General Reports

[Member #2041]

For those of you who question reality.

That's not a brothel. It's just a dirtbag hotel that Haitians are living in, about 10 to a room, and there are far more guys living there than women.

[Hargow20]

I am probably heading to Tijuana either Tuesday or Thursday evening possibly.

True. Today, Saturday, was a window of opportunity with sunny skies most of the day but the last of 3 storms moves in Sunday. Appears to be drying out from Tuesday or Wed. On to the weekend.

[SaltShaker]

For those of you who question reality.

Is this false information being spread? Pictures that don't match up? It's not cool if it's fake. Would love clarification and validation of these claims. No need to provide false accounts to others that look for accurate information in this forum. Please clear this up.

[Ninguno Especial]

It was raining like shit at San Diego yesterday. Just checked the news about Tijuana, it is not good either.

True. Today, Saturday, was a window of opportunity with sunny skies most of the day but the last of 3 storms moves in Sunday. Appears to be drying out from Tuesday or Wed. On to the weekend.

[Squid1234]

It was raining like shit at San Diego yesterday. Just checked the news about Tijuana, it is not good either.
It seems better to put off trip there at least one week.

There was a flood warning in San Diego yesterday but as typical for California it's hot and sunny today.

[Tinny2000]

It was raining like shit at San Diego yesterday. Just checked the news about Tijuana, it is not good either.

It seems better to put off trip there at least one week.

From Fontera.info (google translation).

News about Tijuana:

1. The areas near the colony Francisco Villa and Garden City were left without light after they fell poles. Full Note.

Rain leaves without energy 180 thousand houses.

2. They declare Alert State for the rains.

The Municipal Civil Protection Directorate declared State of Alert in Tijuana.

3. Watch for landslides.

The delegation Sánchez Taboada and the colony Division of the North are two places of the city that have suffered subsidence.

[Member #2041]

This past summer, I got my passport card in just over 2 weeks without paying any expedite fees. The passport card is good for any land-based border crossing. The main catch is you can't take any international flights with it. But I still fly within Mexico. I just fly out of Tijuana, not San Diego or L. A. I'm going to Cabo soon, and later, either Puerto Vallarta or Mazatlan. Volaris has great fares to those places from Tijuana, that are less than half the fares to the same places from San Diego. My TIJ. Cabo round trip ticket cost me 2400 pesos ($115). The same trip from San Diego would be $300 or more.

[Bill]

Hello,

Long time lurker first time poster.

I've been to Tijuana twice this past year, and can't wait to return. I've read the various threads going back for a few months so I kind of know what's there.

Right now my questions are about the passport card. I have a regular passport and have used it to enter Mexico and return to the USA. I have looked here: https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...tion/card.html.

But haven't found answers to my questions. So I thought I'd ask those who might know from experience.

1) I see that the card is all that's needed to return to the US, but is it sufficient to enter Mexico?

2) If you get a card sometime after getting the original passport, is it good for another 10 years, or does it expire when the passport does? In my case, this April.

3) Is the processing time to add a card based on an existing passport the same 4-6 weeks as a passport renewal, or faster?

1 yes.

2 yes, no.

3 ime 16 days.

[FlapJacK]

Hello,

Long time lurker first time poster.

I've been to Tijuana twice this past year, and can't wait to return. I've read the various threads going back for a few months so I kind of know what's there.

Right now my questions are about the passport card. I have a regular passport and have used it to enter Mexico and return to the USA. I have looked here: https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...tion/card.html.

But haven't found answers to my questions. So I thought I'd ask those who might know from experience.

1) I see that the card is all that's needed to return to the US, but is it sufficient to enter Mexico?

2) If you get a card sometime after getting the original passport, is it good for another 10 years, or does it expire when the passport does? In my case, this April.

3) Is the processing time to add a card based on an existing passport the same 4-6 weeks as a passport renewal, or faster?

Well, you would have to first enter Mexico to be able to return to the U.S. So it only makes sense that your passport card is good for both.

Its good for however long it says. Usually 10 years.

Processing times.

Approximately 4-6 weeks from the time of application, including mailing time. The total time it takes us to process an expedited passport application and you to receive the mailed passport, from "door-to-door. " Approximately 2-3 weeks from the time of application, including mailing time.

A simple google search will deliver you this information. https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...ing-times.html.

Cheers!

[Squid1234]

Hello,

Long time lurker first time poster.

I've been to Tijuana twice this past year, and can't wait to return. I've read the various threads going back for a few months so I kind of know what's there.

