General Info

[Naked Gunz]

. My penalty will keep increasing over time if I decide to return. I spend money on my visits and am punished yet millions of Venezuelans are in CO illegally and taking jobs and breaking laws and no big deal. Simply amazing!

If you like that, how about your tax dollars going to pay $5000 per month to migrants in NY! F the homeless veterans crazy from Agent Orange.

[Gabacho]

I had a flight booked from SD to MDE on American for $189 with a 4 hour layover in Miami. One way ticket.

That's a super good deal. Did you buy it like a month in advance or something?

[Dcrist0527]

The cheapest way to get to MDE is to fly on vivaaerobus from Tijuana to Cancun and then buy a separate ticket from Cancun to Medellin on Wingo. You can get all the way from Tijuana to Medellin for less than $300 usd one way.

If I remember correctly viva usually has a direct flight that leaves Tijuana around 11 pm and gets you to CUN around 6 am and then the wingo flight leaves CUN around 9 am and you arrive at MDE around 12 noon.

The viva flight from TIJ to CUN should cost about $80-100 usd and the Wingo flight from CUN to MDE is like $150-175 usd. Of course buying your tickets atleast a week in advance and only taking a personal item of 10 kilos or less (a backpack).

Flying from LA or SD would cost significantly more.

I had a flight booked from SD to MDE on American for $189 with a 4 hour layover in Miami. One way ticket.

[PigSavinBoy]

I overstayed last visit by 3 weeks and had to pay around $100. Well it happened again. I left CO 3 weeks ago. I overstayed another 3 weeks. But this time they wanted 1,800,000 pesos ($466)

Yep they increased the fines sometime ago.

https://expatgroup.co/english/news/f...cion-colombia/

[ChuchoLoco]

I overstayed last visit by 3 weeks and had to pay around $100. Well it happened again. I left CO 3 weeks ago. I overstayed another 3 weeks. But this time they wanted 1,800,000 pesos ($466). I chose not to pay it. I really doubt I will be returning. She informed me that so many tourists are overstaying and they are cracking down. My penalty will keep increasing over time if I decide to return. I spend money on my visits and am punished yet millions of Venezuelans are in CO illegally and taking jobs and breaking laws and no big deal. Simply amazing!

So you knew that overstaying would cost you but you did it again. I guess the laws and rules shouldn't apply to you. Typical Ugly American attitude. Sounds similar to most politicians attitudes. I worked for a government and it was incredible to see that they would pass ordinances but not want to follow them themselves. The rules were for everyone else. Like someone else said, you won't be missed. I guess you don't love it there anymore.

[Huacho]

I overstayed last visit by 3 weeks and had to pay around $100. Well it happened again. I left CO 3 weeks ago. I overstayed another 3 weeks. But this time they wanted 1,800,000 pesos ($466). I chose not to pay it. I really doubt I will be returning. She informed me that so many tourists are overstaying and they are cracking down. My penalty will keep increasing over time if I decide to return. I spend money on my visits and am punished yet millions of Venezuelans are in CO illegally and taking jobs and breaking laws and no big deal. Simply amazing!

I'm pretty sure you won't be missed.

[Gabacho]

I overstayed last visit by 3 weeks and had to pay around $100. Well it happened again. I left CO 3 weeks ago. I overstayed another 3 weeks. But this time they wanted 1,800,000 pesos ($466). I chose not to pay it. I really doubt I will be returning. She informed me that so many tourists are overstaying and they are cracking down. My penalty will keep increasing over time if I decide to return. I spend money on my visits and am punished yet millions of Venezuelans are in CO illegally and taking jobs and breaking laws and no big deal. Simply amazing!

Also another thing you could have done would have been to registered for Spanish classes at some cheap school and then applied for a student visa before your 90 days had expired. That one is more expensive than the prorrogar but it is for like 1 or 2 years depending on how long you're enrolled in the Spanish classes.

Also the digital nomad visa would have worked too if you can prove that you have at least $650 usd of monthly income from a remote job.

[Gabacho]

I overstayed last visit by 3 weeks and had to pay around $100. Well it happened again. I left CO 3 weeks ago. I overstayed another 3 weeks. But this time they wanted 1,800,000 pesos ($466). I chose not to pay it. I really doubt I will be returning. She informed me that so many tourists are overstaying and they are cracking down. My penalty will keep increasing over time if I decide to return. I spend money on my visits and am punished yet millions of Venezuelans are in CO illegally and taking jobs and breaking laws and no big deal. Simply amazing!

You should have just applied for the Permiso para Prorrogar permanencia they give you an extra 90 days. I came this time in August and I would have had to leave in Nov but I applied for the prorrogar in October and had to pay 125 mil or something like that at Banco de Occidente and then like 2 days later I got the permit in my email showing that I can stay until later in February.

[Gabacho]

I overstayed last visit by 3 weeks and had to pay around $100. Well it happened again. I left CO 3 weeks ago. I overstayed another 3 weeks. But this time they wanted 1,800,000 pesos ($466). I chose not to pay it. I really doubt I will be returning. She informed me that so many tourists are overstaying and they are cracking down. My penalty will keep increasing over time if I decide to return. I spend money on my visits and am punished yet millions of Venezuelans are in CO illegally and taking jobs and breaking laws and no big deal. Simply amazing!

So you don't have to pay it?

[LoveItHere69]

I overstayed last visit by 3 weeks and had to pay around $100. Well it happened again. I left CO 3 weeks ago. I overstayed another 3 weeks. But this time they wanted 1,800,000 pesos ($466). I chose not to pay it. I really doubt I will be returning. She informed me that so many tourists are overstaying and they are cracking down. My penalty will keep increasing over time if I decide to return. I spend money on my visits and am punished yet millions of Venezuelans are in CO illegally and taking jobs and breaking laws and no big deal. Simply amazing!

