[junah]

Guys,
Hope someone can help me out here. I am currenly here in Mexico/Playa on a 180 days Tourist Visa. Soon my time will be over, but I would like to stay longer. Can I go to Belize or the US for a day or two and come back? Would I be allowed in again and get a new tourist Visa or will I have to wait for a longer period till I can come back in? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Best
Steve

 

[joaquinx]

Yes. You really don't have to stay long. You can return the same day and get a new 180 day tourist permit.

 

[TundraGreen]

Guys,
Hope someone can help me out here. I am currenly here in Mexico/Playa on a 180 days Tourist Visa. Soon my time will be over, but I would like to stay longer. Can I go to Belize or the US for a day or two and come back? Would I be allowed in again and get a new tourist Visa or will I have to wait for a longer period till I can come back in? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Best
Steve

You can leave the country through any border and turn around and come back in and obtain a new Tourist Permit (not actually a visa). I don't believe there is any minimum to the length of time you have to remain outside of Mexico. At the border crossing I am most familiar with, Tijuana, there is a separate Migración office for departing and arriving. There, I suspect you would have no problem checking out of Mexico, crossing to the entrance side and reentering Mexico immediately. At other exit/entrance points it might be a good idea to ask Migración how long you have to remain out of Mexico before obtaining a new Tourist Permit.

 

[junah]

Yes. You really don't have to stay long. You can return the same day and get a new 180 day tourist permit.

Thanks guys, but I am still a bit uncertain. The reason is that I read that this was possible years ago, but not anymore, due to a new law that started in 2010. Obviously an Imigration official at the border can see my entries and exits in the computer. Can I be sure they let me in again?
Thanks for any help.
Junah

 

[mickisue1]

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong.

But if that happens, can't you just say, "Oh, sorry. How long do I need to be out of the country?" and then spend that length of time across the border?

 

[Ken Wood]

Thanks guys, but I am still a bit uncertain. The reason is that I read that this was possible years ago, but not anymore, due to a new law that started in 2010. Obviously an Imigration official at the border can see my entries and exits in the computer. Can I be sure they let me in again?
Thanks for any help.
Junah

Like many things in Mexico, it might come down to what kind of a morning your agent is having on the day you cross, but I have been coming down since 2001, and living here since mid 2011, and I saw very little difference during and after 2010. The tourist permit is used to try to keep an approximate grip on how many tourists are in country at any giving time, what their choice of travel modes and destinations are, etc. It entitles you to absolutely nothing in the way of benefits afforded those with more permanent status. Mexican tourism is still suffering due to bad press in areas that wish to improve their own tourism, so, a personal opinion thrown in here, if an agent at the border begins refusing to issue tourist permits because the tourist want to spend too much time (and money) in Mexico, my guess is that someone would give him a quick counsel involving the importance of tourist dollars. If there is a minimum exit stay written down somewhere, it has to be one of the most obscure and certainly the least enforced regs in the country.

 

[junah]

Really appreciate it guys. So does that mean that it's most likely that I won't encounter any problems. I mean basically I (or any other person) could live all year round in Mexico with leaving only 1 day (1 time). Sounds pretty easy to me. Too easy? Am I wrong?
Thanks
Junah

 

[TundraGreen]

Thanks guys, but I am still a bit uncertain. The reason is that I read that this was possible years ago, but not anymore, due to a new law that started in 2010. Obviously an Imigration official at the border can see my entries and exits in the computer. Can I be sure they let me in again?
Thanks for any help.
Junah

On this forum, you will get the opinion of fellow posters. Often these opinions are based on much experience. But they are still just opinions. To get a more definitive answer you have to talk to the government agency involved, in this case Migración. And, in Mexico, rules and regulations are often interpreted or understood differently by different officials. So to really get the answer you want, you have to go to the office where you will be leaving and returning. No one else will be able to give you the assurance you are seeking.

Having said all that, you will be fine. There are lots of people who live full-time for years in Mexico on a tourist permit, just making semi-annual trips to the border. Either they don't have the income or job to qualify for a visa or they prefer the simplicity of avoiding the annual documentation rigamarole required to get a visa.

 

[joaquinx]

Really appreciate it guys. So does that mean that it's most likely that I won't encounter any problems. I mean basically I (or any other person) could live all year round in Mexico with leaving only 1 day (1 time). Sounds pretty easy to me. Too easy? Am I wrong?
Thanks
Junah

Many do this. Every 180 days, or so, they head to the border to get a new FMM. However, it's a dice roll. You never know when you might get refused by Migration as they want you to apply for a visa good for a year.

