# Thinking of Relocating to Rosarito



## Dick1030

Sometime ago, my wife and I read an article about the expat community in Rosarito, Mexico and it sounded like an interesting place to eventually relocate to. I am a US citizen and a disabled Vietnam veteran. My wife is a German citizen & a permanent US resident alien. We were thinking of Rosarito because of it's proximity to San Diego. I rely, mostly, on the Veterans Administration (VA) for my healthcare, have Medicare but no supplement. My wife relies on Medicare with CHAMPVA from the VA as a supplemental insurance. Our thinking is that if necessary we can drive from Rosarito to San Diego for our medical care. I am curious if this seems feasible to others who are actually living there. We do have some health problems, my wife, mainly arthritis, myself peripheral neuropathy and arthritis plus a lost kidney to cancer, which is totally gone.

Our only experiences in Mexico and Central America are vacations in Cancun & Costa Rica and we assume these are not typical of the living environment we would experience in Rosarito. We are just looking for advise from experienced expats in the Rosarito area or anywhere else in Mexico who could give us advice.

Thanks.


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## AlanMexicali

Dick1030 said:


> Sometime ago, my wife and I read an article about the expat community in Rosarito, Mexico and it sounded like an interesting place to eventually relocate to. I am a US citizen and a disabled Vietnam veteran. My wife is a German citizen & a permanent US resident alien. We were thinking of Rosarito because of it's proximity to San Diego. I rely, mostly, on the Veterans Administration (VA) for my healthcare, have Medicare but no supplement. My wife relies on Medicare with CHAMPVA from the VA as a supplemental insurance. Our thinking is that if necessary we can drive from Rosarito to San Diego for our medical care. I am curious if this seems feasible to others who are actually living there. We do have some health problems, my wife, mainly arthritis, myself peripheral neuropathy and arthritis plus a lost kidney to cancer, which is totally gone.
> 
> Our only experiences in Mexico and Central America are vacations in Cancun & Costa Rica and we assume these are not typical of the living environment we would experience in Rosarito. We are just looking for advise from experienced expats in the Rosarito area or anywhere else in Mexico who could give us advice.
> 
> Thanks.


As far as I know at one time all the houses in Rosarito where there was a legal Grant Deed around 2005 one third were foreigners, but that includes many Mexican Americans. The Hollywood crowd had houses there by the dozens. I had a few friends from the TV industry in Hollywood build and use their houses to party on the weekends and had thoughts of retiring there. 

NOW it appears this trend has died a slow and painful death with many moving to other locations up the coast in gated guarded communities or abandoning Mexico for reasons we all know too well.

When visiting Rosarito you will still run into a younger condo on the beach crowd coming weekends to party but no where near the volume I saw before 2005 or 2006. The dynamics changed to young people coming there to party in clubs and bars. The drinking age in California is 21 and in Baja it is 18.

Now even that took a downturn in 2009 with all the swine flu scare and needing to pay $120.00 US for a US passport.

Lately it appears as a mainly Mexican place but catering to weekenders as well. I have a family of good friends there and they see the change as a good thing and the economy is going up from a very low low in 2008, the same time as southern California.

The continued building of waterfront high rise condos south of town makes real estate swamped and rents in some of these building is reasonable.

I feel you will meet some American expats there but not near as many as you would have 6 or 7 years ago living there full time. You will meet many Mexican American expats there still. IMO


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## mes1952

I lived a year in Tijuana and have lived in Rosarito for a year. Waiting for the day when I can start SS and move to the mainland. Rosarito is probably an O.K. place for married or older (age 65+) but if you are accustomed to a high energy place, it is definitely not here. The tourist crowd has changed from Americans to middle-class Mexicans and most of the Americans are sequestered in the gated communities dotting the coastline among the abandoned high-rises. Many of the once-American gated communities are now being populated by middle-class Mexicans. Everything here pretty much closes up before 8:00pm except on the weekends when there are Mexican tourists in town to party. Most business still complain about the lack of tourists (at least the Americans who have more $$$ than Mexican tourists). I've had several acquaintances who had businesses here that folded due to this.


