Down to Panama and back, TIP questions.

[marksgone]

We are about to head on a year journey from US to Panama and back. We are both Australians with a 7 month old in tow traveling in a track camper. We have just scored a volunteering position in Mex for 4 months and now researching visas tips etc.
We hoped to stay on in Mex for a further 3 months, maybe also throw a trip to Cuba in. I read now that TIPs for Mex come in two flavours, 6 month and 10 year. Can we get the 10 year RV TIP? I have found conflicting information about what qualifies and what does not. If not how can we renew it? Will a quick trip across the Guat border able us to get a new one? And what about other countries and their restrictions. We travel very slowly but need to be aware of the different restrictions, ie we dont want to be stuck in Panama for 90 days waiting for a CR visa.

Also, how is it with personal Tourist Cards? Can we get a renewal in-country or do we need to leave and re-enter? And are there any specific things we need to do for the little guy?

Lots of questions, but there are lots of smart people out there!!

[moisheh]

There hasn't been an FM3 for about 3 years. It is now residente temporal. I wont get into that as it is very confusing and not many on this forum have that permit nor should anyone with an RV that returns North have this immigration form. Here is a cut and paste from a good source. This person has written about immigration policies for years and is considered an expert.


"Visitante: 6 Types: Non-Working Visitors (tourist), Working Visitors, and Visitors for Adoptions, Humanitarian, etc. 180 day limit. See Chapter 2, Article 52, Items I – VI of the Law for descriptions of all 6 types. At any point while the Visitante permit is valid, the foreigner can go to an INM border office, surrender their “old” Visitante permit, and get a “new” Visitante permit, to give them another 180 days of time permitted in Mexico."

Note that Turtle Toad is correct about getting a new permit before the old one has expired. However being as they do not check to see if you have an expired permisso one could simply walk into the office and get a new one. That could change in the near future.

Turtle Toad: I am sorry to hear you are hanging up the keys. You will be missed.

Moisheh

[navegator]

It is correct, that you are only allowed 180 days per calendar year, I just read the requirements for the old FMM and the new FMM, they call it something else.

I was also checking on the FM3 that is a totally different animal.

They probably do not care to much as long as you behave and are not returned to the US border in handcuffs as a "persona non grata", we normally stay in the States for a few days and then reenter Mexico.

navegator

[Turtle-Toad]

I didn't say you can't get more than one FMM in a 12 month period. I said that you CAN get one IF you still have some days left on the original one. I also said that you can't get a TIP unless you have a valid FMM. I guess I should have said that "if the officials are following the rules" but I figured that, being Mexico, that was a given.

I no longer have the regulations at my fingertips and, since I'm hanging up my RV keys, selling the coach, and moving into a real house (well, sort of, it's a triple-wide manufactured home), and probably not get back to Mexico, I have no reason to dig into the rules again. If someone wants to search the archives, they will find a thread about this around the same time Mexico came out with the FMM.

If anyone gets to the Pismo Beach pier, I'll probably be that bum with the scraggly beard and ancient pole at the end of the pier.

If anyone wants to take over my sticky's, and the administrator will allow it, PM me.

It's been fun folks

[moisheh]

Turtle Toad: I don't want to doubt you but where did you get the information that traveler can only get one FMM in a 12 month period? Unless something has changed you can turn one in and get another. There have been reports that in one of the Texas crossing some immigration officers were making up their own rules. Whenever there is a meeting in a Gringo community between La Migra and the foreign population that subject comes to life. The answer has always been as I stated. The FMM is not computer generated and they do not check the computer to see if you ever had an FMT or if you ever turned it in. There are snow birds in all the Sonora coastal towns who get 2 every year. Many have been doing this for over 20 years. If there is a recently changed regulation then please post a link so everyone can be informed.

Moisheh

[robatthelake]

I am sorry but there is absolutely No link between the Temorary Import Permit For the Vehicle And/Or the Visitors Visa!

We get Our TIP on line and delivered to Us here in Canada!

We get Our Visas when We take a Day Trip across the Border at Andrade/ Los Algodones!

Or San Luis depending on Our Day!

When We cross into Mexico at Any Crossing We choose be it Nogales or Lukeville or Further East in Texas ,We already have Our Valid Documents to present if asked! We have not been asked in the last three Years.

Furthermore When We turned in the Visitors Visa at the Aduana Office near Peidro Negras the Fellow on duty told Me that It wasn't necessary ,it has an expiry date so would end up in their trash.

