Crossing Borders
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Crossing Borders |
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Crossing the International Border
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For American citizens crossing the border into Chihuahua, the best advice is to have all of your paperwork in order, as well as photocopies of all pertinent documents. Americans crossing into Mexico at the Palomas Port of Entry must obtain a tourist visa. To obtain the visa, you must show a passport, birth certificate, or valid voter registration card. Soon, you will have to have a Passport. Visas may be obtained for durations varying from a few days to six months, so be sure to indicate how long you plan to stay in Mexico. Further paperwork is required of those Americans who plan to drive their own vehicles into Mexico. It is important to remember that the driver must own the vehicle to obtain a permit, and one person must do all of the permit paperwork and sign as the driver. Permits will NOT be issued to drivers of borrowed or rented vehicles. Fees will be assessed for USA citizens obtaining tourist visas into Mexico. The cost is less than $20 U.S. dollars and can be paid when entering the country at the Mexican Migration Office, or at any Mexican bank. Banks are open Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. To obtain a vehicle permit, you must show: 1) A certificate of title to the vehicle. If you have a lien on the vehicle, you will also need a statement from your bank or other lienholder indicating permission to drive the vehicle into Mexico. 2) A certificate of Mexican auto insurance, indicating that the vehicle in question will be covered while traveling in Mexico. Mexican insurance can be obtained on the New Mexico side at Pollard Insurance, 118 West Pine Street, in Deming, New Mexico. You must present your vehicle registration and certificate of American insurance in order to obtain Mexican insurance. 3) A major credit card, such as Visa or MasterCard. Once again, be sure to have several photocopies of these documents to turn over to Mexican officials at the Port of Entry. If you do not provide copies at the time you obtain your permits, you will be charged fees to have copies made in Mexico. You will also need to make copies of your tourist visa, once obtained, in order to receive your vehicle permit. Please remember that all vehicle permits issued at the Palomas Port of Entry must be returned there. So you must return to Palomas even if you do not cross back into the United States there. If you should cross back into the US at another Port of Entry, you will need to travel back to Palomas to return your permit and have your vehicle sticker removed. If this is not done, Mexican authorities may charge a fine to you credit card when the vehicle permit expires. Tips to Remember: 1) Do not take any guns into Chihuahua. Federal law strictly prohibits the introduction of firearms and ammunitions into the country. If caught with a firearm or any type of munition, you may be imprisoned and face up to 30 years of incarceration. 2) The Mexican military and police operate checkpoints, mainly to check cargo vehicles, and as part of an ongoing program to fight drug traffic. If stopped at one of these checkpoints, show identification and tourist visa. If you have nothing to hide, there is nothing to fear from these checkpoints. Please remember these officials are merely performing their paid duties, but photographing them is strictly prohibited. |
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