Job Discussion Forums

lennon146 · Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Latin America

Hi guys,

Anyone have experiences leaving Mexico with their tourist card expired? I seem to remember doing it once before at Mexico City airport and the dude at the check-in desk just whipped it out of my passport and disposed of it. Then I only had to show my passport when I went through security. Is this what usually happens?

I presume it would be different at land crossings with officials looking for bribes or whatever. Has anyone ever been/or heard of anyone getting pulled up at the airport?

And what are the "official" options if your card has expired?

Thanks,
Paul

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

They are supposed to take it at the airline check-in counter and refuse you a boarding pass if you don't have a valid visa. I'm sure people slip by on expired visas from time to time.

If they see you have no visa or an expired one, the drill is to send you upstairs to migra to get a new one after paying a fine.

lennon146 · Joined: 03 Nov 2004 Posts: 55 Location: Latin America

Do you know how much the fine is?

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

No direct experience with it, sorry. I believe it is calculated on a per diem basis. I've seen it negotiated before, but that was years ago.

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

One of my friends left with an expired visa, from DF, and was fined a few thousand pesos. She was only over by 2 days. This was in 2007.

Mine was expired by three weeks when I left in 2008 and I expected to be fined. Nothing-they never even looked at it.

I'd suggest arriving at the airport early in case you need to pay up, and have some cash on you, or a bank card with access to cash.