# INAPAM Card



## ElPaso2012 (Dec 16, 2012)

I hear a lot about this card on the forum and have been told that long distance bus lines will give a 50% discount to those who hold one. This alone would be reason enough to get one, but what else comes to mind as advantages to having one.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

ElPaso2012 said:


> I hear a lot about this card on the forum and have been told that long distance bus lines will give a 50% discount to those who hold one. This alone would be reason enough to get one, but what else comes to mind as advantages to having one.


It serves as a handy photo ID. I am loath to carry my Residente Permanente card around with me, in case I lose it, so the INAPAM card is a good substitute. I also get a 10% discount on medicine at my local pharmacy and discount admission to movies. Most museums in Mexico City give you free or greatly-reduced admission when you flash your INAPAM at them. Finally, it lets you ride the Metro for free.


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## ElPaso2012 (Dec 16, 2012)

Isla Verde said:


> It serves as a handy photo ID. I am loath to carry my Residente Permanente card around with me, in case I lose it, so the INAPAM card is a good substitute. I also get a 10% discount on medicine at my local pharmacy and discount admission to movies. Most museums in Mexico City give you free or greatly-reduced admission when you flash your INAPAM at them. Finally, it lets you ride the Metro for free.


Is the discount on long-distance bus fares given by all the carriers, or do you know? I mean, when you start with low fares in the first place, 50% off would make it possible to spend a month or two on the road for not a great deal of money --- not much to actually visit all of your candidate cities. The fare to Durango on Omnibus was only $140 USD round trip, which would have been only $72 with a 50% discount, almost bordering on hard to believe.

Regarding losing the VISA card, I've taken some photo copies of mine just so I could prove I actually have one should the need arise, but I wouldn't want to lose mine either.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

In addition to what Isla Verde said about the beauty of a INAPAM Card, You get admission into national parks and museums free and that 50% luxury bus discount alone is a great feature. When we take the luxury express bus lines from Lake Chapala to Chiapas, we save quite a bit of money but, I must say, now that a couple of discount airline are flying nonstop from Guadalaja to Tuxtla Gutierrez in only two hours at a fare about the same as bus far if a trifling bit more, I say, the times they are a-changing. 

Actually, in response to what Isla Verde wrote, when I go walking on lonely beaches I carry no wallet but my DIF Card which identifies me and gives my address but seems to have no value otherwise. I do not carry my INAPAM Card nor my other sensitive documents but I always carry about $200 Pesos just in case I am accosted on that beach, which has never happened in 13 years, and I might need to have something to give the thief, who has never shown up in over a decade, so he who never had shown up won´t get pissed off and shoot me. OK, so, it´s never happened. It´s like an insurance policy if you think about it. 

What the hell good is that DIF Crd?


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## ElPaso2012 (Dec 16, 2012)

Hound Dog said:


> In addition to what Isla Verde said about the beauty of a INAPAM Card, You get admission into national parks and museums free and that 50% luxury bus discount alone is a great feature. When we take the luxury express bus lines from Lake Chapala to Chiapas, we save quite a bit of money but, I must say, now that a couple of discount airline are flying nonstop from Guadalaja to Tuxtla Gutierrez in only two hours at a fare about the same as bus far if a trifling bit more, I say, the times they are a-changing.
> 
> Actually, in response to what Isla Verde wrote, when I go walking on lonely beaches I carry no wallet but my DIF Card which identifies me and gives my address but seems to have no value otherwise. I do not carry my INAPAM Card nor my other sensitive documents but I always carry about $200 Pesos just in case I am accosted on that beach, which has never happened in 13 years, and I might need to have something to give the thief, who has never shown up in over a decade, so he who never had shown up won´t get pissed off and shoot me. OK, so, it´s never happened. It´s like an insurance policy if you think about it.
> 
> What the hell good is that DIF Crd?


I don't know what a DIF card is yet, but I guess the 200 pesos would be enough to at least show the thief your good intentions.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

ElPaso2012 said:


> Is the discount on long-distance bus fares given by all the carriers, or do you know?


As far as I know, it is available on all carriers although I have only used it on ADO. There is qualifications however as there are only a few seats per bus. I believe it's 2 to 4 seats, so to get the discount you should buy the ticket a few days before. You have to share these seats with students and teachers so on major holidays, e.g., Semana Santa, buy it :fingerscrossed:a week early.