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## cuylers5746

*Thinking about moving to Rosarito Beach?*

Not mentioned yet, but should be is Emergency Medical Care or Urgent Care for you both in the Rosarito Beach area. Can you afford a couple of hundred dollars a month to see Specialists and pay for Urgent Care?

I think you should visit the part of this forum on "Medical Facilities", and read it front to back. You will get an idea of Medical Costs and Dental Costs. Since you will be living in Baja Norte, add 25% more to those quoting that are living in Central Mexico. You might inquire about local clinics there in Rosarito Beach area and their Urgent Care costs? Beware, you don't want to end up in a high end Hospital in T.J. you could easily run up a $20-30 K USD bill. Their mercenary having learned from their Doctor friends north of the border.

You definitely should consider once moved getting a "Sentry Pass", that clears you Security wise to be able to get in a lane that's a lot faster going through the border. I think it take a couple of months to get it? Check with US Border Partol on this. Could save your life sometime, when you have to get to a V.A. Hospital quick, not having to wait 1-2 hours in line for Border Inspection.

You should consider upon setting up in Rosarito, talking to other retirees and neighbors about finding great Mexican Specialists in the T.J./Rosarito area. I mean maybe for $600-800 pesos
per visit, and getting in on the same day or next day - sometimes it might not be worth hassling the long lines getting through the border and onto your V.A. Clinic or Hospital? In Mexico you get to keep your X-Rays taken and Lab Test Results, that you order and you don't even need a Doctor's referral for it.

My wife and I took care to two 90 year old mothers (ours), while living in Baja Mar Country Club about 10 miles north of Ensenada, and my wife scouted and got set up everything we needed. My mother had Medicare and often it was more convenient and cheaper considering the gas, and long lines to get across the border just to call and go see the local Specialists. Some will even make house calls. I know that's a foreign subject we haven't seen in the USA in over 50 years, but some actually will. We had an excellent Geriatric Specialists, that spoke excellent English, went to school some years in San Diego and was just super that made house calls.


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## Isla Verde

mes1952 said:


> I lived a year in Tijuana and have lived in Rosarito for a year. Waiting for the day when I can start SS and move to the mainland.



Why must you wait for SS to kick in before moving to the mainland? I assume you mean mainland Mexico.


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## mes1952

Because I am not in the majority of most on this board, i.e., retired, which means I still have to work in the U.S.
Not everyone who moves/lives in Mexico is on a hefty 401K or retirement plan. I think most Americans who are living in those gated communities fail to realize that they do not represent the majority of Americans now living in Baja. Now most are younger and still working in the U.S. and not as financially well off as the age 70+ crowd due to the recent recession. If you've been around much in Tijuana or Rosarito you will see this. This is why now most American tourists coming to Mexico are Mexican-Americans as most do not have the $$ to spend. If the economy here in Baja is so great then there would not be all the buildings dotting the coast unoccupied.


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## AlanMexicali

mes1952 said:


> Because I am not in the majority of most on this board, i.e., retired, which means I still have to work in the U.S.
> Not everyone who moves/lives in Mexico is on a hefty 401K or retirement plan. I think most Americans who are living in those gated communities fail to realize that they do not represent the majority of Americans now living in Baja. Now most are younger and still working in the U.S. and not as financially well off as the age 70+ crowd due to the recent recession. If you've been around much in Tijuana or Rosarito you will see this. This is why now most American tourists coming to Mexico are Mexican-Americans as most do not have the $$ to spend. If the economy here in Baja is so great then there would not be all the buildings dotting the coast unoccupied.


I feel the building of high rises is speculation the economy in the US will improve soon enough for the investors to make money on them. I am sure they are not paying too much to keep them empty and not sell them at a loss yet. The area has changed so much over the years in so many ways it really boils down to this, I feel. 

