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Marlene / Moderator

Dec 15, 2005, 1:30 PM

Post #1 of 16 (2488 views)

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Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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"Though tourist visas must still be acquired at ports of entry or the checkpoint 15 miles south of the international border at Kilometer 21, the new state checkpoint for vehicle permits has been moved farther south. The new location to purchase the car permit is at Kilometer 98 between Guaymas and Ciudad Obregon, about seven hours down Highway 15."

http://www.azstarnet.com/...tar/dailystar/107078

alex .

Dec 16, 2005, 11:20 AM

Post #2 of 16 (2462 views)

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Re: [Marlene] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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There is a lot of infrastructure at km21, I can't imagine they would simply do away with it ? I'll look when I pass by there tomorrow.
Alex

(This post was edited by alex . on Dec 16, 2005, 11:21 AM)

Marlene / Moderator

Dec 16, 2005, 12:17 PM

Post #3 of 16 (2455 views)

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Re: [alex .] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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I was assuming they would still continue the aduana check points, tourist card issuance, etc. at the 21 km location. Excellent if you can check it out for us and let us know.

Moisheh

Dec 17, 2005, 5:51 PM

Post #4 of 16 (2423 views)

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Re: [Marlene] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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To Clarify. The only thing that has changed at 21 is a permit for your car. If you are staying in Sonora and not going past Empalme you do NOT need a car permit. This part of Sonora is a free zone for vehicles. But you still need a visa and you still have to clear customs with that red lite thing.

Moisheh

Marlene / Moderator

Dec 17, 2005, 6:08 PM

Post #5 of 16 (2421 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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The part about Sonora Only zone application changing is fairly clear, but a question arose on the Traveling Mexico forum as to whether car permits for ALL of Mexico being issued at the new southerly checkpoint (like the article seemed to indicate) or are they still being done at the 21 km checkpoint? Did you travel through the area yesterday or today and happen to notice?

Moisheh

Dec 17, 2005, 7:50 PM

Post #6 of 16 (2410 views)

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Re: [Marlene] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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I am sorry but I cannot answer that question. Tourism Sonora is saying you can get the Federal sticker at 98. The Hermosillo paper said that the office is not open yet. Quien sabe?? I think the problem is that they do not have any offices yet at 98. Using trailers. If it were me I would get my sticker at 21 till this program gets going.

Moisheh

alex .

Dec 21, 2005, 12:38 PM

Post #7 of 16 (2362 views)

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Re: [Marlene] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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It looks like km 21 is in full swing when I went past: it looked like maybe ten windows open and maybe 20 people in each line. I imagine it would take awhile to get it all done. I crossed at Nogales but jumped on the cuota to Hermosillo right away so as not to deal with the aduana at the border. Got waved thru at km21, a bit further on is a Sonora Only checkpoint, then another at Ciuadad Obregon. They glanced at the window sticker in Obregon and waved me thru and that was that. The traffic on the cuota to MAZ was intolerable: bumper to bumper at 60 mph until you get within 10 km of a caseta then you stop and wait, could be half an hour or 45 minutes. The road is packed with SUVS, 99 percent CA plates, with luggage piled on the roof and more lugage piled on the obligatory trailer hitch cargo carrier. Twice, while waiting in line, I chatted with the mandarina vendors to learn where there was a hole in the fence (there is always a sneak path for the locals) and I bailed down the median, cut across the opposing lanes, thru the cornfields (the corn is only a foot high in december), down a dusty road, and re-enter past the caseta.
Recall that I have the car suspension modified for such excursions, I wouln{t recommend it for your average minivan or BMW. Another tip : the CB is practically useless. Oh, there is no problem raising truck traffic on chanel 5, but the traileros have an atitude and will purposly tell you wrong information. If you go past MAZ to Tepic, well, I would not take that toll road at night. Its only one lane each way and when the new pavement runs out its narrow lanes with no shoulder just like the free road. The busses take up all their lane and some of yours. It sucked.
Alex
Alex

Marlene / Moderator

Dec 21, 2005, 1:02 PM

Post #8 of 16 (2354 views)

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Re: [alex .] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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Thanks for the update Alex. It is good to know that Obregon is open. I assume they would have sold you a vehicle importation permit had you not had already had one, as part of the their new plan?

It seems that each year the traffic gets worse on that highway at Christmas time. It makes it a bit of a chore to get to and from the Mazatlan airport from the city at this time of year.

Merry Christmas and enjoy your vacation. Hopefully the traffic situation will be easier on the return journey.

alex .