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## ElPaso2012 (Dec 16, 2012)

joaquinx said:


> As far as I know, it is available on all carriers although I have only used it on ADO. There is qualifications however as there are only a few seats per bus. I believe it's 2 to 4 seats, so to get the discount you should buy the ticket a few days before. You have to share these seats with students and teachers so on major holidays, e.g., Semana Santa, buy it :fingerscrossed:a week early.


Thanks for elaborating a little about the bus lines and booking in advance. I'll also be sure to avoid travelling at peak times. The bus Durango was nice because it was less than half full each way, and everyone had their own two-seat arrangement to sleep in.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Hound Dog said:


> What the hell good is that DIF Crd?


My question for you, HD: what the hell is a DIF card?


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## Detailman (Aug 27, 2011)

Isla Verde said:


> It serves as a handy photo ID. I am loath to carry my Residente Permanente card around with me, in case I lose it, so the INAPAM card is a good substitute. I also get a 10% discount on medicine at my local pharmacy and discount admission to movies. Most museums in Mexico City give you free or greatly-reduced admission when you flash your INAPAM at them. Finally, it lets you ride the Metro for free.


More benefits for Seniors in Mexico than good old USA & Canada. :cheer2:


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Sometimes you get 50% sometimes you do not, it depends on the availability as they only offer a certain amount of seats on each trip. You can also get 20% on some airlines, I think it is Interjet..I forget...but Volaris or Vivaaerobus are usually less, not alwayseven without the discount.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

In Jalisco, the DIF card is the state version of the federal INAPAM card. I think DIF is something like Desarollo Integral para Familias; a state social welfare program.


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## Isla Verde (Oct 19, 2011)

Detailman said:


> More benefits for Seniors in Mexico than good old USA & Canada. :cheer2:



That's for sure. I was back in the States a couple of weeks ago and went to a couple of museums in Philly while I was there. The entrance fee was $15 and "only" $13 for senior citizens .


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Isla Verde said:


> My question for you, HD: what the hell is a DIF card?


DIF is State and INAPAM is National. Sometimes they overlap and sometimes not. Buses and Airlines want INAPAM.

The DIF card also allows Mexicans to get discounts on their annual water bills and property taxes. Sometimes they will allow this discount for expats too.

Either one gets 50% discount on the Guadalajara city bus tours.

They are both for people over 60

Like RV said .... I think needy and disabled people can get DIF. All we need is to be 60+


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

[_QUOTE=Isla Verde;2094849]My question for you, HD: what the hell is a DIF card? [/QUOTE]_

A DIF Card is a card providing benefits to people 60 years old or older issued by states under a governmental program providing benefits to geezers such as various discounts for goods and services. DIF is an acronym for "_D_esarollo Integral de La *F*amilia" under what is known as the "Plan Venerable a Los Adultos Mayores". The INAPAM Card is federally issued and the DIF Card is issued in statewide jurisdictions. To clarify; if you are 60 or over and take a bus from Lake Chapala to Guadalajara and want a 50% discount on the fare, you pull out the DIF Card; if you have an INAPAM Card and want a bus ride from Lake Chapala to Chiapas, you take out that card for the 50% discount but be warned that on those long distance luxury bus routes, you had best resrve in advance because they have only limited seating for geezers traveling at discount rates. We have never had a problem busing between Guadalajara and Chiapas but, then, we always reserve at least a day ahead of time.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

_


sparks said:



DIF is State and INAPAM is National. Sometimes they overlap and sometimes not. Buses and Airlines want INAPAM.

The DIF card also allows Mexicans to get discounts on their annual water bills and property taxes. Sometimes they will allow this discount for expats too.

Either one gets 50% discount on the Guadalajara city bus tours.

They are both for people over 60

Like RV said .... I think needy and disabled people can get DIF. All we need is to be 60+

Click to expand...

_If we can demontrate we are over 60 in San Cristóbal de Las Casas, Chiapas without any kind of card at all, even though we are foreigners, we can get a 50% discount on our annual property tax and water bills. In the Chapala Municipality of Jalisco, we, as foreigners, were flatly refused this geezer discount because we were foreigners even though we are permanent residents and have been so over a decade. 

In Mexico they like to brag that the law is applied to all equally, citizens and non-citizens allike in all jurisdictions. Right!


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

OK I'm sold. How Do I apply for both a DIF card and an INAPAM card?

I''m in Ajijic


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

The best way to travel by bus is not to make reservations ..especially if you have to connect with another bus line as buses can really run behind and you lose your ticket if you cannot take the bus. It jus happened to a couple of artisans I had purchased tickets for. Their buses went down, they did not have the phone number of the line and therefore could not change their reservations for a later hour.
You should make reservation in pek period and on busy lines who are exclusive for the area but if you are going to Mexico for exemple , there is a lot of competing lines and I do not make reservations for that.
Some lines offer discounts as well if you buy well in advance..you learn when you travel what to watch for and find out that the system is very flexible when going to main areas. Remote areas can be a little more tricky.