Where else can a person buy a beach front condo in a place that is a short distance from the border with all the emenities at hand for a good price? The answer is nowhere else. They will keep building as far as I can see and wait out the present downturn as more baby boomers retire.


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## cuylers5746

*Empty Condos due to swashing south of US Banks Money after USA Real Estate Bust*

Actually all those empty condos is a symptom of mega money swashing around like in a bath tub and no where to land after the Real Estate Bubble bursting in USA in 2005-2006. All those $Billions of dollars from the funny money from almost zero interest from the Federal Reserve due to Fed. Head Alan Greenspan, had to go somewhere. After all all those fat banker's got used to those six figure bonuses and did not want it to stop. Why stop when the Fed. Reserve is lending you money at almost zero percent interest rates?

It all swashed south to Mexico and elsewhere and the US Developers came with them greedy at the trough just like the Mexican developers. They made huge errors in decision making, thinking they could sell these condos at USA prices and have a pitance of land and labor costs to pay. The only killing was in their companies and the banks taking back their properties. Donald Trump who almost went completely broke and had to sell his Casino in Atlantic City to Merv Grivin as a developer in the early 80's got a lot smarter. He started a big probject in partnership in Rosarito Beach area, and quit and got out while the getting was good.

The whole assumption is wrong. Even those living on fat pensions will probably find their pensions cut by a quarter or more after this next down turn in the Worldwide Economy which is already underway. What the retirees didn't loose in the Stock Market Crash(s) will in another year or so will be devistated by massive inflation and a crashing US Dollar. So, add it up Pension Cuts coming due to broke bankrupt City, Couties, States, Companies and then devistated by a crashing $USD in another year or too. The picture is not pretty for those banks holding onto all those empty condominiums. It's just not Northern Baja, but Cabo, Bahia San Carlos, Mazatlan, Puerto Vallarta and further on down south, all over the coast of Mexico. It's going to look like the Coast of Spain and quickly getting there.


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## edward bishop

I live just north of rosarito beach side and the place next door is only $220 a month including utilities. small studio for one. but there are plenty of spaces and if you don't mind being up the hill a bit, you can get a good sized place for $600 all day long. I also utilize la joiya va hospital. %50. ed


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## mickisue1

The majority of the retirees living in MX are not doing so in order to live a swell lifestyle on a generous pension. They're living there because they can live a decent life, among decent people with decent healthcare, in a place where community matters more than it does in many parts of the US and Canada.

If you owned a modest house in the US for most of your working years, and didn't keep re-financing, you may have a nest egg that allows you to buy a home free and clear in MX. Again, with much lower maintenance costs than the US.

It would be a mistake to believe that your fellow expats are anything approaching wealthy, in the main. The discussion, here and in other Mexico fora, about the new income requirements with the 2011 immigration laws, should show you that. Many who are, like you, waiting for retirement, are afraid they won't meet the criteria, and many more, already having made their homes in various parts of MX, are worried that they'll have to move back the the US and live in poverty.


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## mes1952

Whether or not the U.S. economy improve depends on if you believe everything the U.S. government/news media reports. The Fed Reserve has already published that there will be slight/mediocre growth for 2013. This has been the same song going on since 2008 when every year since the recession and every year little has improved. If you are still working in the U.S. you already know this. So we'll see if in another 2 years all those vacant buildings on the Baja coast are full; if so it will proably be with middle-class Mexicans rather than Americans.
And meeting or not meeting the FM regulations does not necessarily stop anyone from living in Mexico. Perhaps you don't know the many people who are already doing that? Remember, we are in Mexico and everything is negotiable.


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## DNP

mes1952 said:


> Whether or not the U.S. economy improve depends on if you believe everything the U.S. government/news media reports. The Fed Reserve has already published that there will be slight/mediocre growth for 2013. This has been the same song going on since 2008 when every year since the recession and every year little has improved. If you are still working in the U.S. you already know this. So we'll see if in another 2 years all those vacant buildings on the Baja coast are full; if so it will proably be with middle-class Mexicans rather than Americans.
> And meeting or not meeting the FM regulations does not necessarily stop anyone from living in Mexico. Perhaps you don't know the many people who are already doing that? Remember, we are in Mexico and everything is negotiable.