Right now my questions are about the passport card. I have a regular passport and have used it to enter Mexico and return to the USA. I have looked here: https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...tion/card.html.

But haven't found answers to my questions. So I thought I'd ask those who might know from experience.

1) I see that the card is all that's needed to return to the US, but is it sufficient to enter Mexico?

2) If you get a card sometime after getting the original passport, is it good for another 10 years, or does it expire when the passport does? In my case, this April.

3) Is the processing time to add a card based on an existing passport the same 4-6 weeks as a passport renewal, or faster?

The card is preferred because 1. Your book isn't stamped (weekly visits can fill it up), 2. Easier to carry and conceal (harder to loose), 3. Allows you to use the shorter ready lines upon return.

You will need to make a weekday appointment (unless they have another weekend passport day).

Yes 4-6 weeks and hand over your passport (if you don't have original birth certificate) and two pictures and a check.

Expedited exception is proof of vacation (Hotel online payment receipt or airline tickets but not sure how many min days) and additional 60 dollar fee.

[WindAngel]

Hello,

Long time lurker first time poster.

I've been to Tijuana twice this past year, and can't wait to return. I've read the various threads going back for a few months so I kind of know what's there.

Right now my questions are about the passport card. I have a regular passport and have used it to enter Mexico and return to the USA. I have looked here: https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...tion/card.html.

But haven't found answers to my questions. So I thought I'd ask those who might know from experience.

1) I see that the card is all that's needed to return to the US, but is it sufficient to enter Mexico?

You can use the card to enter Mexico.

[Tinny2000]

See my replies below.

Hello,

Long time lurker first time poster.

I've been to Tijuana twice this past year, and can't wait to return. I've read the various threads going back for a few months so I kind of know what's there.

Right now my questions are about the passport card. I have a regular passport and have used it to enter Mexico and return to the USA. I have looked here: https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...tion/card.html.

But haven't found answers to my questions. So I thought I'd ask those who might know from experience.

1) I see that the card is all that's needed to return to the US, but is it sufficient to enter Mexico?

##### Yes. Actually I think pass card is better than passport since the Mex Cus can not stamp on it.

2) If you get a card sometime after getting the original passport, is it good for another 10 years, or does it expire when the passport does? In my case, this April.
###########
Not sure. I applied both at the same time.

3) Is the processing time to add a card based on an existing passport the same 4-6 weeks as a passport renewal, or faster?

Generally, it does not take that long.

I got both barely 2 weeks with regular service, it might vary case by case.

[ScatManDoo]

1) I see that the card is all that's needed to return to the US, but is it sufficient to enter Mexico?

Yes. Mexican border agents officially accept both the regular passports and the passport cards. What they don't officially accept for entry into Mexico are the Sentry or Global access cards.

2) If you get a card sometime after getting the original passport, is it good for another 10 years, or does it expire when the passport does?

Both passports and passport cards have ten year expiration periods. If you obtained a passport card two years after first getting a passport, the passport card will expire two years after the passport.

3) Is the processing time to add a card based on an existing passport the same 4-6 weeks as a passport renewal, or faster?

Yes. But my understanding is that currently these documents are being processed in slightly shorter periods of time, so getting one in two to three weeks is the current wait for many applicants.

[LixerGood]

Hello,

Long time lurker first time poster.

I've been to Tijuana twice this past year, and can't wait to return. I've read the various threads going back for a few months so I kind of know what's there.

Right now my questions are about the passport card. I have a regular passport and have used it to enter Mexico and return to the USA. I have looked here: https://travel.state.gov/content/pas...tion/card.html.

But haven't found answers to my questions. So I thought I'd ask those who might know from experience.

1) I see that the card is all that's needed to return to the US, but is it sufficient to enter Mexico?

2) If you get a card sometime after getting the original passport, is it good for another 10 years, or does it expire when the passport does? In my case, this April.

3) Is the processing time to add a card based on an existing passport the same 4-6 weeks as a passport renewal, or faster?

[Baxter Slade]

Yes, they are different than the city buses & super size vans. The ones you refer to are called colectivos (rutas) and routes are color coded. I rarely use those unless traveling South down to La Mesa and even then prefer the old green buses as those vans can get very jammed full like sardines with BO & bad breath filling the space.

HaHa funny you should mention your reason for preferring the green buses. I prefer the green buses to when going to 5 y10. However there were a few times I took them on weekdays. Talk about feeling out of place. The buses start to fell up with scool children during certain times of the day. I was like what's this old white man doing on a mexican school bus.