist," and pointed to my FM-2 booklet, which was among my documents that I had given him.

He inspected my FM-2 and said, "Oh, okay. Then you don't have to pay the 20 dollars."

Has this ever happened to anyone else when leaving the country?

[I would have posted this on a related thread, but it seems that thread has been locked down for some time.]

thelmadatter · Posted: Mon Aug 22, 2005 1:28 pm Post subject: tourist fee

heya Ben

Ive not been asked to pay this fee. Its a tax that the Mexican government levies on any foreigners that enter Mexico (minus the border zone). I remember when it came into effect while I was living in Arizona. Lots of ppl were pissed, esp. those who visit family in Mexico regularly. Its normally just attached to the airfare (so many ppl dont notice it) but Im guessing that since you originated in Mexico, the tax wasn't put on the fare. Then when you checked-in to come back, the computer flagged it or something.

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

I believe I indicated on the above-referenced thread that I have never paid the fee either--and I have also exited with an FM3 and returned on a tourist visa.

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

PlayadelSoul · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 346 Location: Playa del Carmen

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

I am disinclined to be persuaded by someone like yourself who knows not of what he speaks.

PlayadelSoul · Joined: 29 Jun 2005 Posts: 346 Location: Playa del Carmen

moonraven · Joined: 24 Mar 2004 Posts: 3094

Actually, at the moment I am living on the top floor of an apartment building on the beach in Manama, Bahrain. Plenty of sand here, and it's nut-free (so far).

Cdaniels · Posted: Fri Aug 26, 2005 2:09 am Post subject: blind squirrel theory

Gringo Greg · Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2005 1:00 am Post subject:

Moonraven, you just can't admit whe you are wrong.

When I was in Mexico City, I had a one way back to the US, this was last September to be exact. At the airport, they wanted to charge me the $20 because they weren't smart enough to see the stamp on my fmt showing that I paid the fee.

You will forever be clueless, Moonie, so we will just leave it at that. I never liked old whiny women.