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If someone presents a expired passport they are automically sent to secondary. I had passport card that I found & did not realize that it was no longer valid. I requested a new passport earlier & was unaware that the old one had been cancelled. The CBP don't make a big deal about it they just check your info at secondary. The best thing to do is go to the processing center & apply for a new one. They will give yoo a receipt of application that you can show as proof when crossing. The passport cards are only $60 if cost is a concern.
[QUOTE=CenTexCrash;2601720]Forgot to mention, minutes after I was detained at Mex entry, another individual was taken into same room because his passport was expired. They let me go, so unfortunately I didn't stick around to see what his outcome was.[/QUOTE]
The weather will keep getting hotter all week until Saturday. The weather is predicted to be a high of 87 before it starts cooling.
[QUOTE=CaptainSolo;2601293]...When shaken down by Mexican policia, Immigration, any real or fake authorities, arguing for your rights or protection under the laws, using any legal, moral, compassionate reasons will usually frustrate the bullies enough that they would back down and let you go...[/QUOTE]When shaken down by US police would you argue with them for your rights or protection under the laws?
Before US cops write their tickets I would politely ask them what they stop me for and argue from there.
If they think you may be legal and there are margins of errors they may have made mistakes, plus you have not said or done anything to piss them off, lots of them have guilty conscience and would let you go without tickets. After they write their tickets I would just shut up and argue in court. It's very difficult for them to let drivers go without tickets as their stops are recorded and they do have ticket quotas to fill, but I have been let go 7 or 8 times by Cal Highway Patrol, 5 to 6 times by municipal cops. I do long drive back from Tijuana late at night at classified speeds, so I am a frequent target for CHP to pick on.
Twice my speeding tickets were dismissed by San Diego courts. The latest CHP speeding ticket I posted bail around $480 and did a trial by declaration. It was dismissed and bail refunded within 2 weeks due to CoVid closure. One CHP stop for peeing on the side of the Governor's freeway, I zipped up so quickly they had no evidence and had to let me go. The last CHP stop was after 2 AM in San Clemente North of Camp Pendleton, accused of driving at high speed in car pool lane in dense fog. Apparently he was following me a long distance in stealth mode trying to bust me for car pool lane violation, but the wingman was sleeping in a reclined seat on passenger side. I told the CHP officer I was just following traffic. He scoffed and said there was no traffic and he followed me a long way. He took down my driver license info and let me go, probably bad mouthed me in CHP records. My driver license and car plate showed up so often in CHP and CBP data bases, officers probably know all details about my life hehe.
If SWAT apes show up at your house in their armored vehicles, don't talk back or shoot back at them. Just surrender your ass then pursue other legal ways later or those mean bastards will put a lot of holes in you.
Anywhere in the world you go, try to understand your legal rights and make sure you defend them. Don't let stupid bastards bully and run you over. Teach them good lessons to become better humans.
Monday night we drove back about 11:30 crossed like usual in 10 minutes in SENTRI car lane, but PedEast was very long stretching way back past the pedestrian bridge and not moving. I have never seen PedEast line that long late at night, estimated 2 to 3 hours wait.
It was Monday end of Labor day weekend but most tourists and visitors crossed back around 5 to 7 PM, not near midnight, so looked like CBP was delaying or not processing pedestrians.
Restrictions Coming Back into USA This Evening.
This normal when the pedestrian line is long. The CBP lets people move in groups. The purpose is to avoid having to many people. You have to wait 15 or 20 minutes untill they let the next group of people move. I am fairly surprised the line was that long so late at night.
[QUOTE=CaptainSolo;2601818]Monday night we drove back about 11:30 crossed like usual in 10 minutes in SENTRI car lane, but PedEast was very long stretching way back past the pedestrian bridge and not moving. I have never seen PedEast line that long late at night, estimated 2 to 3 hours wait.
It was Monday end of Labor day weekend but most tourists and visitors crossed back around 5 to 7 PM, not near midnight, so looked like CBP was delaying or not processing pedestrians.
Restrictions Coming Back into USA This Evening.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Hargow20;2601762]If someone presents a expired passport they are automically sent to secondary. I had passport card that I found & did not realize that it was no longer valid. I requested a new passport earlier & was unaware that the old one had been cancelled. The CBP don't make a big deal about it they just check your info at secondary. The best thing to do is go to the processing center & apply for a new one. They will give yoo a receipt of application that you can show as proof when crossing. The passport cards are only $60 if cost is a concern.[/QUOTE]I assume you're talking about crossing from Mexico to the USA? I crossed at San Ysidro twice back in 2020 during the "height" of COVID with a recently expired passport. USA Customs scanned my passport and let me through without saying anything even though it was expired. Passport I think had expired in May 2020 but I crossed in July and September 2020 without issue.
But going into Tijuana from the USA To Mexico I was quickly sent into the back room both times where I had to pay a bribe to cross into Tijuana. Those were the only two times I've ever been asked to pay the bribe going into Mexico.
[QUOTE=Phazze93;2600198]Free parking only for 24 hours though right? From what it says on the website.