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

Thanks for the info but what I really wanted was how to apply for both of the cards.


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## ElPaso2012 (Dec 16, 2012)

pappabee said:


> Thanks for the info but what I really wanted was how to apply for both of the cards.


I'd love to know, too, since I haven't had time to do anything about actually getting one.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

*Go Google!*

You can find out more about INAPAM here.

Some pharmacies will offer INAPAM card holders a modest but welcome discount. Wal-Mart and Bodega Aurrerá, for starters. Also some clinical analysis labs will give a discount. We got a substantial discount on an MRI and x-rays at Centro Uníon Diagnóstico in Morelia. 

Some, but fewer hotels, and some restaurants, mostly chains, (as far as I know), including Bisquits, Bisquits Obregón; Sirloin Stockade, Vips and El Portón. 

It never hurts to politely ask.


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

Go to the DIF office , they issue the DIF card which I have never used and in our town they issue the INAPAM card.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

Anonimo said:


> We got a substantial discount on an MRI . . . .


It is difficult to imagine a discount on an MRI, when I got a MRI for 1,800 pesos.


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## ElPaso2012 (Dec 16, 2012)

Anonimo said:


> You can find out more about INAPAM here.
> 
> Some pharmacies will offer INAPAM card holders a modest but welcome discount. Wal-Mart and Bodega Aurrerá, for starters. Also some clinical analysis labs will give a discount. We got a substantial discount on an MRI and x-rays at Centro Uníon Diagnóstico in Morelia.
> 
> ...


That link was _exactly_ what I needed, anyway. Thanks much.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

The DIF office at Lake Chapala is in Calle Degollado, Chapala. Go in the frond door and straight back to the 4th door on our left. They usually have a list of documents you will need in order to apply, as well as the number of copies or each. Know your blood type.
The DIF card is usually issued almost immediately, but the INAPAM card can require a long wait and multiple visits.


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## Anonimo (Apr 8, 2012)

joaquinx said:


> It is difficult to imagine a discount on an MRI, when I got a MRI for 1,800 pesos.


Imagine again. They gave me about $1000 pesos, if I recall correctly, off on the total bill for MRI and x-rays. Centro Uníon Diagnóstico in Morelia is state of the art in its equipment and staff.


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## Jreboll (Nov 23, 2013)

*Flights*



Hound Dog said:


> In addition to what Isla Verde said about the beauty of a INAPAM Card, You get admission into national parks and museums free and that 50% luxury bus discount alone is a great feature. When we take the luxury express bus lines from Lake Chapala to Chiapas, we save quite a bit of money but, I must say, now that a couple of discount airline are flying nonstop from Guadalaja to Tuxtla Gutierrez in only two hours at a fare about the same as bus far if a trifling bit more, I say, the times they are a-changing.
> 
> Actually, in response to what Isla Verde wrote, when I go walking on lonely beaches I carry no wallet but my DIF Card which identifies me and gives my address but seems to have no value otherwise. I do not carry my INAPAM Card nor my other sensitive documents but I always carry about $200 Pesos just in case I am accosted on that beach, which has never happened in 13 years, and I might need to have something to give the thief, who has never shown up in over a decade, so he who never had shown up won´t get pissed off and shoot me. OK, so, it´s never happened. It´s like an insurance policy if you think about it.
> 
> What the hell good is that DIF Crd?


You mentioned flights to Tuxtla. Any flights from GDL to Merida available.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

volaris.com flies from gdl to merida


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

check Volaris.com vivaaerobus.com Magnicharter.com and so on. Interjet is another one. I know one of these airlines gives a discount but I do not remember which one. just check their site.
The discout airlines are tricky and will charge for everything , especially vivaaerobus, even for a message on the phone. You have to turn down all options to get the best price.


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## pappabee (Jun 22, 2010)

As usual RV your answer was right on and to the point. THANKS (oh, I'm not angry just wanted to let you know how much your post meant to me)


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## citlali (Mar 4, 2013)

I hav I got an Inapam twice in Chapala without much problems. The first one was many years ago and was no problem. Then my purse was stolen so I had to reapply (make sure yo keep a copy)They did not have any cards , they told me to come back in a month but I went back two weeks later and they had some. Keep checking every week or couple of weeks and get to tknow the women who are issuing them you will get one without much problems..


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