TalkBaja.com » Baja Mexico Forums » Visas for travel and living in Baja California, Mexico

As most of you know I/we crossed in Mexicali and drove down to La Paz.

When we crossed I did not get any type of Visa!

Now in La Paz for about 3 weeks and I have a feeling that this is all wrong.

Can I get what I need here in La Paz or:
Do I have to leave the country and come back in with a Visa?

Oooops. Congrats, you're an illegal alien!!

I'm pretty sure a Canadian doesn't need a visa, but you were supposed to get an FMM visitor's permit at the border in order to travel this far south. You could probably throw yourself on the mercy of INM (immigration office) here in La Paz, but there is likely to be a fine in addition to the cost of the FMM.

If you're planning to exit Mexico by land and return, you could probably do nothing until your next entry. Apparently they don't normally check for the permit when people drive out. But if flying out, they'll nail you if you don't have the exit portion of the FMM.

I have no personal experience with the above and am just reporting what I've read and heard. But I do know that if you plan to apply for temporary or permanent residence status (FM3/FM2), you'll need the FMM to submit with your file. So depending on your plans, you might want to get the matter straightened out ASAP.

Edit: Maybe you could call the nearest Canadian consulate and ask their advice.

Johnny, Johnny, Johnny!! It's a tad bit late NOW, but if you go back & look at your original post:

http://www.talkbaja.com/showthread.php?t=5706

& re-read my initial response....first multiple-sentence paragraph, where it says:

I've usually crossed shortly after daylight, but it's been several years since I made the drive, so maybe others who have made it more recently will chime in on current information for best crossing times. You will have to stop at Immigration at the border to get & pay for your FMM visas; also detailed on the BN crossing threads.

You'll find that you were instructed to stop & get temporary visas....but I can understand it might have been confusing & overwhelming crossing into a foreign land & you probably just wanted to get down here to your new casa ASAP & might have overlooked the sage advice you'd received!

There IS a fine, what I'm not sure of if whether or not it's on a sliding scale....i.e., possibly the longer you've been here illegally, the larger the fine. If you'd like, I'd be happy to meet you (either Thursday or Friday AM) & show you where Immigracion is & see if I can soften your reception as an illegal alien in this fair city! I'm pretty sure I could keep you out of jail at the minimum!

I can tell you that the fine is approximately $1,500 pesos per person for not having gotten the visa at the border if you go in within 24 hours of your arrival in La Paz. And I can tell you that both you & Mrs. Johnny will be required to present yourselves & throw yourselves on their mercy.

Next question.......?

Hey Legs...

If this is for real....

My advice for a tourist that failed to comply with the Mexican regs, would be to try and fake it, inasmuch as there have been untold numbers of scofflaws who have traveled the length of Baja and never have been legal. The checkpoints are hit and miss.

However, since your posts seem to show that you are planning to build and stay, you really need to go to the local immigration office and be prepared to pay a fine.

longlegsinlapaz

Thank You for reminding me too re-read old advice !

You are correct when we hit Mexicali we we so excited to be hitting the last leg of our trip.

We are back in a Hotel :( as they are re-doing our floors, Again.

We will be attempting to go to Friday morning (just got your post).

Johnny, check your private messages....upper left corner below the Talk Baja logo, just after your user name, click on "Private Messages".

My offer to go into INM with you & help walk you through the process was sincere & with no strings attached. I'll tell them to not yell at you so loud!

Hey, Howard.........

Why wouldn't this be for real????????

And why would you suggest to someone who is already in violation to "Fake it"........we should be obeying the law, not trying to "fake it"...........

Your advice sucks

Originally Posted by Bajahowodd

If this is for real....

My advice for a tourist that failed to comply with the Mexican regs, would be to try and fake it, inasmuch as there have been untold numbers of scofflaws who have traveled the length of Baja and never have been legal. The checkpoints are hit and miss.

However, since your posts seem to show that you are planning to build and stay, you really need to go to the local immigration office and be prepared to pay a fine.

Nice try Teniente, but IMO, you're spittin' in the wind....hurricane-force winds! In HO's mind, he's all-knowing & clearly he believes he knows more about most everything than anyone, in this particular instance, the LaPaz INM office, than any of us La Paz peons....because ya know we've never had any experience in dealing with them....after all, whadda we know? Amongst the La Paz area members on this site alone, we only have a measly combined total of literally decades of FMT/FMM/FM3/FM2 applications & renewals with these INM guys....which is nada compared to HO's personal experience & wisdom.