Apples and Oranges, mes1952.

WashDC/SMA


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## arturo_b

If you are within striking distance of the place, spend a week or two in Rosarito first.

Talk to Susanne, the owner of Susana´s Restaurant. She´s something of a queen bee for social responsibility in that town. Her restaurant is on the western side of the main drag a few blocks north of the Rosario Beach Hotel. Very decent person, excellent sense of civic responsibility. And very good food.


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## mrrssy

edward bishop said:


> I live just north of rosarito beach side and the place next door is only $220 a month including utilities. small studio for one. but there are plenty of spaces and if you don't mind being up the hill a bit, you can get a good sized place for $600 all day long. I also utilize la joiya va hospital. %50. ed


...hi Edward my name is Dennis in CA. I have hopes of moving full time to Rosarito in the Spring. How do you recomend undertaking a search for a living arrangement i.e. small house or apt. like you mentioned (next door) ??? Thanks ...


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## MonarchSalt

Mrrssy..Im new too and looking into moving as well. You and I are currently livimg in the same area. I tried to send you a private message but it woldnt go through.


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## mickisue1

You have to amass a certain number of posts before you can PM.

Helps to avoid spammers being able to PM posters: they get booted pretty quickly.


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## mrrssy

...sorry the message didn't go thru...I've not recieved any messages ever so maybe something's wrong with my address info...


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## Isla Verde

mickisue1 said:


> You have to amass a certain number of posts before you can PM.
> 
> Helps to avoid spammers being able to PM posters: they get booted pretty quickly.


You have to have five posts before you can send and/or receive PMs.


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## MonarchSalt

Got it! Im not far from the five posts needed


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## mrrssy

...hi, my name is Denis from SoCal...regarding your post about spending some time in Rosarito Beach before making any decisions...I don't think the post was directed at me, but I am interested in info from folks who live in that general area. I am getting the basic idea that individual areas have a great deal to do with one's experience. The Border Area has a great deal to offer from the stand-point of access to US facilities and Services, but there is, as always, a price to pay. A decent, quiet neighborhood is a must ! Thanks for your time...Denis !


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## mrrssy

MonarchSalt said:


> Got it! Im not far from the five posts needed


...hi again ... I just tried to post my no. 5 post and maybe I can now send messages as well as recieve them... I believe it when it happens...maybe the Baja Way ???


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## mrrssy

...at the risk of not being the intended reciepent, thanks for your input regarding the required no. of posts necessary for "private messaging"...I'm still feeling my way around all this computer stuff and this Site !!! Thanks ... Denis !


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## arturo_b

The so-called swine flu entered Baja from San Diego. I remember hearing of three or four cases in Tijuana, quickly contained, and none in Rosarito.

You don't need a passport to enter Baja California by car or on foot. 

If you're a US citizen, by international law, your country has to let you in without a passport. The border guards would prefer you to have a passport -- and they're perfectly happy with the cheaper passport card (US$55).

Real estate values in Rosarito are starting to go up again. This is a good time to buy. Be careful of the real estate agents, though, because they can be very slick.

If you're really interested in Rosarito, spend a couple of weeks there. Take a hotel in the middle of town -- the smaller ones will give you good deals on longer stays -- and walk around the place, talk to the people.

The local papers are owned by the Torres family, one of the biggest real estate interests in the area.
ECOS de Rosarito
Baja Times


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## TundraGreen

arturo_b said:


> You don't need a passport to enter Baja California by car or on foot.
> 
> If you're a US citizen, by international law, your country has to let you in without a passport. The border guards would prefer you to have a passport -- and they're perfectly happy with the cheaper passport card (US$55).


