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JohnnyBoy

Nov 19, 2008, 11:57 AM

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Checking out with Migra

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I know when I leave Mexico via air that I have to go to the special immigration desk in the airport and get a stamp and a paper showing the date I left the country.

But what about when I leave Mexico on land?

Whenever I go to Tucson for a weekend shopping trip I do not bother to check in/out with Migra. I don't even know where I would do that. I always drive across into Arizona at the Nogales/Mariposa crossing. Anyone know where the office is for doing this?

Since I am going to be gone a couple of weeks this time and because I have read on these fora about FM3 holders getting penalized for not checking in/out with Migra, I thought I better get the low-down from you experts.

Thanks.

jb

bournemouth

Nov 19, 2008, 1:29 PM

Post #2 of 15 (1665 views)

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Re: [JohnBleazard] Checking out with Migra

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John - stop at Kl. 21 and go over to the immigration office where you get FMT's etc. Open your FM3 to the Salida pages and they will stamp it. Reverse the process when returning to Hermosillo. We found in the past, that if there are a lot of people there, and you hold up your open FM3, someone will wave you forward and take care of it. We have not been asked to fill out the forms that you do when leaving by air, except at the Colombia Bridge crossing.

Have a good trip.

Moisheh

Nov 19, 2008, 2:01 PM

Post #3 of 15 (1659 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Checking out with Migra

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John:

We have never had ours stamped. I do not know of anyone in our community who stops to have it stamped. When renewing our FM3 they have never looked to see if it was stamped. Have been stopped for migra checks while south and it was not a problem. So why bother??

Moisheh

bournemouth

Nov 19, 2008, 3:22 PM

Post #4 of 15 (1641 views)

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Re: [Moisheh] Checking out with Migra

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Because things are changing, albeit slowly?

Brian

Nov 20, 2008, 4:32 AM

Post #5 of 15 (1590 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Checking out with Migra

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If you get stopped at a southbound secondary checkpoint and questioned about the absence of an exit stamp, just tell them you only went as far north as the border town but didn't cross. I.E. Tijuana, Nuevo Laredo, Reynosa, Matamoros etc. But if you have a lot of electronic merchandise with US receipts, you are screwed...

DickH

Nov 20, 2008, 5:52 AM

Post #6 of 15 (1580 views)

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Re: [JohnBleazard] Checking out with Migra

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Along this vein - my son and daughter-in-law visited us in Mexico two years ago (by air) and failed to get their passports stamped out. When he re-entered by car 6 months ago he got into a big discussion at the border and ended up being let in but with a "strong warning". Now they are flying back this weekend and are quite concerned that her passport has never been stamped out of the country. They called the consulate in NM and were told everything from "don't worry" to "you'll be fined, but not more than $500 USD".

What if they said she flew into Mexico two years ago and drove out??? (or other ideas?)

Dick

colibri1

Nov 20, 2008, 10:49 AM

Post #7 of 15 (1547 views)

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Re: [JohnBleazard] Checking out with Migra

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We'd heard that it was especially important for FM2 holders to check in and out (driving, so we started doing so last year. The official always gave a look, like "Why would you want to do that?" And some didn't even know where to stamp them, so that we ended up with them out of order. Next we realized that we were soon to run out of space for the stamps and we still had a couple of YEARS to go with the same booklet....so we stopped.
Marianne

JohnnyBoy

Nov 21, 2008, 8:54 AM

Post #8 of 15 (1472 views)

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Re: [Brian] Checking out with Migra

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I appreciate all the replies I have seen to my original post. I am already NOB, in Phoenix, waiting for a flight to San Francisco. Worry-Wort and Fuss-Budget that I am, I am already worrying about my return as I did not get my papers stamped at the border, as I should have. When I got to Km 21 I stopped and had the vehicle permit removed from my windshield and got the receipt for that. Which I will guard closely.

I handed the guy at the sticker removal place my FM3 visa. He handed it right back to me without saying anything. I asked if he could stamp it for me, as I was leaving Mexico for two weeks. He said "No necesita" and I mindlessly took that as an official blessing to proceed.

