General Info

[Plan77]

Question regarding the Forma Migratoria when flying into Mexico. Do you need to have that in advance of your flight, or can you complete it upon arrival at the airport in Mexico? Asking here because I keep seeing old and / or conflicting information on the internet when trying to find a definitive answer to this question. Thanks in advance for any accurate guidance.

Old info indeed. You need nothing to do. Nada. Will be seen by an immigration officer who will stamp the passport. No QR code, no need of tourist card or FMM registration.

Or you will use automatic machine which will print out the tourist card with QR card. In that case you may need FMM registration prior to leaving.

I had the former so nada in nada out.

[Sol12]

Question regarding the Forma Migratoria when flying into Mexico. Do you need to have that in advance of your flight, or can you complete it upon arrival at the airport in Mexico?

It will be provided for you at the airport.

[The Cane]

Question regarding the Forma Migratoria when flying into Mexico. Do you need to have that in advance of your flight, or can you complete it upon arrival at the airport in Mexico? Asking here because I keep seeing old and / or conflicting information on the internet when trying to find a definitive answer to this question. Thanks in advance for any accurate guidance.

[Horny Dog #2]

I know this section is supposed to be about Mexico general information, so my apologies for the off-topic post.

I have not been able to get on the usasexguide site for a while (even when using the link on the front page of this site). Does anyone know if the site has been taken down?

[Bbond]

In the early 2000's I hit every border town from Matamoros to Tijuana seeking out the RLD's or Boystowns. There was a great one in Laredo as I recall. Also one outside of Veracruz. Where are the best Boystowns now? I'm talking about traditional Zona de Tolerencia. Perhaps they don't exist anymore. Those nights amongst the ladies in Laredo were some of the best memories I have for the hobby. I appreciate the update. EQ.

Laredo Baytown still exists, a mere shell of what it once was but still there. Pretty much empty during the week, a few venture out there on Friday night, and Saturday a lot of clubs are full of people just out parting. Gone are most of the girl bars, Papagayo, 123, Danash, really sad compared to what it once was.

[Sol12]

In the early 2000's I hit every border town from Matamoros to Tijuana seeking out the RLD's or Boystowns. There was a great one in Laredo as I recall. Also one outside of Veracruz. Where are the best Boystowns now? I'm talking about traditional Zona de Tolerencia. Perhaps they don't exist anymore. Those nights amongst the ladies in Laredo were some of the best memories I have for the hobby. I appreciate the update. EQ.

Yeah I remember when I first started going to Tijuana reading about Boystown but I think most of them along the border have gone. Basically Tijuana is the most popular, some places in Mexicali. Other than that most of the bigger cities have areas where they have working girls in clubs or they just have clubs spread around the city. Just look in each area and see if you like what they have.

[Edward Q]

In the early 2000's I hit every border town from Matamoros to Tijuana seeking out the RLD's or Boystowns. There was a great one in Laredo as I recall. Also one outside of Veracruz. Where are the best Boystowns now? I'm talking about traditional Zona de Tolerencia. Perhaps they don't exist anymore. Those nights amongst the ladies in Laredo were some of the best memories I have for the hobby. I appreciate the update. EQ.

[Sol12]

For short trips within Mexico I drive in and park at $12/ day, don't go through customs and don't need an FFM but for my 4-5 Colombia trips a year I go for 12-14 days so parking costs a lot. If I didn't use CBX on the way out I would not go through customs and would not need an FFM but I probably would need one on the way back when flying into CDMX from Colombia. I have always flown back into San Diego airport but this next trip I am going to try the red eye home and into TIJ. I'm probably just stuck paying the rip off $43.

I use to park at the Tijuana airport but during COVID it would get full so I just started to park at one of the lots at the border which now is only $6 per day. It's cheaper and easy to just get a Uber to and from. Only downside is if you don't have Sentri but if you come back late at night the Ready Lane line isn't long at all.

[AmorPorFavor]

Well hopefully you don't make the tip that often that it's really a burden.

The only way you might be able to avoid it is by not using CBX. I have never used it when flying out / in to Tijuana and haven't paid FFM for years. So I wonder if you didn't go thru CBX if they would still force you to pay? Since you're flying to Colombia I don't know what you are asked for when you arrive at the layover in CDMX or if they ask to see your FFM when you fly back.

For short trips within Mexico I drive in and park at $12/ day, don't go through customs and don't need an FFM but for my 4-5 Colombia trips a year I go for 12-14 days so parking costs a lot. If I didn't use CBX on the way out I would not go through customs and would not need an FFM but I probably would need one on the way back when flying into CDMX from Colombia. I have always flown back into San Diego airport but this next trip I am going to try the red eye home and into TIJ. I'm probably just stuck paying the rip off $43.

[Sol12]

I looked around and couldn't get and answer. Then I emailed CBX asked them and got this back: Yes, the charge was correct. The payment of the DNR (Migratory Rights) is made to all foreigners who travel to Mexico for more than 6 days or travel in transit through Mexico to get to another country. So now flying out of Tijuana to another country costs the CBX fee of $40- $50 round trip, depending on time of year, plus like $43 for an FFM.

Well hopefully you don't make the tip that often that it's really a burden.

The only way you might be able to avoid it is by not using CBX. I have never used it when flying out / in to Tijuana and haven't paid FFM for years. So I wonder if you didn't go thru CBX if they would still force you to pay? Since you're flying to Colombia I don't know what you are asked for when you arrive at the layover in CDMX or if they ask to see your FFM when you fly back.

