Tourist permit/ visa

[Alison_and_Neil]

We are planning to be down on the West Coast around the Puerto Vallarta area this winter. We are still working and running our business on the road. My wife will have to fly back to Vancouver,BC from Puerto Vallarta(Westjet direct flight) Since we drive into the country by RV and get our permits that way.....what happens when you leave the country by air and return? Doesn't the permit/visa get altered to show how you entered the country? What happens when we return to the border by RV and hand in our permits? Hope someone can clarify this situation
Thanks, Neil

[Tequila]

Actually you can ask for a 180 day permit when you fly in. They do not give it to you unless you ask. My wife flew down to meet me one year and she had no problem getting one.

[MEXICOWANDERER]

Have the vehicles permitted in YOUR name, not her's.

I have been nose-to-nose at a puesto de control with the SSP jefe who got all excited because a line by line, letter by letter audit of car papers and tourist cards revealed not only different modes of transportation but different permit DATES. The guy I was helping flew out of Mexico and they of course COLLECTED his FMM. Upon re-entry by airflight, they issued him a new FMM. You DO NOT GET A 180-DAY tourist card when you fly into Mexico.

The permit had expired, he assssssssumed the new permit was for 180 days. The FMM time did not agree with the fecha the date on the car permit. The federal cop CONFISCATED his car papers, and told him to go to an INM office and get stuff fixed and when he got things fixed go to the local PFP office (Highway Patrol) and "make arrangements to get his car papers back". Thank god they did not impound his rig. He drove to the nearest park (back to my place) and parked it.

The fine at the INM office was one thousand pesos. A trip to the bank and back. He was issued a 30-day FMM and he, his wife and rig had to leave Mexico.

REGULATIONS versus ENFORCEMENT

The SSP officer was strict. Since he had federal Mexican law behind him there is nothing much a person can do about it. And if I may add, at no time was a bribe sought or solicited.

A vertical learning curve.

[Tequila]

Hmm that is a new one on me, but i can see that could well be the case.Have to do some fine print reading

[Peripatetic_Pul]

Something to also keep in mind besides Tequila's comments is..........

Some Mexican insurance underwriters consider your policy INVALID if you are not in country when the vehicle is.

I've seen it happen!

[Tequila]

If you have ANY 180 permit it is technicality illegal to leave the country and leave the vehicle behind.

[daveB110]

Most travelers have more than a 10 year TIP, in the form of a towed car or a towing vehicle. Still no problem? If they're checking and see if you got your FMM at the border, maybe tell them you came in on a bus which could be the (stretched) truth.

[Alison_and_Neil]

Thanks all for the replies.....much clearer now!
The reason I had to ask was the last time travelling Mexico.....40 years ago....I know....a long time ago...we flew to Jamaica from Merida for 2 weeks and went through a major hassle at the gov't offices to change our tourist permits and storing the camper because the permit stated " con automobile " . It wasn't very easy then......and I see you still have to be aware of the process now
Looking forward to RVing again in Mexico!

[Tequila]

iguana07 wrote:
A couple of winters ago I sent my wife home for a wedding from Mazatlan. Your vehicle papers do not come into effect unless she is not coming back to drive home, then they need to be in your name. Her tourist permit she gets when you come into Mexico is what she will use to go home then on return flight she gets new tourist permit and yes ask for the 180day one. She turns that in at your crossing back along with all your other paper work.

It depends on how sharp the immigration guy is. My friends wife came with 5 min of missing her flight. Fortunately they were at Tacho's which is pretty close to the airport. I would always take the vehicle permit with me, just in case they want to ensure her name is not on it. It is illegal to leave a 180 day permitted vehicle in Mexico and fly home, even short term. Lots of people do it, but you can get nailed on it. There is at least one guy in PV airport who checks. If it is a 10 year permit, no problem.

[daveB110]

With countless thousands of cars and even more people visiting inside Mexico, one might get the impression that someone, or maybe even a couple, or a whole family group would be required to go back home and leave their vehicles behind for a time before they came back for it. Whatever the reason for leaving Mexico for a short time- no one asks why.

You board your plane, give up your FMM paid-up tourist cards and fly back. You both can go if you need to, why not if your car is secured? The TIP for your car is tied to a passport and control is through the Aduana, or Customs. Your FMM is provided by Imigracion. You will likely get another as you return before you leave the plane, usually included in the price of your ticket. This second FMM should give you all the time you need to continue in the country. Stop at the border as you exit Mexico and turn in your TIP for your deposit. And your second FMM's if you won't be using them again soon.

[pomsplus]

Be sure you take your receipt for your visa with you to the airport. They wanted to say I hadn't paid for mine but I was able to show them that I had, otherwise no problems at all. If you have obtained your vehicle permit online then there is no tie in to your visa you got when you crossed the border.

[iguana07]

A couple of winters ago I sent my wife home for a wedding from Mazatlan. Your vehicle papers do not come into effect unless she is not coming back to drive home, then they need to be in your name. Her tourist permit she gets when you come into Mexico is what she will use to go home then on return flight she gets new tourist permit and yes ask for the 180day one. She turns that in at your crossing back along with all your other paper work.

[Tequila]

Hi Neil. First of all put all permits in your name only. The visa will show you entered by car. Make sure you take the permits with you to the airport or they may assume they are in her name and not let her board the plane. This happened to a friend, he had to quickly take a taxi back to the RV Park & retrieve them. She will hand in her visa and get a new one when she flies back, she needs to make sure it is an 180 day one.

I am PM'ing you my phone number.