[BigButtDetecto]

The cheapest way to get to MDE is to fly on vivaaerobus from Tijuana to Cancun and then buy a separate ticket from Cancun to Medellin on Wingo. You can get all the way from Tijuana to Medellin for less than $300 usd one way.

If I remember correctly viva usually has a direct flight that leaves Tijuana around 11 pm and gets you to CUN around 6 am and then the wingo flight leaves CUN around 9 am and you arrive at MDE around 12 noon.

The viva flight from TIJ to CUN should cost about $80-100 usd and the Wingo flight from CUN to MDE is like $150-175 usd. Of course buying your tickets atleast a week in advance and only taking a personal item of 10 kilos or less (a backpack).

Flying from LA or SD would cost significantly more.

Although I live in San Diego and it may be cheaper to fly through Mexico, I prefer to go through another country from sandiego or Lax; I had problems with the Mexican immigration sevices in the past that delayed my international flights.

I like a 2 days sto over in Panama city for instance.

[Gabacho]

I am going to look at airfare again though. I still think the cost and timing of flying to MDE is better from Mexico than San Diego or LA.

The cheapest way to get to MDE is to fly on vivaaerobus from Tijuana to Cancun and then buy a separate ticket from Cancun to Medellin on Wingo. You can get all the way from Tijuana to Medellin for less than $300 usd one way.

If I remember correctly viva usually has a direct flight that leaves Tijuana around 11 pm and gets you to CUN around 6 am and then the wingo flight leaves CUN around 9 am and you arrive at MDE around 12 noon.

The viva flight from TIJ to CUN should cost about $80-100 usd and the Wingo flight from CUN to MDE is like $150-175 usd. Of course buying your tickets atleast a week in advance and only taking a personal item of 10 kilos or less (a backpack).

Flying from LA or SD would cost significantly more.

[Dcrist0527]

Just a heads up for those who go to Mxico: the 180 days is no longer automatic and it's at the discretion of the immigration officer.

It's Mexico. It's always at the officer's discretion. LOL This has been an issue for years now. Mexican immigration officers took advantage of the covid years. During those years, they were able to get away with their scam because technically, tourism was not a legal reason to enter. However, that's no longer the case and if I was traveling into Mexico for a 5-day stay, I'd tell the immigration officer pushing the 180 day fee to go get his supervisor. The laws are no longer on their side to force us to spend the $35.

This was such a hot topic on the Tijuana boards for years. Only once did I buy the 180 day FMM, and that was by choice. I was going there so frequently, it was nice to have the FMM so I could just walk in the Mexican line.

I am going to look at airfare again though. I still think the cost and timing of flying to MDE is better from Mexico than San Diego or LA.

[Dcrist0527]

There's a kiosk inside the Tijuana airport (or atleast there used to be) on the right had side (when you walk in from the street) where you can get the FMM, and yes I believe it costs about $30 or $35 usd for the 180 day one. The 7 day one you get for free at the border will not work for boarding an international flight out of Mexico.

Now if you were just flying domestically within Mexico like Tijuana to CDMX or Tijuana to Cancun, etc. I've never ever been asked for the FMM or even my passport I've been able to fly all over Mexico with just a California ID card. But when you go to board the flight that leaves Mexico and lands in BOG or MDE in my experience they will deny you boarding unless you have a valid FMM. This may have changed though as I know in Cancun they no longer issue them they just write 180 on the stamp in the passport which acts as the FMM but I'm not sure if that's now at every airport or just at cancun.

Also one time I was denied boarding on a wingo flight from cancun to Bogota because my FMM had a car stamp instead of an airplane stamp (means it was issued at a land port of entry not an international airport). The wingo lady told me she couldn't accept it because of the car stamp and that I had to go to the INM office and get another stamp on the back side then she could accept it.

So literally like 20 mins before boarding I had to run through the cancun T2 airport all the way back thru the security checkpoint to the INM office there behind that guacamole restaurant where the bathrooms and ATMs are and they gave me the stamp on the back of the FMM card which is an exit stamp then I had to go back through security and back to the gate and I literally ran there all out of breath but I made it and the lady then accepted my FMM and boarding had already started so I just walked onto the plane at the at point.

I would advise you to pay the $35 and buy the FMM at the Tijuana airport or at the border crossing and hold onto it along with the separate receipt showing you paid for it. And when you get to the final airport where you will be boarding your flight to Colombia go up to the counter where you check your luggage and ask them if you need the exit stamp on the back or not (and go get that if you need it) then proceed through security and to your gate.

And if you didn't need the FMM at all I guess you're out $35 bucks but that's alot better than missing your flight if you did need it.

Actually you know what, now that I think about it, this last time I came through in August of last year, I had a brand new passport as I had just renewed in July and my FMM stamp was in the old passport from the last time I came back and I was just waived into Mexico like how you mentioned. And when I boarded in cancun on a flight to Medellin I was not asked for the FMM and neither did they ask about my Mexico entry stamp which I didn't have in the new passport (it was literally blank) but I did have the old passport with the 2 holes punched in it with a valid FMM stamp from cancun still within the 180 days in case if I needed to show it but they never asked me for it. They just let me board the flight with the blank passport. So you may not need it. I'd still rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it though, so your move.

Again, I appreciate all of the information. I decided to go to Tijuana to make my upcoming trip a 2-city party. I'll plan on getting the FMM in Tijuana. I appreciate you sharing your experience.

[Huacho]

in Cancun they no longer issue them they just write 180 on the stamp in the passport

Just a heads up for those who go to México: the 180 days is no longer automatic and it's at the discretion of the immigration officer.