You don't need a passport to leave the US at the border, but it will be much, much easier to return to the US if you have one. You may be right about international law, but the border guards will put you through hoops before they let you back into the US. And even with a passport the wait is more than an hour on foot. Without one, I have no idea how long it might take or what kind of proof of citizenship they might require. You might have to wait while a friend or relative faxes your birth certificate to you.


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## arturo_b

TundraGreen said:


> You don't need a passport to leave the US at the border, but it will be much, much easier to return to the US if you have one. You may be right about international law, but the border guards will put you through hoops before they let you back into the US.


What sort of hoops might those be? I ask this because I live within walking distance of the San Ysidro Port of Entry and I cross it all the time. I refuse to get WHTI-compliant documentation on the principle that I've been crossing that border since 1970 and my oral declaration of citizenship had been sufficient until the Bush Family Wehrmacht came to power. 

Here's what some of my neighbors have had to say about the question:
Do I need a passport to visit Baja California? | The Real Tijuana



> And even with a passport the wait is more than an hour on foot.


The wait varies from ten minutes to three hours, depending on the day and the time you want to cross. A lot of people want to go north for shopping or work or school. What sort of documentation you're carrying has very little to do with the delay -- on rare occasions they send non-compliant US citizens such as me to Secondary Inspection for ten to fifteen minutes while they check governmental databases. They've sent me to Secondary twice now.

The best way to speed things up is to get a SENTRI pass for a few hundred dollars. Pedestrian SENTRI is about $150 and vehicular is upwards to $300. SENTRI needs to be renewed frequently. The SENTRI lines don't really have faster inspection times, they're just shorter primarily because most people don't qualify for them; I have seen peak times when the vehicular SENTRI was two hours long while regular vehicular lanes were only twenty minutes.



> Without one, I have no idea how long it might take or what kind of proof of citizenship they might require. You might have to wait while a friend or relative faxes your birth certificate to you.


Moderators, Mr Tundra, should not be fear-mongers. By the very definition of moderation if not for the general welfare of the forum. Fax a birth certificate?! It's your natural right to enter your own country: the border guards have the burden of proof to show cause why you ought not be admitted.


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## TundraGreen

arturo_b said:


> The wait varies from ten minutes to three hours, depending on the day and the time you want to cross. A lot of people want to go north for shopping or work or school. What sort of documentation you're carrying has very little to do with the delay -- on rare occasions they send non-compliant US citizens such as me to Secondary Inspection for ten to fifteen minutes while they check governmental databases. They've sent me to Secondary twice now.


You have more experience than I do. I have crossed there about a dozen times over the past few years. On all of the recent times, the foot traffic line was wrapped around on itself and entailed a wait of about an hour and a half, different times of day, different days of the week. Once there was a woman next to me who had come to Tijuana for the day without realizing they required a passport. When we got to the white gate the Border people stopped her and I didn't see her again. I was speculating about what happened to her.


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## arturo_b

TundraGreen said:


> On all of the recent times, the foot traffic line was wrapped around on itself and entailed a wait of about an hour and a half, different times of day, different days of the week.


Summer months and December are always the busiest. Even the week after Christmas I was in lines 3,000 people long. Up until WHTI, the pedestrian crossing was a lot faster than vehicular; now they're pretty much the same. 

Best time to cross is after 5:00pm because everything NoB is closed by then. The exception is at the end of a three-day weekend, when the lines can stay long even after sunset.



> Once there was a woman next to me who had come to Tijuana for the day without realizing they required a passport. When we got to the white gate the Border people stopped her and I didn't see her again. I was speculating about what happened to her.


From your description, it sounds like she wasn't a US citizen and either she didn't have an I-94 visa or she had lost her visa láser. They send folks to the little building to the right for special cases like that.


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## BajaExPat

*Rosarito Resident here*

Wow... coming into this late, but since I live in Rosarito, and have for the past 10 years, I thought I'd join the fray....

:focus:

I'd like to address Dick's original question, which is how suitable is Rosarito for someone who wants to maintain his connection to VA medical care which is available in the San Diego area, and the answer is that Rosarito is an excellent choice for someone in that position. There are hundreds, if not thousands of retirees in the greater Rosarito area who do exactly just that.