It now occurs to me that on my return I will have to run the red light/green light gauntlet TWO times as I re-enter Mexico, and my plan has been to do a bunch of grocery shopping in Tucson first. I am not buying anything other than food. No electronics. No furniture. No booze. Just food.

If I get a red light and I explain that it is all food items that I am unable to find in Mexico (which it all is) do you think they will notice my large suitcase and wonder why I needed that for a food run to Tucson and where such thinking and suspicions might lead, re: not getting my visa/passport properly stamped?

I have hit the red light on a couple of occasions in the past with my truck loaded to the brim full of my furniture and personal stuff, and they never batted an eye or gave me any grief about it. They have never asked to see my papers. It seems to me they are primarily interested in people bringing stuff in for re-sale, particularly electronics.

As I write this I realize it is primarily an exercise in self-conviction, or delusion. I am trying to convince myself that even if I get a red light they will not care about 15 or 20 plastic grocery store bags full of gringo comida.

Or should I, when I return, first drive from Phoenix back to Km 21, get my papers stamped and all that, then go back to Tucson to do my shopping? It would be a 3-4 hour, 150 mile delay/diversion that I would prefer to avoid.

Brian

Nov 21, 2008, 9:13 AM

Post #9 of 15 (1466 views)

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Re: [JohnBleazard] Checking out with Migra

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You worry way too much. This border crossing business causes more stress for gringos (who are accustomed to the rule of law) than to paisanos who know that any problem can be fixed with a little bit of money on the spot. Just declare "abarottes" and if they want to charge you a import duty on it, just pay it. Assuming you will want to get a new auto permit on your return, they will look at your FM-3. Banjercito is not the same as Immigration. They may or may not tell you that you are in trouble for not getting an exit stamp. In any case, the people responsible for handling it are at your local office in Hermosillo. At the time of renewal, they may fine you or, as happened once to me, just give you a little lecture. No pasa nada.

Brian

Ed and Fran

Nov 22, 2008, 4:12 PM

Post #10 of 15 (1399 views)

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Re: [Brian] Checking out with Migra

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Just because I had read so many conflicting opinions on the subject, when we went north in August I specifically stopped at Immigration when I crossed, at the Free Trade Bridge between Harlingen and Brownsville, and asked if I was supposed to get my FM3 stamped going out and in. The agent told me it wasn't necessary, and he had no interest in looking at or stamping mine.

I just got my FM3 renewed (a new FM3 after 5 years) and local immigration didn't care that my passport showed stamps outside the country but my FM3 only showed stamps for the few occasions that we had flown in/out of Mexico.

Regards

Ed

Georgia

Nov 27, 2008, 10:11 AM

Post #11 of 15 (1317 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Checking out with Migra

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The Colombia Bridge crossing is very belt and suspenders - but also very efficient and convenient to get to. Since I have an FM-2, it is REALLY important to get it stamped in and out, no matter what. You are only permitted to be out of the country a certain amount of time on an FM-2 or you lose your status. So, yes, they do keep track. We want to apply for imigrando status and citizenship so these matters are important to us. The FM-3 is a tourist visa, the FM -2 is an immigrant visa, so they are fussier about the latter.

sioux4noff

Nov 27, 2008, 1:44 PM

Post #12 of 15 (1294 views)

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Re: [Georgia] Checking out with Migra

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Just out of curiosity, how would they know if you drove out of Mexico and returned, without stamping the FM2 either way? I'm not suggesting that (nope, not me) but was curious.

Georgia

Nov 27, 2008, 2:26 PM

Post #13 of 15 (1287 views)

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Re: [sioux4noff] Checking out with Migra

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When I apply for my imigrado status they will review both documents scrupulously. If there are any disconnects it will raise problems.

Ed and Fran

Nov 28, 2008, 6:42 PM

Post #14 of 15 (1233 views)

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Re: [Georgia] Checking out with Migra

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The FM-3 is a tourist visa...

Really? I thought that was an FMT.

Georgia

Nov 29, 2008, 7:32 AM

Post #15 of 15 (1201 views)

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Re: [Ed and Fran] Checking out with Migra

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FMT: single entry tourist visa
FM3: multiple entry tourist visa good for one year
FM2: immigrant visa

Look at what is says on the visa itself - turista