But then I seem to recall he posted some time ago about having once made a round-trip to Cabo sans FMT....so from that perspective, I'd say he would have more experience than all my friends & acquaintances in La Paz....in how not to enter the country legally!

I haven't a clue why he has such a fierce need to challenge everyone's veracity, but he's done it time after time! I'm now slipping back into ignore HO mode!

Originally Posted by CDN_JOHNNY

longlegsinlapaz

Thank You for reminding me too re-read old advice !

You are correct when we hit Mexicali we we so excited to be hitting the last leg of our trip.

We are back in a Hotel :( as they are re-doing our floors, Again.

We will be attempting to go to Friday morning (just got your post).

Johnny... I wouldn't pass up Leg's offer.... to smooth things out... for ya....

Owning a home its about time to get an Fm2 is'nt it?

Originally Posted by tripledigitken

Owning a home its about time to get an Fm2 is'nt it?

You're right, but first things first.....first they gotta get legal before they can apply for FM2 or FM3; which ever they feel best suits their situation. They'll be required to turn in an FMM to begin the FM2/FM3 process. All this can be mind-boggling to the uninitiated! It is legal to buy property here on an FMM, but it's much safer for them from a legal standpoint should they ever become embroiled in a legal dispute over the property having an FM2/FM3 (better legal footing) versus an FMM.

When I helper my partener get Her FM3 she didnt have a FMT. the person that does mine filled out the FMT went into the office and filed it then she filled out the app. for the FM3.and submitted it . no problem .

Originally Posted by J.P.

When I helper my partener get Her FM3 she didnt have a FMT. the person that does mine filled out the FMT went into the office and filed it then she filled out the app. for the FM3.and submitted it . no problem .

They didn't nail her with a fine? What INM office....location....what town? Norte or Sur? I'm guessing possibly Ensenada? North of the area where FMM's are required based on distance from the border & limited time....not positive of current restrictions, but I believe it used to be 72 hours.

Than won't happen this far south....I've taken a friend in after he flew out of TJ & landed in La Paz without an FMT/FMM. The fine was $1,500 pesos. Different geographical areas have slightly different rules & varying degrees of interpretation & enforcement. Not to mention that "facilitators" who are in the business of doing all the paperwork for a fee for a large number of clients are given leeway or know how to manipulate the system....dollars to donuts your facilitator put the current date on the FMM form he submitted to circumvent a monetary fine.

We live in Ensenada and sometimes they are tough if you dont get your FMT at the border but as he explained you needed the FMT to be current to file for the FM3 this was done the 1st of May this year.It did cost the 18dlr fee.

Sheeesh! What kind of fine am I looking at...having bought property with an FMT 5 yrs. ago, and never getting an FM3

Originally Posted by Doc Rey

Sheeesh! What kind of fine am I looking at...having bought property with an FMT 5 yrs. ago, and never getting an FM3

You didnt say if you live there fulltime or not. If you dont and come back down and find someone else living there it could be a problem

Doc Rey, you won't get fined for owning property and not having an FM2 or FM3, and it's perfectly legal to have bought it with an FMT (I did the same). But common wisdom is that an FM3 or FM2 gives property owners stronger legal status in the event of a contract dispute or other such issue.

Thanks for the replys. I'm actually in the L.A. area & return to check on my place monthly. I'll procrastinate no more & get it done.

If you have any doubts about wading through the Spanish-language paperwork, you might want to use a service. They don't charge an arm and a leg.

Unless you are considering citizenship, I don't think an FM2 is necessary (but I'm not a lawyer) or even helpful over an FM3. (I don't know how long any of this is valid, since some things are about to change.

If you travel over the border at all, consider getting your tourist visa on the way in, and then apply immediately for the FM3 (or 2) right away. (You can have the paperwork all ready to go.)

Once you get into the interior or south Baja, do you ever get checked for your visa, for example, when pulled over for a traffic violation? I'm in Rosarito where most expats are undocumented. I know a guy with a beautiful house in TJ who has no visa at all. Been in Mexico 30 years. Crosses the border regularly. But that's the border region.