North to Sonoyta/Lukeville

[Alison_and_Neil]

We just crossed at Lukeville and the whole proceedure was the same as last year
Hand in rv/auto decals at Pitiquito....much tighter left turn between the barriers to enter compound
Hand in FMM's at KM 228 and get passport stamped
USA customs was quick.....still have to go to the right lane and then make the sweeping turn to go through a secondary booth
I asked if I could go through the post barrier to the left and the agent said a flat NO...make the turn like everyone else...oh well!!

[iguana07]

We did it with 40 footer and Jeep tow and the 10th of this month hope to cross again.

[Talleyho69]

A friend followed us out last year in a 40' pusher with a jeep tow. He did fine, just kept his eyes open.

[dons2346]

Talleyho69 wrote:
The only time we have run into crowds at the border there was Sunday afternoon. We waited over an hour. People were returning from a weekend at Puerto Penasco.

We now avoid Sundays.

Yup, it was race weekend so a lot of extra people here.Most of them have a real job so they had to make a mad dash back to Tucson.

I am now dreading the maze I have heard about that you have to go through. Last year, they opened up the straight away for 4 of us.

[Talleyho69]

The only time we have run into crowds at the border there was Sunday afternoon. We waited over an hour. People were returning from a weekend at Puerto Penasco.

We now avoid Sundays.

[peachland2]

Turning in Tip and Visa at Pitiquito,I just read this on the tomzap melaque forum "I like to return via Lukeville/Sonoyta.
The road from Santa Ana is good.
The Pitiquito office is about at KM 229. Hard to miss. Looks like a spaceship landed in the desert.
There is a little booth around the back for the TIP.
They can also do the visa there, just ask. It's a different office.
At the border we've never seen a line longer than 6 cars. Five minute crossing.
At Nogales we've waited hours."

We are crossing March 15,going to try this,would be nice to do both in one place

[Tequila]

Canadian Rainbirds wrote:
We need an exit stamp in our passports as proof we left Mexico for our British Columbia vehicle insurance refund.

Not really, just save toll receipts. I always have them for the day I enter & leave and they have always accepted that. If you are going from Santa Ana to lukeville you pass through at least one toll booth. I also save my last & first campground receipts.

[snarley]

We are also Canadian and want the exit visa stamp for insurance in BC and to prove we are not spending long amounts of time in the USA- the 180 day rule..
We went through in 37 foot MH, tight but no problems, just a pain. Some of the Canadian entry points llike Sumas seem tighter width wise, lots of scrap marks on the posts, but not ours.

[Alison_and_Neil]

228km is the old stop closer to the border

I have a 31 footer with Honda CRV...so the turn wasn't that bad....but I have heard that 40 footers have scraped going through

We always turn our FMM's in as the stamped passport is proof of leaving the country...also is proof for our insurance re-imbursement

[Talleyho69]

Finally, it makes sense why you Canadians have to do it. Works for me, but fortunately, we don't have to stop to turn them in.

Could you just stop at the border and do it? Easier, and the last time we tried to turn ours in was at the border at Sonoita/Lukeville.

[Canadian_Rainbi]

We need an exit stamp in our passports as proof we left Mexico for our British Columbia vehicle insurance refund.

[iguana07]

I agree with Talleyho I have been told the same thing. I turned them in once to see them thrown in the trash. I have never had an issue upon return.

[Talleyho69]

Not to cause arguments, but once again, when we got our FMM's we asked about turning them in, and were told not to bother because they expire on their own.

We haven't turned them for years, and have saved that stop at KM 228

[Jarvis1]

What type of RV did you make the turns with on the US side?

[Canadian_Rainbi]

Is Km 228 the original stop on the long straightaway?