[URL]https://www.sdmts.com/rider-info/transit-station-parking[/URL]
Have you been able to park at trolley stations for more than 24 hours? My trip will prolly be for 2 nights? So def 24 hours +.[/QUOTE]Been at least a year since I've parked at a trolley station but I've parked several times at the Palomar Street station for 36-48 hours with no issue. So it's definitely not a strict 24 hour rule. They're not really making the effort to watch the cars like that though if they notice a car in the same spot for several days my guess is they tow at that point. I think you could get away with 36-48 hours with no worries, maybe even a bit longer than that, but I suppose you could be taking a risk going over 2 days or so. But I really don't think they even care or watch the cars closely like that. They just don't want people abusing the free parking by parking there several days at a time. I'd also left my car way up in the Old Town station parking lot for 2-3 days once a few years ago and it was right where I left it when I came back.
[QUOTE=CenTexCrash;2599483]When I walk across from San Ysidro into Tijuana at initial pedestrian Migracion building, not the airport, and request a 5 day FMM permit and be as vague as possible, will they be cool and hand it over or are they going to press for exact details and call me out for abusing a loophole (which I am but that's aside the point) and demand immediate full payment?
If they see I'm from TX not CA am I pretty much SOL? When trip ends I'm flying Tijuana to Monterrey then same day bus back to Texas.[/QUOTE]You never want to be "vague as possible" IMO. You want to have a clear and well-thought out excuse (I. E. , lie LOL). For example, with a "dental appointment" excuse you should have a name of the dentist office, location, and time of appointment thought out in advance in case they ask.
Would also recommend printing out an online version of the FMM ahead of time if you can. Mexican customs officials aren't too different from corrupt Mexican policia or the street thugs down in Zona Norte. They'll a lot of times focus on targets who they deem easiest to shake down. If you have the FMM printed and filled out ahead of time, it's strong evidence that you're an experienced border crosser (whether you actually are or not) who knows what he's doing. So they'll be a lot less likely to ask questions and shake you down for a bribe provided you have a valid passport. I have no evidence whatsoever to prove this but I'd be willing to bet money that those who come to customs with a completed FMM and a passport are a lot less likely to get jammed up and shaken down for a bribe than those who come to customs without one.
Once I got the FMM / Visa they Mexican immigration officials did not bother me again.
[QUOTE=BrotherMouzone;2601917]I assume you're talking about crossing from Mexico to the USA? I crossed at San Ysidro twice back in 2020 during the "height" of COVID with a recently expired passport. USA Customs scanned my passport and let me through without saying anything even though it was expired. Passport I think had expired in May 2020 but I crossed in July and September 2020 without issue.
But going into Tijuana from the USA To Mexico I was quickly sent into the back room both times where I had to pay a bribe to cross into Tijuana. Those were the only two times I've ever been asked to pay the bribe going into Mexico.[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=BrotherMouzone;2601925]You never want to be "vague as possible" IMO. You want to have a clear and well-thought out excuse (I. E. , lie LOL). For example, with a "dental appointment" excuse you should have a name of the dentist office, location, and time of appointment thought out in advance in case they ask.
Would also recommend printing out an online version of the FMM ahead of time if you can. Mexican customs officials aren't too different from corrupt Mexican policia or the street thugs down in Zona Norte. They'll a lot of times focus on targets who they deem easiest to shake down. If you have the FMM printed and filled out ahead of time, it's strong evidence that you're an experienced border crosser (whether you actually are or not) who knows what he's doing. So they'll be a lot less likely to ask questions and shake you down for a bribe provided you have a valid passport. I have no evidence whatsoever to prove this but I'd be willing to bet money that those who come to customs with a completed FMM and a passport are a lot less likely to get jammed up and shaken down for a bribe than those who come to customs without one.[/QUOTE]This. LOL I'm a newbie when it comes to Tijuana about to try and cross without (expired) a valid passport & a printed FMM w / fake passport dates (1 year out from when expiry).
I'm ok with paying the $20 bribe if needed all things considering. But anxious about getting turned away or gettin shaken down for more:
Hi,
I know I should have gotten a global entry, or one of the other entry passes. But, I was wondering, with all of the immigration issues I see on TV. How is it crossing with just a passport? Is it 1 hour, 2 or 3 ? Each way.
[QUOTE=Phazze93;2601986]This. LOL I'm a newbie when it comes to Tijuana about to try and cross without (expired) a valid passport & a printed FMM w / fake passport dates (1 year out from when expiry).
I'm ok with paying the $20 bribe if needed all things considering. But anxious about getting turned away or gettin shaken down for more:[/QUOTE]I think if you don't have a valid, unexpired passport it's pretty much a guarantee they'll send you to the back room for a bribe. Only exception would be if you try to sneak through the Mexican Nationals line where they don't check passports (which I wouldn't advise if you don't look Latino). I believe per Mexican federal law if you're not a Mexican National and you don't have a valid passport they're not supposed to let you enter the country in the first place, though they'll always look the other way with a small bribe LOL.
I wouldn't worry at all about getting turned away. That's not happening unless you refuse to pay the bribe. And I've only heard about the bribe being $20 or $30 - haven't heard of any cases where the Mexican customs officials try to get more than that. If you're taking a change of clothes would advise dressing down as you're walking though customs.
Attempted to cross PedEast on foot around 2:30 AM late Tuesday night / early Wednesday morning. The line was surprisingly long, estimated 1 1/2 hours. I nearly fell asleep waiting in line as I was completely exhausted from the events that happened earlier in the night.
There were 3 border agents checking ID on the way back, one of them routinely sending people to the back and asking them multiple questions, thus further delaying the line. Luckily, I did not get that agent. My agent asked me one question (a question about my destination) before letting me through.