General Reports

[Captain Solo]

If Mexico insists on stamping passports, the gringos who live in Mexico and commute to work in the US (like one of my attorney friends) would have about 300 stamps every year in their passports.

Unless they use a very small stamp, it would quickly take lots of passport pages for those commuters.

[Artisttyp]

Hi GSR,

I was in Tijuana last week with a group of visitors. No one stopped us. It seemed to me it was business as usual. However due to the chaos of the construction, it took a lot longer to come back to the line in the taxi. The taxi driver was cursing all the way for the mess. My question is did they put a stamp on your passport or the paper permit they issued.

Thanks for your kind reply.

I received a stamp in my passport. This was two weeks ago. I live in Tijuana.

[Artisttyp]

Will a passport card work to cross the border, I don't want to have to carry my Passport around with me.

The Tijuana cops are going to have a field day with this one.

Every single gringo will be stopped and if you don't have your Passport and permit on you your going to pay!

So far YES people have mentioned that a passport card works.

[ScatManDoo]

Will a passport card work to cross the border, I don't want to have to carry my Passport around with me.!

Yes.

Under the new program where United States citizens are trying to enter Mexico on foot via San Ysidro the Mexican officials are gladly accepting passport cards AND passport books. They are NOT accepting Sentri or Global Entry.

[HorseTrader]

Back and forth for 9 days straight is ridiculous. Yes you will need to comply with the new process and you will be questioned. If I were you I would set aside some Tijuana time and stay put in Tijuana.

My trips to Tijuana are actually business trips to San Diego. I tend to work daily from about 5:00 am until 1:00 pm and then have the rest of the day free.

Daily trips from San Diego to Tijuana have not been a problem after I got Global Entry. This new Mexico entry requirement may screw up that whole system.

[Surfer500]

I just got back, from a quick run this morning. You NEED a passport. Those not with one were denied and sent to the CBP downstairs which created a CLUSTERFUCK with the agents. I came back this afternoon and one agent said as I was being interrogated about my permit-pass I got this morning. He pointed out those who were denied entrance into Mexico and he said at least one government knows how to do it, and it is not us!

Will a passport card work to cross the border, I don't want to have to carry my Passport around with me.

The Tijuana cops are going to have a field day with this one.

Every single gringo will be stopped and if you don't have your Passport and permit on you your going to pay!

[Surfer500]

Reported on other boards, they are excepting a passport card to enter Mexico. But not the Sentri card. Lucky for me I have all three.

We will see how long this bullshit will last!

Thankfully I have all three as well.

I wouldn't want to carry my Passport around and the Tijuana cops are going to have a field day with this one.

Those who only have a Passport will have to carry it around with them.

[Phordphan]

I'm in LA this week for business and drove to San Ysidro this morning. Got chatting with a man waiting to exchange currency, learned of new process. Sounded like a problem and decided not to cross because I only had my Global Entry card. Mistake. This board gave warning of this over a week ago and I foolishly left my passport on the east coast.

I'll be back in about 3 weeks and expect to enter and exit Mexico 9 of 11 days. Does anyone know if I'll need to complete that paperwork daily, or is the 7-day pass valid for multiple entries?

Daily. It's not a multiple-entry visa. It's like if you flew into Mexico, then flew out the same day, then flew in again the next. Different form for each entry.

[LifeIsABeach]

I'll be back in about 3 weeks and expect to enter and exit Mexico 9 of 11 days. Does anyone know if I'll need to complete that paperwork daily, or is the 7-day pass valid for multiple entries?

Anything longer than 7 days would be one time 6 month permit with 322 pesos fee.

[RickyVee]

Well I passed through unabated wed night did not know they are checking passports as I do not have one and refuse to get one. My DL and BC are good enough to reenter the US so far so why should I pay for a passport? Anyhow walked through the Mexican line because I am Mexican nobody stopped me or even gave me a second glance. If you ask me it is racial profiling to be stopping people who do not look a certain ethnicity. They should be checking everybody's passports. Mexicans tend to be a little emotional and tit for tat and are probably just doing this because a certain guy running for high office made some remarks that maybe hurtful but are quite true. I know several Mexican girls who have anchor babies in the you. S even though they are not citizens themselves. It is a loop hole that Mexicans people constantly exploit. My guess is that once business starts to drop off in Tijuana they will wise up and things will go back to how they were. In the meantime if you are or can pass for Mexican go in the Mexican line and act as if to skip all the bullshit. Otherwise some of us will have to resort to busting glory holes along the border fence.

[Captain Solo]

Noone mentioned Mexico collect the exit visa, or check out the visitors when they leave, so how will they know how long they stay?

This is a big loop hole that the pervs should exploit.

[ScatManDoo]

I'll be back in about 3 weeks and expect to enter and exit Mexico 9 of 11 days. Does anyone know if I'll need to complete that paperwork daily, or.,.

The way it is set up.

You are supposed to turn in the S / T visa at an office near La Linea every time you cross from Mexico into the United States.

You will need to complete the paperwork every time you cross by foot. That's nearly daily if you're going to cross 9 times in 11 days.

[Don Smith 10]

I have a passbook, but they scanned it like the USA CBP so I think that the ready card will scan, but maybe with sentry you may have to find out if you need to bring a passport. I think Sentri is a USA clearance to enter, not another country. I really don't know, and I don't want to lie or guess!

Thanks for the info. I think they just scan your passport book or card, I think.

My friend stopped by mexican border agent few weeks ago and asked for a passport.

At that time he only got sentri and agent said you need carry the passport bc sentri is USA border crossing card, not the ID.

So I think you should bring passport.

[Village Chief]

I was issued a paper permit. It had the handwritten information from my passport written by the Mexican agent. Name, date of birth and country, and time allowed Mexico-7 days. The date of entry was stamped by the agent. The whole process was about 5 minutes. There was only three of us in the building at the time, but I can see it could get backed up quickly during busy times and school days. I think the 180 day 322 p fee will be stamped, but not sure? If you have a ready card? More info will be needed, I don't want to give wrong info.
Also the USA CBP agent said now that Mexico is checking for passports-that you need legally to enter Mexico-or turned away- The people without passports will be greatly reduced and should speed up the lines getting into the USA. I doubt it though.

Hi GSR,

I was in Tijuana last week with a group of visitors. No one stopped us. It seemed to me it was business as usual. However due to the chaos of the construction, it took a lot longer to come back to the line in the taxi. The taxi driver was cursing all the way for the mess. My question is did they put a stamp on your passport or the paper permit they issued.

Thanks for your kind reply.

[Artisttyp]

I'm in LA this week for business and drove to San Ysidro this morning. Got chatting with a man waiting to exchange currency, learned of new process. Sounded like a problem and decided not to cross because I only had my Global Entry card. Mistake. This board gave warning of this over a week ago and I foolishly left my passport on the east coast.

I'll be back in about 3 weeks and expect to enter and exit Mexico 9 of 11 days. Does anyone know if I'll need to complete that paperwork daily, or is the 7-day pass valid for multiple entries?

Back and forth for 9 days straight is ridiculous. Yes you will need to comply with the new process and you will be questioned. If I were you I would set aside some Tijuana time and stay put in Tijuana.