Just wondering if anyone has had recent experience getting their FMM and TViP here. We are looking to cross at Sonoyta as it is closest to us and we know the road. From my reading I understand that San Emeterio is the nearest aduana for getting papers.

Also, is there a way to search the forum? I couldn't find one. I figure some of my questions have already been answered here.

Thanks.
mary

Yes, I believe you can. We got our TVIP's at aduana office just down the road from Sonoyta, (this was some years ago) don't recall name ... no town there, just a roadside Kiosk on side of road, IIRC.
I'm sure there is an office somewhere around there as it's the main road.

Of our group of 6 riders, two were on "black list", meaning they had not checked out of Mexico on last trip. So no TVIP could be issued to those two riders. Aduana guy (very cool) took us outside, said, "just go, it's a stupid system, just go, anyone asks, say you go to Guaymas!" Sonora is a TVIP free zone, further South you are supposed to have TVIP.

We only went as far South as Durango/Mazatlan, no one was ever asked for vehicle papers, only passport and Tourist Visa. Military stops just wave us through or do a cursory search, no papers asked for most times ... and never asked for TVIP, ever. Same routine on most recent trip last November. (one year ago)

You are clouding up your own question by asking about San Emeterio border then saying you are crossing to Sonoyta.

If you are going to Sonoyta then that is all you need to say, and YES there is a border service for Mexico right at the line with Lukeville , Arizona. All the paperwork is available.

On my google search San Emeterio shows up as being the km 21 checkpoint on Mex 15 (didn 't know that ) south of Nogales , and that is totally not Sonoyta.
But km 21 still does paperwork too.
Or it is the Airport entry for San Luis RC, where you are not likely to arrive by bike , and it is NOT Sonoyta either , by a long shot

So where ARE you going to enter Mexico?

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Been years since I crossed at Lukeville/Sonoyta. When we did, we were told no Aduana there and to drive on, 21K's down the road to obtain TVIP.
There we got both visa and TVIP ... save the two guys who were previously blacklisted.

IIRC, the place in question may be a "checkpoint" to check for TVIP, but not entirely sure on this point ... as I recall through traffic passed by but some pulled in ... but did not seem to be an obligatory stop. Not sure, years ago.

Thanks once again mollydog.

Sjoerd, you are the only source I have read that says all paperwork is available at Sonoyta. Other web sources I found say that is not the case. Can you tell me where you get that info? My google search for San Emeterio aduana shows it 27km down Mex 2 from Sonoyta, which I am very well aware is totally not Nogales.

mary

Isn't the main aduana station the new(ish) complex on the Guaymas bypass. The whole state down to there including Guaymas itself is a hassle free zone so no point in having customs further north.

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

It was a few years ago now but I rode up to the border crossing from Sonoyta town and saw the facility processing entrants. Recent crossers also report as much .
Long ago the checkpoint south of Sonoyta on Mex 2 was issuing for stragglers heading into eastern Sonora , but it makes no sense to send the traffic aiming for Puerto Penasco or San Luis that far out of their way .
If it only issues the FMM , it will suffice because that is all you need until you travel to the exit of the Solo Sonora program area , and then you can get the TVIP at the checkpoint at Empalme beside Mex 15 , past Guaymas,
which is what Tony was referring to
I think the San Emeterio name for all these points is just a confusing reflection of the name of the border service district they fall under being with HQ at the same spot .
If I am wrong on this I apologize and will gladly hear of corrections .

After re-reading your question I realized it was basically asking if the Sonoyta border crossing was suitable for you to use if there were no office to hand out the TVIP and FMM,.
The answer is : not a problem , cross there . There is no need to backtrack to Nogales or km 21 on Mex 15 or any other out of the way point.
You see , you will be in the SOLO
SONORA zone where that paperwork is not critical .
You may freely ride south and east on Mex 2 and pick it up if / when you encounter one of the issuing offices.
You are actually free to ride south on Mex 15 and wait until you see the office at roadside near EMPALME , east of Guaymas. That marks the end of the Solo Sonora zone and they issue both those documents you need.
If you are planning on going west then south through BAJA and then to the mainland it is likewise not a problem . You are legal and you can pick up both documents at San Luis RC or in Mexicali . If BAJA is your plan then you absolutely must get the FMM one of those border crossings because it is NOT available when you are in The south of BCS

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Thanks for the clarity on this Sjoerd ... as usual, spot on. That last bit above is important, as we've found out through recent posts where travelers could NOT board the Baja Ferry and could NOT obtain an FMM (tourist visa) in La Paz. Some had to back track to Tijuana ... 1000 miles!!

It's a screwed up system ... typical Mexico. IMO, la migra should re-instate the mandatory stop they used to have at Guerrero Negro (base militar). In the past, everyone was stopped there and all NON Mexicans would have to show their FMM (tourist visa) to proceed.

If you didn't have it, they'd sell it to you on the spot. It was that way for years, seemed to work ... except when you rode Baja 1000 route which by-passed the G.N. stop This saved a lot of trouble for clueless tourists.

Yes, thanks for the info, Sjoerd. Makes life easier. We'll pick up papers at Guaymas Bypass. Thanks all!
mary

Guess I'm feeling nervous about having to backtrack and wander around to get our papers (one of my husband's least favorite things to do) so could I get additional clarification, please? I'm not finding it specifically on the web and you folks seem to be my best source for info.

Tony mentioned the Guaymas Bypass as the place for the Empalme aduana. In looking at the map that seems to be Mex 15D? But a website I read said it was on Mex 15. Just wondering if which one we need to take coming off Hwy 2 and if the station is right on the highway.

Thanks for the info and for calming my jitters!

mary

Servicio de Administración Tributaria

Above is the website which will put your worries to rest.

The terminal is at the south side of Mex 15 LIBRE at km 98 , about 5 km east and south of where the 15 D splits off to northwest to bypass Empalme and Guaymas
If you go to Googlemaps and onto the street view you can see its picture and you will be totally relaxed

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Ah, thanks so much, Sjoerd. I appreciate your time and help!

mary

But get the FMM at the border.

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Tony
Click here for Travel Photos & Travel Map

So Tony, is that possible at Sonoyta?

I guess Tony ain't tawkin, , y'knwadi'msayin ?

Okay , let me put an end to the repeated unresolved question by sharing my research results.

I got a pm back from Steamboat dave who posts over on " the other " site and he really has crossed from Lukeville to Sonoita Mexico often , 2 years ago most recently ,
and I will quote :

" QUOTE
As you enter MX from the Lukeville side, the office is immediately on your right. It has no parking right by the office so you have to park in the designated area which is in the middle of the street, about 1/2 block away, and walk back to the office. I only purchase my FMM at the office.It is such a small border crossing, there is no Banco at the crossing and the office only deals with cash (pesos only) for the FMM. " QUOTE

Also sprach Dave

This aligns perfectly with what I said I observed longer ago .
So , now you can sleep well knowing that the FMM is sold at the border and the TVIP can be obtained down the road . As for only pesos being accepted , that may have changed since the ZONA FRONTERIZA tax rules were reformed , or maybe not . Doesn't matter much . Every other crossing I've used the last two years and longer has readily accepted US dollars for FMM payments .
Lukeville is regularly used by Americams who only go as far as the beach and bars of Puerto Penasco , where the dollar is as common as the peso.

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