
Advice
for Travel in Mexico
PASSPORTS
You do not need a valid passport to get into or travel in Mexico,
however if you do have one you should use it. An original birth
certificate AND a government issued photo ID or an expired passport
will work fine as well.
CUSTOMS
You will need a customs declaration form when you travel in Mexico.
Tourist permit forms are available at airport in Mexico, if the
airline you are traveling with does not offer them to you. When
you fill out the immigration form put Casa Pacifica, San Francisco
in the state of Nayarit for your destination in Mexico.
Once you arrive,
take your forms to the immigration area and queue up in the lane
sign posted for foreign visitors. At the desk, an immigration official
will inspect your documents, write a number of days on the Tourist
Permit that your permit will allow you to stay in Mexico for, stamp
your Tourist Permit and Passport, return a copy of the Tourist Visa
to you and ask you to proceed to customs. Important! KEEP YOUR TOURIST
PERMIT SAFE for your departure! If you do not have your permit with
you when you leave, you will need to undergo some Mexican Immigration
red-tape.
Once you have
reclaimed baggage, take it and your Customs Declaration Form to
the exit gate, where you will be presented with a Red/Green Traffic
Light. Below the traffic light is a button, which you will be asked
to press. If the light flashes green, you walk through without being
inspected. If the light flashes red, your bags will be inspected,
either casually or thoroughly. It is rare to come up red, but if
you do just say everything you have in the bag besides basic needs
are gifts for the house you are staying in.
When you travel
in Mexico do not pack your camera in your check-in luggage, there
have been several instances where cameras have been stolen out of
luggage, so this goes for all valuables- pack them in your carry-on.
Also, keep an eye on your carry on luggage when going through security
check points, x-ray machines, ect… (High crime in Mexico City, low
crime in Puerta Vallarta, extremely low crime in San Pancho.)
Regulations
Mexican regulations limit the value of goods brought into Mexico
by U.S. citizens arriving by air or sea to $300 U.S. per person
and by land to $50 U.S. per person. Other travel-related items may
also be brought in duty-free. Amounts exceeding the duty-free limit
are subject to a 32.8 percent tax.
Customs Allowances
into Mexico:
New & used goods for personal use, e.g. clothes, personal hygiene
products, footwear
20 Packs of Cigarettes
50 Cigars or 200 grams of tobacco
3 Liters of alcoholic anything (wine, spirits, et al)
Up to 12 rolls of film
Up to 20 music CDs
A Laptop computer
Any sporting equipment (e.g. golf clubs, scuba gear, bike) for personal
use
When you travel
in Mexico items for personal use will be allowed, new or used, but
only in quantities that are commensurate with the definition of
'personal use'. If you are carrying large quantities of one item
or if the Customs Inspector believes you are trying to commercialize
your goods, then you may be interviewed further.
When you travel
in Mexico be aware that drug offenses, even small amounts of 'soft'
drugs, e.g. cannabis/marijuana are likely to land you in a Mexican
prison …don't expect your consulate to bail you out in this case
because it won't be able to! 20-25 year prison sentences for drug
and serious arms related offenses are not uncommon.
MONEY AND
CREDIT CARDS
It's best to call your ATM credit card company before leaving the
States to begin travel in Mexico to let them know you'll be in Mexico;
otherwise, they sometimes decline withdrawals after the first one.
Unlike most places, the rates for changing money at the airport
are excellent. They have always been over 10 pesos to the dollar,
so it's wise to stock up there.
You often cannot
use credit cards when you travel in Mexico. In San Pancho, credit
cards are not generally accepted (except at Costa Azul and La Ola
Rica). You can easily pay with US dollars, but the rate is 10 to
1. There's a place to change money next to El Indio, the little
market in San Pancho, but again, the rate isn't as good as the airport.
The airport now has three ATM machines; so if one is broken, keep
looking. Even if they have a limit of $3,000 pesos per transaction,
you can make several transactions. Remember that a hundred pesos
is only $10 dollars. There's also an ATM machine at the HSBC bank
in Bucerias, which is about halfway between Puerto Vallarta and
San Pancho, and there are a couple in La Penita, which is 20 minutes
north of San Pancho.
Tipping
Tipping is customary when you travel in Mexico. Tipping in restaurants
is between 10 and 15%, and is NOT included in the bill in San Pancho.
Maids in Mexico work for the tips. Please be generous - this is
their income. When you travel in Mexico you will find that tipping
is also appreciated for many other small services - at the airport,
at gas stations, for tour guides, taxi drivers, people who cook
for you, etc.
Useful
Telephone Numbers
American
Embassy: Telephone from the United States: 011-52-55-5080-2000
Telephone within Mexico City: 5080-2000
Long distance telephone within Mexico 01-55-5080-2000
http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/emenu.html
U.S. Consulates
General
American Consulate Guadalajara, Jalisco Tel [52] (33) 3825-998/2700
http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/guadalajara/guadalajara-eng.htm
U.S. Consular
Agents
Resident consular agents have been designated in other locations
in Mexico to assist U.S. citizens in serious emergencies. Puerto
Vallarta: Zaragoza #160, Col. Centro, Edif. Vallarta Plaza,
Piso 2 Int.18, telephone (52)(322) 222-006
top
of page
|