Many of the other comments seem to come from a point of view, so let me give a quick 2 cents... or pesos, as the case may be.

Housing is available in all price ranges, and it only depends on what standard of living you want. I strongly recommend that you stay in centro Rosarito at first to get oriented to the area. You will find a lot advertised out of town, which can be cute and quaint, but you really are not looking for cute and quaint at first. Stay in town (even if it is not in your budget) for a few months. Then you can scout out the real bargains that fit your lifestyle.

There is plenty to keep you involved... theater guild, Friends of the Library, animal welfare, Boys and Girls Club, arts festivals, etc., to be honest more than you can really take part in. There is a solid mix of pure retirees and those who work on the other side. Many have their own circles and don't really know others outside of those circles... and that is why you are getting some different points of view, mixed with some political thought.

You learn how to cope with the "Mexican" way of doing things and crossing the border, etc.. If you are a resident and not a tourist, you set your own schedule and really don't have problems crossing the border, etc. Some folks just like to have something to complain about.

There are somewhere between 9,000 to 14,000 foreign residents in the Rosarito area. Only about 10% are active in the community... the rest seem to just do their own thing. 

Irrespective of how many are living solely on SS vs. those with more assets, Rosarito is evolving into a different economy... fewer Spring Breakers and party crowd and more people interested in art, fine dining, great weather and beach lifestyle. The cost of living may be more than inland Mexico, but don't let anyone tell you that housing is the same as in the US, unless you are comparing beachfront to a suburb of San Bernadino.

Certainly there is now a greater percentage of visiting Mexicans and Mexican-Americans in the area because they were not as impacted by the negative publicity. Having lived through it, I can say that the publicity was over-blown and wrong, and that none of the full-timers left... we are all still here!

Feel free to write me directly, or find me on Facebook: RosaritoKen


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## Beto

I've been through the San Ysidro north on two occasions with two people that did not have passports and the agent let us through very quickly. I've heard some people say they had been inconvenienced at some ports of entry, but I haven't heard of it happening in our area, yet. As mentioned, you should bring your birth certificate and an official photo ID such as your drivers license, and, according to the law (I've read it) that is sufficient ID as an alternative to a passport.


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## TundraGreen

arturo_b said:


> From your description, it sounds like she wasn't a US citizen and either she didn't have an I-94 visa or she had lost her visa láser. They send folks to the little building to the right for special cases like that.


She was a US citizen but didn't have anything to prove it except a driver's license. She came to Tijuana for the day for some dental work. She apparently had recently moved to San Diego and didn't get the memo saying you needed some paperwork to get back into the US.


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## BajaExPat

Beto said:


> I've been through the San Ysidro north on two occasions with two people that did not have passports and the agent let us through very quickly. I've heard some people say they had been inconvenienced at some ports of entry, but I haven't heard of it happening in our area, yet. As mentioned, you should bring your birth certificate and an official photo ID such as your drivers license, and, according to the law (I've read it) that is sufficient ID as an alternative to a passport.


I believe it actually is at the discretion of the agent you first speak to. If he can look at you, your belongings, your car, who you are with, what your story is, etc., and feels comfortable you are a citizen, you get passed through. I have simply forgotten my entire wallet with my passport or passport card, or _any_ ID and didn't realize it until I reached just before getting to the gate and just explained my situation... passed through without problem.

If the agent suspects anything or just is uncertain... you get sent to "secondary."


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## arturo_b

TundraGreen said:


> She was a US citizen but didn't have anything to prove it except a driver's license.


In that case, she was sent to Secondary Inspection.



BajaExPat said:


> I believe it actually is at the discretion of the agent you first speak to. If he can look at you, your belongings, your car, who you are with, what your story is, etc., and feels comfortable you are a citizen, you get passed through.


