Our plan was to ride through baja to La Paz, take the ferry to Mazatlan and continue south to Guatemala. Unfortunately, we thought we could get all the permits we needed in La Paz, not realizing that we needed to check the bikes in at Tijuana. The customs and immigration officers are all telling us we have to fly to Tijuana to get the right paper and our passport stamp. It seems crazy but we don't know any way around it. They won't issue us the permit we need to take the bikes to the mainland until we have this FMM form from Tijuana.

Anyone have any ideas on what to do? We are even looking into shipping the bikes to Guatemala and flying there because we are so fed up with Mexico. But I can't even find a freight company that will ship from Baja to Guatemala.

Any suggestions appreciated!
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Ah , the trouble people make for themselves by half paying attention and then assuming it can All be done in La Paz when it has been so often explained that you need the FMM FROM THE START WHEN ENTERING BAJA. Only the TVIP can be obtained at the ferry terminal.

I just finished a trip through Baja and took the ferry on October 1 and I met three riders who had made the same mistake . The count keeps escalating . When will it end ?

Okay there may be a small chance to resolve this yet , thanks to the findings of one of those three.

Your remaining last hope resides in this : the BANJERCITO folks at the ferry terminal are underlings to a head honcho of the department who works out of an office at the international airport for Los Cabos . The noted finder of this technique speaks totally fluently Spanish and may have an advantage . But described to me that when he realized the dockside workers had a superior he found out that man's name and the place where he worked , then he went there , to the airport and sought him out and pleaded , whined and begged so long that the man wound up issuing him an FMM AS IF HE HAD ARRIVED BY AIR in Los Cabos.

If this does not work you may well have to drive or fly back to the Tijuana end , but even that would be a piddling expense and delay compared to the nightmare of shipping directly to Guatrmala as you petulantly propose.

If it does not work out and you do wind up retreating to the U.S. Border crossing point to get the FMM AND TVIP it would be silly to turn around again to go south through Baja. It will be your perfect opportunity to take a mainland route south, do the Copper Canyon , run the Espinazo from east to west and still see Mazatlan etc etcetc etc

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

You are kinda stuck. It's repeated numerous times here that when you enter Mexico you need a Visa for yourself ... in Baja ONLY, you need nothing for your bike until you cross by Ferry to mainland.

Tourists must already have a Visa before they will be issued a TVIP (for your bike) in La Paz. You can get both your Visa and TVIP at Tijuana or just get your Visa and then get your TVIP for your bike in La Paz at Ferry Terminal. But Visa comes first and they can deny the TVIP if you don't have a Visa. I've heard that for $400 fine (each) they will issue you a Visa!!

You DO NOT need to "Check the Bikes in at Tijuana". You can ride ALL of Baja without any sort of permit for your bike ... but YOU need a Visa.

You can get your bike permit in Tijuana ... in fact it's easier and more pleasant to do it there rather than in LaPaz at the Ferry terminal. Or ... get your TVIP and Visa ON LINE ahead of time! Easy!

I'm surprised they won't issue you a Visa at Migracion in La Paz ... but I guess they are now tightening up this rule, which has been in place for some years.

Try this: Go to Migracion. Tell them you've only been in Mexico 5 days and that you want to buy a Visa. Explain no one told you or asked for your Visa. (You are supposed to get it in Baja within (I think) 7 days.)
Since there are NO Visa check points in Baja ... how are tourists supposed to know where to get a Visa or that they even need one? Try that argument ... hope it works. (PS, as you know, there ARE check points in Baja ... but all are Army and none ask for a Visa)

Alternative is to fly or take bus North to Tijuana, go to Migracion (border), get your tourist Visa (about $22) then return to La Paz where you can now buy your TVIP and Ferry ticket for mainland. Visa and TVIP good for 6 months. About $65 for TVIP, $22 for Visa. (mas o menos)

Getting a Tourist Visa at or near Mexican/USA border takes about 10 minutes. I just sort of assumed everyone knew that when you enter a foreign country you get a visa and get your passport stamped. For US Citizens, they don't even stamp your passport ... they just staple in your Visa.