 

[junah]

Thanks again, I will report when I get (hopefully) back from my border run.
Junah

 

[TundraGreen]

... could live all year round in Mexico with leaving only 1 day (1 time). ...

I can't resist the urge to be pedantic. Actually it is 2 days (2 times) each year. But, to be even more pedantic, it is only a 180 day permit, not a six month permit. So it really works out to 69 times every 34 years, assuming you wait until the very last day on every permit.

 

[mickisue1]

I can't resist the urge to be pedantic. Actually it is 2 days (2 times) each year. But, to be even more pedantic, it is only a 180 day permit, not a six month permit. So it really works out to 69 times every 34 years, assuming you wait until the very last day on every permit.

Ah, the sweet smell of pedantry in the morning.

The mom in me applauds.

 

[joaquinx]

I can't resist the urge to be pedantic. Actually it is 2 days (2 times) each year. But, to be even more pedantic, it is only a 180 day permit, not a six month permit. So it really works out to 69 times every 34 years, assuming you wait until the very last day on every permit.

I won the bet with my neighbor by betting that someone would work out the math.

 

[RVGRINGO]

I hope leap year was considered in the calculation. One day late, if crossing with a temporarily imported vehicle, and POOOOOF goes your deposit!

 

[AlanMexicali]

My fmm

I can't resist the urge to be pedantic. Actually it is 2 days (2 times) each year. But, to be even more pedantic, it is only a 180 day permit, not a six month permit. So it really works out to 69 times every 34 years, assuming you wait until the very last day on every permit.

Having turned in my last FMM after JUST 3 months when going back to San Diego lately I now feel naked with no FMM card in my wallet when going to Mexicali for a week or so after the 3rd. night. The 72 hour "rule" is haunting me in the free zone. LOL

Thanks everyone? LOL

 

[TundraGreen]

I hope leap year was considered in the calculation. One day late, if crossing with a temporarily imported vehicle, and POOOOOF goes your deposit!

Ignoring leap year, it is 73 times every 36 years. Including leap year, it is approximately 69.6 times every 34.3 years.

 

[truetamara]

My husband just went to Belize to get a new 6 month Visa for Mexico. They were refusing to let him in the country because he was only going to get a new Mexico Visa. This was a 4:00 am so he asked to speak with the boss. She also said that they would not let him in the country. He told her that he had an appointment with a realtor the next day (which was true), and that he wanted to look at some more properties there. Eventually, she agreed to let him in, and told him that he would end up going to court if he tried to get back into Mexico in less than 72 hours.

Guys,
Hope someone can help me out here. I am currenly here in Mexico/Playa on a 180 days Tourist Visa. Soon my time will be over, but I would like to stay longer. Can I go to Belize or the US for a day or two and come back? Would I be allowed in again and get a new tourist Visa or will I have to wait for a longer period till I can come back in? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Best
Steve

 

[conklinwh]

Given the thread title, New Tourist Visa, I found the article in Friday's The News very interesting. In the article labeled "Deputies Urge to Publish Guidelines for Migration Law" it said that led by PAN, deputies from all parties demanded that the federal government bureaucracy issue as soon as possible, regulations for applying operational rules of the Migration Law. Now focus was on transient migrants but article pointed out that the deadline stipulated was 26 November 2011 for all of the new rules and to date nothing has happened.
Not sure if bureaucracy going into hibernation or just looking for new jobs given the expected PAN to PRI change.

 

[Isla Verde]

. . . article pointed out that the deadline stipulated was 26 November 2011 for all of the new rules and to date nothing has happened.
Not sure if bureaucracy going into hibernation or just looking for new jobs given the expected PAN to PRI change.

That's a definite possibility. Nuts! I was hoping the new rules would be in place by the time I go next month to renew my visa.

 

[PieGrande]

When I am in the States, I live in McAllen, a few miles from the Reynosa bridge. I used to take the bus home from Mexico,then drive back to the border and get a new FMT.

Once, the official said I had to wait three days to get a new one. So, after that, I turned in my FMT when I left, and waited a while, which meant two trips to the border in some cases.

Still, I also know a man who crosses, stays somewhere over night, then comes back in. This is another example of the rules being what the person across the desk says they are.