"Evidence of nationality" was all that they required until 2004 or so. In other words, the border guard asks your citizenship, you answer "Murican", he looks at you a bit and waves you on through. WHTI (the Bush Family Wehrmacht's response to 9/11) changed the law to require "proof of identity and of nationality". 

There's a big difference between evidence and proof. A driver's license is proof of identity; a certified birth certificate (that's really what it's called) is proof of nationality; a passport is proof of both. If all you have is a driver's license, then you go to Secondary while they check the DMV database to make sure you're not one of them sneaky terrorists.

International law is very clear that no country may refuse admission to its own citizens. I have seen US citizens admitted at San Ysidro Port of Entry with no identification whatsoever ... begrudgingly, of course.


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## mickisue1

Even without a driver's license, you can get through. But it'll take more time.

My youngest son had his wallet stolen, just before a trip. I suggested that he contact the Homeland Security people, and find out what he needed to do. I was sure that he wasn't the first (nor would he be the last) to have that happen.

They told him that identity could be established by asking random questions, based on the database that is available to them. Give an official your name and SS number, and they can ask you where you lived in 1998, and where you worked in 2004, not to mention what city you were born in.


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## zapperbunny

Hello all, this is my first official post! I have already learned a lot from this forum and I have been researching now and again for xx years! Oh wait, I told my age in my profile, can't hide now! Almost 38 years of research (I will be 60 in December). I want to feel very confident about my move because most likely I will be an old lady moving alone! I'm pushing my daughter to marry a man who is upstanding and kind, and physically strong...because I am going to need help to move! The information about moving in the welcome message was very helpful, I had already gotten some names, but why call several people? And I am sure these people are pre-approved.
I intend to bring at least on of my Greyhounds, I just got a 2 year old puppy, but even though my female is in very good health she is 13; and I just lost my old boy of 13...but he had been hurt on the track when he was a year and a half...sigh. I also want to bring my old Jaguar with me, but I sure don't want to DRIVE 7 hours! I'll do that to go to Vegas, but...maybe, we will see, I still have a lot to think about; drive a truck hauling my car and minimum personal items, or, most likely cheaper to ship it all.


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## zapperbunny

BajaExPat said:


> I believe it actually is at the discretion of the agent you first speak to. If he can look at you, your belongings, your car, who you are with, what your story is, etc., and feels comfortable you are a citizen, you get passed through. I have simply forgotten my entire wallet with my passport or passport card, or _any_ ID and didn't realize it until I reached just before getting to the gate and just explained my situation... passed through without problem.
> 
> If the agent suspects anything or just is uncertain... you get sent to "secondary."


Good information, I have my passport because of all the security getting tighter and tighter it may be needed by the time I get there.


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## zapperbunny

I am sad to hear that real estate is going up in price, I am going to be one of those limited income gals. I was doing so well that I should have anticipated the recession as I am elated to Murphy, and lost everything but my house...of which am now underwater on. Also, because of illness my SSI is not all that it could be and instead of retiring at 62 KI must wait until 66...or get a really good paying job, which I am trying very hard to do now. In fact I am going to EDD to get special training and school opportunities because of the massive layoff I was part of by one of the major cellular companies who closed 2 buildings in Atwater, California on August 25, 2014. After I lost a in the recession, inc. my business, I went back to college and got my BS in Behavioral Psychology, but because where live Merced County, jobs are scarcer than hen's teeth. I would like to get part time job when I move there as I do not do well without a schedule. I was told a job teaching English s a second language or help at a resort is possible. Does anyone have any observations on this?


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## BajaExPat

Hello Zapper...

Your sense of humor will serve you well in Mexico...  You will not feel out of place here as there are many single ladies living here, and we have several local community organizations to help you integrate. That's the good news.

My standard advice is to find a place to rent before you consider buying. You may find you are able to find a rental, and it's easier to stay a renter and never buy. You and your financial situation will not be unique, and that's a good thing about living in Mexico.