You can travel in the Northern half of Baja (Baja Norte) with NO Visa for a period of (I think) 7 days in border region. If you cross further South than Guerrero Negro, then you are supposed to have a Visa.

They used to let tourists slide on some of this but you are the 3rd party I've heard about that were refused a TVIP in La Paz because of NO Visa.
Technically .... they can deport you if they want.

You did not mention your nationality ... sometimes this can make a difference depending on your home country's relationship with Mexico.

As useful as HUBB is ... I still feel a good, current guide book is always best.
Basics. ... just basics.

Mollydog , Since you can order and buy an FMM on- line do they then simply let you print it off anywhere you are ?

If that is the case maybe the errant traveller can do that online while in La Paz already and then go to the ferry terminal and play dumb for not having validated it at the border.
Would that work ?

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

You can only buy online for 7 days in the future. Thank you for your comments. We obviously realize we made a mistake but I have never been into a country before that makes you stop and get the visa instead of stopping you and giving it to you.


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Not to rub salt in wounds, but...

Like the two boys have already said, research ahead of time is extremely important. If you didn't notice that, I'm wondering what else you overlooked.

Get on your bikes and ride to the nearest border. Stop wasting time.

Mexico treats those who wish to enter as tourists as adults , welcoming but expecting us to know our responsibilities and see that we take the required steps to get the documentation . Most border traffic does not need the documents of tourists , asking everybody would waste their time.
The USA treats all incoming travellers as probable criminals and perverts and has installed many roadblocks , screenings and a stringent application of exclusionary rules. They would apparently be much happier if we turned back from the border and never returned.

Venturaphoto do let us know what you wind up doing , how you resolved the problem .

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

yes, but no way you wind up inland in the US with a visa/TVIP problem...

as bad as uncle sam is about people, at least he isn't all ****ed up crazy about importing vehicles--the single biggest pain in the ass in just about every other country on the planet.

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'07 DL1000 '08 DR650

Ah , but there is indeed much to-do in the USA about temporary importing of tourist's vehicles. Your and my experiences in that respect are coloured by the fact we live in two neighbouring countries who have a mutual agreement to permit free temporary movement of personal use vehicles . However if you speak to tourists coming from overseas to the USA and Canada you will hear a very different story , involving a good amount of paperwork and fees before they may ride their bikes here. They are given a limited time to ride, then the machine must be removed from country . If they fail to comply with those rules they can be arrested, jailed and deported and banned from ever visiting again.

The same holds true if we visit Europe , and nigh on anywhere else.
Not much difference , really. It all comes down to doing the research before diving in .

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

Thanks for all the info and such. We ended up just flying back to tij to get it handled. I'm sure if we had more time and motivation we could have done it in the south. Greasing the right wheels and such. We just wanted to be sure everything was legit. In the end we learn a bit and are down a few $$$...


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So, all fixed. Just enjoy the rest of the trip.

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Tony
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Someone on ADVRider had the same issue and wen't to the airport in LaPaz and told them he needed the tourist card and they issued it there, no need to go back to TJ

That wouldn't help much since you need the importation documents for the vehicles and those you can only get them at the border.

WRONG!
You can get a TVIP in La Paz, Baja Sur .... but you must have a Tourist Visa before hand to get it.

You can get a TVIP at the border too, but just to clarify there is a Banjercito office in La Paz at the Ferry port.

I think what you speak of is when vehicles are brought into USA via Air or Sea? In those cases I've heard of paperwork issues, time limits for vehicles and such. Never done it, so not clear on details but I know for permanent importation it's very complicated. (Temporary? dunno)

But I've passed Mexico/USA border with friends riding bikes on foreign plates. No problem at all, no paper work done at all on the bike. They only want to see your Visa or Passport. My friend had a bike and a car with German plates on.
He passed that border several times, no issues. He is a dual citizen and also has FM2 status for Mexico. Now, all his vehicles are on Idaho plates. (cheaper and easier to transfer than California)