Dec 22, 2005, 12:02 PM

Post #9 of 16 (2332 views)

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Re: [Marlene] km98

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Lest the readership think that km 98 is only 77 km farther than km21 : its a good 6 hours down the road.
Alex

alex .

Jan 3, 2006, 7:41 AM

Post #10 of 16 (2265 views)

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Re: [ncferret] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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I drove around that checkpoint since I'm not done with my permit yet.
Alex

ncferret

Jan 3, 2006, 7:58 AM

Post #11 of 16 (2261 views)

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Re: [alex .] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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There seems to be some debate about that Alex. There are at least 3 versions of the story -

1. You can keep your permit and cross the border as long as the permit is still valid.
2. Any time you cross the border, you have to turn in the permit and get a new one.
3. You can keep your permit forever as long as your FM3 remains valid even if you cross the border after the permit expires.

I know folks that have crossed for 4 years on the same permit and others that were turned around to get a new permit upon reentry even though their permit hadn't expired. As long as you have a permit, nothing terrible is likely to happen, but the safest course of action seems to be turning in your permit when you leave and getting a new one each time you return. After all, it's only $28.

(This post was edited by ncferret on Jan 3, 2006, 8:14 AM)

ncferret

Jan 4, 2006, 4:44 AM

Post #12 of 16 (2224 views)

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Re: [alex .] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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This report was originally posted on MazInfo (January 2nd) and is kindly reprinted with the author's permission. Thank's Cheryl!

“Anyway, we drove down on Dec. 23, we were told to get the car permit at Nogales. Going south, the ”Only Sonora“ tent was occupied by 2 people and had no customers. Coming back north today, there wasn't any sign of ”Only Sonora“ checkpoint south of Guaymas on our side of the road so we obviously drove on to the formal car permit station. The guy checked our VIN against the permit, said something I couldn't understand, and then said ”excuse me“ and reached in and scraped off the sticker. That was all there was to the car permit situation. The sign says ALL cars must stop there so we did. ”

So at least for all those traveling from the US to Mazatlan (or any where out of Sonora), nothing has changed. At least so far :))

ncferret

Jan 5, 2006, 8:08 AM

Post #13 of 16 (2200 views)

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Re: [ncferret] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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Here is another important report from someone that just returned from the US. It is reprinted with permission of the author, Marco, and was posted on MazInfo today. The last paragraph is very important. If you are coming to Mazatlan from the US, you MUST still get your all your car importation paperwork at the original 21KM facility near Nogales.

Quote

I have just returned to Mazatlan from a brief roadtrip in my pickup to
Arizona and hope my experience will clarify some of the confusing info
posted here recently about the changes in operations at kilometer 21
and the new checkpoint located at kilometer 98, near Guaymas.

I drove north in late December and did not return my auto permit. No
one asked for it. I returned south across the border on 3 January at Nogales.
The Kilometer 21 checkpoint appeared to be operating as normal. I drove
past during siesta time and Motor homes were being checked for valid
permits, but autos and pickups were not. I drove, without challenge
through the desinated lane for autos and pickups with nothing to
declare. No one was interested in our vehicle.

At kilometer 98 it was possible to obtain a Sonora Only permit. No
other services are available at kilometer 98.
There is no place to return your permit at kilometer 98. There is no
place to obtain a permit for all of mexico at kilometer 98. There is
no checkpoint in operation at kilometer 98.

alex .

Jan 5, 2006, 1:34 PM

Post #14 of 16 (2190 views)

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Re: [ncferret] the permit is multiple entry

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you can go back and forth all you like until it expires (tied to your FMT).
Alex

patricio_lintz

Jan 8, 2006, 8:22 PM

Post #15 of 16 (2160 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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I just passed by the new checkpoint two days ago, on my way back to Chapala. The checkpoint is open on the cuota road between Guaymas and Empalme. It is a number of trailers and a tent with tables under it.

I stopped at neither 21 click nor 98 since I have a temporary import sticker & did not return it on my way to Phoenix. I cannot imagine that they would not be issuing permits at 21 also. There are other ways out of Sonora than south on Highway 15.

Moisheh

Jan 9, 2006, 6:16 AM

Post #16 of 16 (2150 views)

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Re: [patricio_lintz] Sonora Car Permit Changes in Effect Today

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Accordint to my contact @ Sonora Tourism there is no FEDERAL Banjercito @ km98. If you are leaving Sonora you will need a Federal sticker. That is available @ km21. By March or later they expect to have a FEDERAL office open @ 98.

Moisheh