The other great news :whoo: and I mean "really great news" is that the work on the border crossing appears to be paying off... peak waits for the Ready Lane are now about 30 min... I crossed yesterday and had only a 10 minute wait. This sure beats 1 to 3 hours. To use the Ready Lane, you need a Passport Card. Since you already have a Passport, it's only another $40 or so, and the convenience of just having a card you keep in your wallet makes it well worth it. With the lines so short, I can't really say it's worth the effort and expense of getting a Sentri Card. _This could change, but for now... _

The bad news perhaps is that while teaching english is more of an avocation than a vocation. Many community organizations do it for free, and there are professional english schools as well as it is taught in the public/private schools. Also, the Mexican government is more closely monitoring expats working in Mexico without the proper visa permits, etc. I would not plan on this as a source of income... but if you find work in California, with the new border situation you could commute. It's only 30 minutes from Rosarito to the border line.

I also recommend that you rent "in town" rather than take advantage of the cheaper options out of town. The problem with being out of town during this initial period is that it makes your integration process slower, and in some cases more difficult. If you have never lived in Mexico before, all I can say is, there are differences you need to get used to, and solutions are more plentiful and easier to find if friends and information are not 30-45 minutes away in a remote location. And if you come to a few community events and meet people, we all have our own stories and recommendations.

I'm not a real estate agent, but I'd be happy to point you in a few directions. Be willing to not achieve perfection at first... but give yourself six months to find your nirvana. It's here, but it's different for every person. Here are a couple of good sources that may ease your process: Serena and Town Crier. Feel free to PM me and I'd be happy to welcome you to Rosarito.

Good luck and welcome! (Note: underlined words indicate links)


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## zapperbunny

*Roasarito Dreamin'*

Wow, thank you for the great reply!:high5: You covered everything I will need now and when I get there! JK . After thinking much about it I lean towards renting, I live alone but I have several friends who will _vacation_ with me, definitely my daughter so I will need at least two bedroom...how do the locals feel about well behaved dogs in rentals?:fingerscrossed: I adopt racing Greyhounds (I smell a supply source!)? Chances are I will have to renew my passport before I get there but it's nice to know there is a savings that comes with having it!

I love Mexico, it is my vacation place4 of choice...though it's usually Playa Del Carmen, Cancun, Belize, it may come to that, I tend to set down roots but I am going to try to actually get out and see stuff. I love the idea of working across the border and coming home at night, def the US will have better wages and I will be able to support my "habit" (living in Mexico).

I imagine the locals are lovely people. Over the years I have worked with a lot of Mexican people, I have always been in a management position and they have always been in maintenance or the like... for no other reason than lack of any education. Many people tend to ignore these people, act like they are necessary evils, I have always reached out to them and found them to be funny, genuine, friendly, hard-working people. Many times I have let them know how important their jobs were to the company for without them we would not be able to operate at any kind of level. So I am pretty sure I will like them there too! I definitely will want someone to cook and clean for me, I am pretty tired of it and would much rather pay someone poorer than me to do so!

I am so happy to "talk" to someone who intimately knows the subject that I am running off at the keyboard! Thank you again for the information!

-Z-


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## dannyflynn

*School*

Are there any schools in Rosarito Beach for American kids? My ex-wife is considering moving there with our 12 year old daughter. I would flatly oppose that move if there was not a school she could attend there that is equivalent to the US middle school she attends now. She does not speak Spanish!. At least not yet.


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## RVGRINGO

Would you want your daughter to attend a school with standards as low as a typical US middle school? In Mexico, the public schools generally suck, but there are expensive private schools; some with a bit of bilingual instruction. If one exists in Rosarito, you should be able to find it online.


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## Longford

RVGRINGO said:


> Would you want your daughter to attend a school with standards as low as a typical US middle school?


Do you currently have children attending "middle school" in the USA? I'm wondering how you can make a comparison. "Private" schools in Mexico oftentimes are described as much better than "public" schools. Don't be fooled by the "private" tag. But I am interested in learning about your recent experience with middle schools in the USA. Thanks.


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