A few Days later We crossed into Mexico again this time at Boquillas and were issued another visitors permit ,this time at No Cost. We turned that one back in as well!

[Turtle-Toad]

Tequila wrote:

marksgone wrote:
OK, so whether I can get a 10 year or a 180 day TIP is something I will report back on as the adventure unfolds. I am an optimist!

Two questions remain for my planning. Can a Mexican TIP be renewed simply by departing and returning within a day or so?

And what about the countries further south? What of the restrictions concerning renewal and extension there? Anyone been there and back?

Cheers

I think so, I led a caravan down last fall, crossed back in December, cancelled the permit, then got another one a couple of weeks later.

The way a MMT (the 'visa' you get when you cross into Mexico) works is that you get 180 days per year, starting from the time you first cross. NOT the calender year.

The TIP is linked to the MMT, so if you still have time left when you return, and your year hasn't expired, you can get a new one.

However, if you've used up your 180 days on your MMT, and you're still in your 'year' you are going to be denied a new MMT. And without a valid MMT you can't get a TIP!

Quit trying to game the system and follow the rules folks! If you need to stay longer, get a FM3 (or whatever they are calling them now).

Mike Dean

[Tequila]

Nice to have that confirmed. i generally cancel the 10 year on my trailer each time I cross. This fall I will be leading a commercial caravan down in Oct, then crossing back in Dec and re-crossing in Jan so i will keep it then, but still cancel in Spring. Far too much hassle to cancel if you sell or write off, i would rather pay $50 each time.

[robatthelake]

So just for Fun I tried using the Passport Number that I had prior to My current one. the Same Number that is clearly printed on the Temporary Import Permit for the Motorhome that is sitting in My Driveway here in Canada and has a valid Hologram!

The answer ! no Records of any Vehicles in Mexico!

So Your theory that it goes back 5 Years or less is certainly correct!

I

[Tequila]

marksgone wrote:
OK, so whether I can get a 10 year or a 180 day TIP is something I will report back on as the adventure unfolds. I am an optimist!

Two questions remain for my planning. Can a Mexican TIP be renewed simply by departing and returning within a day or so?

And what about the countries further south? What of the restrictions concerning renewal and extension there? Anyone been there and back?

Cheers

I think so, I led a caravan down last fall, crossed back in December, cancelled the permit, then got another one a couple of weeks later.

[Tequila]

Rob, it only goes back about 5 years. I suspect anything registered before then will not show up and probably is no in their records.

[robatthelake]

So I followed Your Link to check for Myself what Vehicles Show up as having Temporary Import Permits!

The Aduana reports that I do not have any vehicles in Mexico which is true ,however they also have No information about My Motorhome which has a Ten Year Permit which according to The Date shown on the Document doesn't expire until April 2020!

We Sold Our Old Motorhome in 2010 here in BC ,I had attempted to turn in the Hologram which expires in 2016 ,unsuccessfully because I had misplaced the Original Document ,My Colour Photocopy was not acceptable and Yes I had the Vehicle At the Mexican Border ! The Young Woman at the Border told Me to toss the Hologram and Photo Copy in the nearest Basura! She ran My Passport through Her Computer Terminal and claimed that I had nothing registered!

I attributed that situation on the fact that I had a new Passport with a different Number.

It would appear that this is the situation once again. The PP Number clearly recorded on the TIP doesn't match My Current PP!

So if You are a Canadian with a soon to expire 5 Year Passport it will be out of sync with the Mexican 10 Year TIP and chances are this will remain the case well into the future!

[marksgone]

OK, so whether I can get a 10 year or a 180 day TIP is something I will report back on as the adventure unfolds. I am an optimist!

Two questions remain for my planning. Can a Mexican TIP be renewed simply by departing and returning within a day or so?

And what about the countries further south? What of the restrictions concerning renewal and extension there? Anyone been there and back?

Cheers

[Canadian_Rainbi]

Great Link Tequila, thanks.

[Tequila]

I assisted a caravan customer last year who had to back out and already had a permit. It was sucessful, but it did take about 4 months. I am fortunate in that teh company I work with is Mexican and the owner has some contacts where it counts, but its always a challenge. One should always retain the strip of paper they give you when you leave the country, just in case.

You can look up your status at this link:

LINK

It shows a complete record of all your entries & exits.

BTW Mike Dean is Turtle-Toad (see pinned topics) I have been in touch with him on several occasions exchanging notes on changes in the border procedures.