[AmorPorFavor]

Well I think for those that know how Mexico works they either are overly strict with rules and using them to take advantage of people or they don't pay any attention to the rules. I was just trying to help you with what had changed with the law.

If you take this flight again soon you might want to go on the Mexican immigration site to read more on this and save it to your phone to show the agent if it states that the fee is only for foreigners who require a Visa.

Did you notice any other passengers paying the fee?

I looked around and couldn't get and answer. Then I emailed CBX asked them and got this back: Yes, the charge was correct. The payment of the DNR (Migratory Rights) is made to all foreigners who travel to Mexico for more than 6 days or travel in transit through Mexico to get to another country. So now flying out of Tijuana to another country costs the CBX fee of $40- $50 round trip, depending on time of year, plus like $43 for an FFM.

[SonicBoom1]

MXP reaching 16.7/ dollar is such a shity news for most people visiting Mexico. A date that cost US $100 now costs US $150. Like WTF. Not returning there until the rate moves back to nrmal 18-20 levels.

[Sol12]

I'm still unclear on this. The article says: "The regulation, which takes effect on October 22,2023, dictates that all foreign nationals who typically need a visa and intend to transit through Mexico's airports must now possess a visitor visa, specifically for non-paid activities such as tourism, regardless of the duration of their airport layover. " But as an American I don't need a visa to travel to Mexico, in fact I do it almost every week to Tijuana.

Well I think for those that know how Mexico works they either are overly strict with rules and using them to take advantage of people or they don't pay any attention to the rules. I was just trying to help you with what had changed with the law.

If you take this flight again soon you might want to go on the Mexican immigration site to read more on this and save it to your phone to show the agent if it states that the fee is only for foreigners who require a Visa.

Did you notice any other passengers paying the fee?

[AmorPorFavor]

With the large increase in immigrants flying into Mexico with the final destination the US border the Mexican government has been trying to come up with ways to deter this. So unfortunately your getting caught in the middle of this and now have to pay just for a layover.

https://travelobiz.com/mexico-impose...port-transits/

This didn't really help the problem much and now Mexico has a long list of countries that you aren't allowed into Mexico anymore without the Visa. This began in January of this year.

I'm still unclear on this. The article says: "The regulation, which takes effect on October 22,2023, dictates that all foreign nationals who typically need a visa and intend to transit through Mexico's airports must now possess a visitor visa, specifically for non-paid activities such as tourism, regardless of the duration of their airport layover. " But as an American I don't need a visa to travel to Mexico, in fact I do it almost every week to Tijuana.

[Sol12]

Been overthinking this scenario last 1-2 weeks. But I'm still receiving mixed intel on flying out of Mexico so still not 100% sure.

Re: FMM Permit for Mexico's Interior States / Flying out of Mexico, Gringos now instructed to print at home vs Caravan Central Americans still given the normal cardstock FMM.

I think I know what's going on. I think. The FMM for land entry 7 days is $0 USD. The permit for longer stays / fly out of Mexico internationally to USA / South America is (recently went from $25 to now $43 USD).

The Mex Govt is cracking down on gringos like Centexcrash. Gringos like Centexcrash found a fun adventurous loophole to get a free 7 day FMM permit at Laredo / Reynosa / Nogales / maybe Tijuana then turn around within 36 hours use that same permit to board a flight out of MTY / MEX / CUN where the airport gate crews don't screen each FMM presented. If 100-5000 gringos / day pull that same trick that's money $ the Migracion Dept is missing out on.

Because of that potential exploit, the border entry FMM offices have rolled out a new protocol: gringos that get access to the FMM cardstock are a potential flight risk. Day laborer Mexicans / Central Americans don't pose that same flight risk and likely don't have internet access so they are happily given a blank FMM cardstock to fill out. Gringos with short term stays do NOT get the pre-printed cardstock and are now instructed to fill out their FMM details online and print out the PDF results at home / local library and have that printout with them when they arrive at the FMM office.

Again this is all hypothetical and I am probably talking out of my ass. I currently only have first hand xp at the land entry side, I don't have sufficient xp of me or other board members on how the airport side is presently playing out.

Some of us have been talking about the FFM and how Mexico doesn't seem to be enforcing it at all. The only thing is that myself I only fly out of Tijuana and during COVID visited a few different cities and was never asked to show a FFM and I haven't filled one out in years. Last year I actually went online and filled one out and printed it at work before my flight but I never showed it to anyone to have it stamped or signed I just figured to have it to see if someone said something I could pull it out.

I know TomJackin who travels within Mexico from Tijuana almost every month prints his out and since he doesn't go for long trips he doesn't pay I think he just shows the INE officer when he comes across the CBX but I've never used CBX so not sure if they are strict.

Others that chimed in on the discussion fly from the US into Mexico and use to have to fill out an FFM but no longer are asked but I think the fee is included in the airfare but I'm not sure. From this website it seems that they are trying to make it all digital now so not to waste time with the paperwork. I remember during COVID they had a health questionnaire that you had to fill out before they would let you go to the security screening but it was a mess at first because some airports didn't have the papers all the time or the biggest issue was no pens or pencils to fill them out with so if somebody had a pen that person would end up sharing it with about 20 other people. Shortly after they had a QR code the you could use to just do it all on your phone.

This website is pretty good for current information but since it's Mexico even when they have certain rules it all depends on the people in charge. INE had lots of problems with officers taking bribes or making people pay fees.

https://www.mexperience.com/your-mex...st-permit-fmm/