General Reports

[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.

[Ninguno Especial]

The dog is supposedly checking for people leaving the USA Carrying more than Ten Thousand dollars. I got stopped once when the dog alerted to me. And that's what the agents told me. Come on man how can the dog tell the difference between a couple hundred dollars and 10,000. 00 . I think the dog was interested in the box of See's choclates I had.

I know they might ask you if you have more than 10 K on you & I say no, but thanks for the compliment anyway. But I really doubt that is all the dogs are trained to sniff for. One quick sniff is all it takes, they are highly skilled professionals. LOL.

[Ninguno Especial]

These are shared taxis. Majority of them arrive / leave from 3rd / 4th street and Madero. Next time you are in Tijuana, pop over and find out how late they run. These taxis go all over. I went to Rosarita on one of these for only 180 pesos.

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.

[Ninguno Especial]

Do you also take the van back to the border?

Is it also available at night?

Up until about 9 pm only on 2nd street between Constitucion & Revolucion. But you take pot luck, sometimes there are mostly old yellow Bluebird school buses or various other make shift vehicles. The new RED buses now operate from the border but you have to walk West down down by that little park and wait at their enclosure recently constructed. Then I have no idea if they go straight to Centro or if they take you all over creation 1st but guessing they drop you by the Arch and Nelson hotel. 14 pesos.

[LifeIsABeach]

Do you also take the van back to the border? Is it also available at night?

These are shared taxis. Majority of them arrive / leave from 3rd / 4th street and Madero. Next time you are in Tijuana, pop over and find out how late they run. These taxis go all over. I went to Rosarita on one of these for only 180 pesos.

[Baxter Slade]

I saw that the last two times I went down to Tijuana in the past couple of weeks. I'd never seen it before. No biggie for me, as I don't carry drugs into Tijuana, and I pop my vitamin V right when I park my car.

The dog is supposedly checking for people leaving the USA Carrying more than Ten Thousand dollars. I got stopped once when the dog alerted to me. And that's what the agents told me. Come on man how can the dog tell the difference between a couple hundred dollars and 10,000. 00 . I think the dog was interested in the box of See's choclates I had.

[Tinny2000]

Do you also take the van back to the border?

Is it also available at night?

Tuesday was surprised to see some Feds on the US side before the turnstiles with a drug sniffing (I assume) German Shepard. Thought to myself the dog is in the wrong profession, very gentle loving look in the eyes almost apologetic, maybe more suited for hospital visits to cheer patients up.

So if you are a "MMJ patient" carrying "meds" across the border (dumb thing to do) best rethink. Hadn't noticed this type of inspection in many months but I only go down once or twice per week.

Also caught a nice van for 10 pesos right out of the building where the taxis are. Driver took us over the new bus bridge near the west ped entrance so in 2 min. Was at 1st and Madero 1 blk off Revolution. Not bad for 50 cents but I know plenty of codos who wouldn't pay that amount. LMAO.

[Member #2041]

Tuesday was surprised to see some Feds on the US side before the turnstiles with a drug sniffing (I assume) German Shepard. Thought to myself the dog is in the wrong profession, very gentle loving look in the eyes almost apologetic, maybe more suited for hospital visits to cheer patients up.

So if you are a "MMJ patient" carrying "meds" across the border (dumb thing to do) best rethink. Hadn't noticed this type of inspection in many months but I only go down once or twice per week.

Also caught a nice van for 10 pesos right out of the building where the taxis are. Driver took us over the new bus bridge near the west ped entrance so in 2 min. Was at 1st and Madero 1 blk off Revolution. Not bad for 50 cents but I know plenty of codos who wouldn't pay that amount. LMAO.

I saw that the last two times I went down to Tijuana in the past couple of weeks. I'd never seen it before. No biggie for me, as I don't carry drugs into Tijuana, and I pop my vitamin V right when I park my car.

[Ninguno Especial]

Tuesday was surprised to see some Feds on the US side before the turnstiles with a drug sniffing (I assume) German Shepard. Thought to myself the dog is in the wrong profession, very gentle loving look in the eyes almost apologetic, maybe more suited for hospital visits to cheer patients up.

So if you are a "MMJ patient" carrying "meds" across the border (dumb thing to do) best rethink. Hadn't noticed this type of inspection in many months but I only go down once or twice per week.

Also caught a nice van for 10 pesos right out of the building where the taxis are. Driver took us over the new bus bridge near the west ped entrance so in 2 min. Was at 1st and Madero 1 blk off Revolution. Not bad for 50 cents but I know plenty of codos who wouldn't pay that amount. LMAO.

[Tinny2000]

The following paragraph details the poor operation of Mexico refineries.

Refining in Mexico is controlled entirely by Pemex, whose six refineries have an installed capacity of 1.7 million barrels of oil equivalent per day. But Pemex is simply incapable of meeting demand effectively. Demand for refined goods is 50 percent higher than the current production of refined products. And since no new refining capacity has been built since 1979, Pemex's aging infrastructure is not well suited for processing the heavy and ultra-heavy crude grades that increasingly dominate Mexican production. Compared with industry benchmarks, Pemex's refineries are significantly more energy intensive, less efficient in distillate yield, and prone to more downtime. Only three Pemex refineries have deep-conversion technologies that allow for the transformation of lower-quality crude to gasoline. Because of inadequate maintenance budgets, malfunctions, and unplanned downtime, Pemex refineries typically operate at 71 percent of capacity— significantly lower than the 83 percent utilization average for refineries in countries that belong to the OECD. So even as crude oil remains a primary export, Mexico has been forced to increase its imports of refined petroleum products. From 2000 to 2012, gasoline imports achieved a 13 percent CAGR, while diesel imports reached a 10 percent CAGR. As a result, Mexico imports about half the gasoline that it uses.

You are way understating Mexico's oil refining activity.

2015 is the lowest year but Pemex still uses 63% of its refineries' capacity, about 1 million barrel a day.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-me...0TD26W20151124

As Pemex processes less oil, the utilization rate of its six domestic refineries. The volume of crude processed divided by refinery capacity. Could sink to as low as 63 percent this year, badly lagging peers in the United States, Brazil and Venezuela and making it one of the most inefficient refiners in the world.

[Captain Solo]

You are way understating Mexico's oil refining activity.

2015 is the lowest year but Pemex still uses 63% of its refineries' capacity, about 1 million barrel a day.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-me...0TD26W20151124

As Pemex processes less oil, the utilization rate of its six domestic refineries. The volume of crude processed divided by refinery capacity. Could sink to as low as 63 percent this year, badly lagging peers in the United States, Brazil and Venezuela and making it one of the most inefficient refiners in the world.

Mexico no longer refines or it is very limited refining. Even though they have vast amount of crude oil, their refineries are obsolete after decades of neglect and under investments. Mexico now imports more gasoline than they produced for domestic market. Most of their crude oil is sold to other foreign refineries. This lack of refinery capabilities and subsidies is their downfall.