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Trudy

Oct 26, 2003, 12:17 AM

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6 months in Cozumel

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We are planning to drive to Puerto Morelos and take the ferry to Cozumel. We have made arrangements to rent a house for six months. We will be traveling on a tourist visa.

Since the house is rented for six months, and we can be in the country for six months, we will be losing some house time. I'm not sure how much time the travel will take...to and from the US border, but I am figuring 1-2 weeks round trip.

The owner of the house suggested that we make a trip to Belize during our stay so we can have the full six months in the house.

My question is...do I need to drive over the border to Belize so that my van has more time, or can I just take the bus trip to Belize? I know that by visiting Belize during the six months, my time starts over. But what about my van? Does it need to have it's paperwork upgraded as well?

Second question...If I don't do the Belize trip and we misjudge the time required to return to the border, what happens if we are six months and two days in the country? Is there a major hassle at the border?

Okay...third question...I have heard that the Tampa-Progreso ferry will not be running again until Nov. of 2004. Is that the case? Does anyone know?

Thanks for any help you can give me.

Carianna

Nov 13, 2003, 12:18 PM

Post #2 of 5 (1420 views)

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Re: [Trudy] 6 months in Cozumel

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Hi, Trudy, How's it going?

The Tampa to Progresso ferry will most definitely not be running until November of 2004. If then. Nothing this fall and winter except a charter flight out of Clearwater into Cancun weekly and cheaply being sponsored by the Yucatan Express to keep up interest in the route, so they say.

You can stay in the country for 6 months on a tourist visa. Ask for the maximum amount you can get -- sometimes up to 3 months -- when you enter. They may or may not give this to you. When you are within a couple of days of the expiration of your current visa, go to the office of immigracion in the Palacio -- first story office closest to the ocean on the south side of the building. You can renew your visa for up to 6 months total but you have to pay for this. So you get the papers, then run to the bank and pay, then bring the receipt back to the Palacio.

If I were you, I'd leave the country in time to be sure I was crossing the border on or before the date that my 6 month visa ran out. Seems a lot of trouble to go to Belize just to extend for a couple of days. And they're not just stamping them and letting you turn around and go back an hour later anymore from what I've heard. Last I heard from a friend who did it 5 months ago was that she had to go into Belize City and stay the night and then come back. Used to be a bottle of decent brandy would take care of the problem but apparently those days are over. Until next week when maybe things will change back again.

Don't over stay your visa and try to leave the country after it's expired. They make you hang around, pay a fine, do a big bureucratic dance that may all end in you learning the hard way how to delicately offer la mordita and hope you didn't pick the wrong person.

Trudy

Nov 13, 2003, 9:51 PM

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Re: [Carianna] 6 months in Cozumel

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Thanks so much for the reply. Someone told me the name of the ferry was the Yucatan Express, so I did a search and found out the sad news from their website. I had lost my link and didn't remember the name, so I was thankful to get that info. Not so happy to find out they weren't running this year. *sigh*

The Belize trip kinda went by the wayside when someone told me I would need to have the car with me and that cars can't be there over 6 months in one year. Well, there is not way I was going to drag my car to Belize just to extend my stay a few days. I was planning a bus trip and thought it would be fun too. May still go, but not for the purpose of extending my stay.

I got a letter from someone who said there is a 5 day grace period for leaving the country. I would not plan the extra five days, but it's nice to know that if the car breaks down or the road is out, I have some extra time. It would help me not panic. lol

I'm a bit nervous about that long drive through the country with our limited Spanish. I refer to my Spanish as being tourist Spanish. I don't know syntax, tenses, or even conjugations of verbs. So when I talk, I'm sure it's baby talk. My Spanish will improve, but not before I take this trip. I have a Berlitz CD that I really must open and insert. It's hard to learn Spanish from an unopened package. lol The return trip doesn't bother me so much because I will have had 5-6 months of practice learning and speaking Spanish with my friends. But the trip down...well, that's a bit more dicey.

Thanks again for your help. Is this Carrie of Cozumelmycozumel fame? Just wondering.

Carianna

Nov 14, 2003, 9:06 AM

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Re: [Trudy] 6 months in Cozumel

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Yep, I'm Carey from the www.cozumelmycozumel.com website. We have a Living in Cozumel forum over there for anyone interested in making the move to our little pirate island which I am beginning to realize is as much carribbean culture as it is Mexican/Mayan. Hence the pirate spirit which is alive and well here.

I have friends that have made the drive to Coz from the states, didn't speak more than a few words of Spanish and said it was one of the funnest experiences of their lives. I would suggest picking up a few key phrases. Learn to phrase things to which people can answer with a simple yes or no.

Like: "Do you allow dogs?" or "Is there a secure place for my car tonight?" Another good one is "Escribelo, por favor" -- Write it down, please. That's very handy if you don't yet recognize numbers well and need to hear how much something's going to cost.

Good luck

Trudy

Nov 14, 2003, 5:39 PM

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Re: [Carianna] 6 months in Cozumel

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Good advice...thanks. Those are a few phrases that would obviously benefit me and ones I hadn't thought of. Thanks again.