# Expired FMT - Not turned in at departure from Mexico



## txtomx

When we returned to the U.S. from Mexico last Feb. on Autobuses Americanos, no Mexican agent took our Tourist Cards (FMT, now called FMM). By the time we remembered we still had them, we were in San Antonio.

We still have the cards and wonder if and/or how much we will be fined when we return to Mexico this January. Please let us know if there is anyone who has been charged a fine for failing to turn in a tourist card (form) and how much you had to pay. 

We emailed the Mexican colsulate here, and they replied that when we return to Mexico, the immigration agent will decide whether or not of fine us and decide how much we should pay. What if he/she has had a bad day? Ouch!

Can we do anything other than just hope for good luck when we enter Mexico this January? Any help is definitely appreciated. Thanks!


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## ReefHound

One drawback of the buses is they typically do not stop at the Mexican immigration building when crossing the border back to the U.S.. No Mexican official will ever be collecting them on the road out, it's up to you to stop and turn them in. 

I've heard of a few members on other forums who say they were fined but they also say the officials did not know about the expired permits until they fell out of their passports where they had left them. 

My advice would be to throw them away or hide them and say nothing. If on your next entry they say something about not turning in a past permit (which is doubtful), insist that you did turn it in. When I've turned mine in they have never entered anything on the computer or filled out any form or stamped anything (at least not in front of me) and I've never been given any kind of receipt. For the car permit yes, for the tourist permit no. I always get the feeling the agent waits until I walk away and just tosses it into the trash can.


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## ReefHound

I think the theoretical fine is $5 per day past expiration. The couple I know that were stung by this were initially asked to pay almost a thousand bucks and negotiated it down to about a hundred. I'm pretty sure that hundred bucks ended up in the agent's pocket and not the Mexican government's treasury.

Just play dumb and if asked, insist you turned them in. If nothing else, it might give you a better negotiating position. We've been turning them in the last five years since we have been driving and have to stop anyway for the car permit, which they mean business on that. Before that, we used to never turn them in and never had a problem.


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## circle110

ReefHound said:


> I've heard of a few members on other forums who say they were fined but they also say the officials did not know about the expired permits until they fell out of their passports where they had left them.


Well, now there's a member of this forum who did the same. When we reentered Mexico two weeks ago, my fiancee unwittingly gave them all the paperwork in the satchel where she keeps our passports and that included the FMM visa I had not turned in when we left. 

The clerk got a sly smile and was like, "well, what do we have here?" and she told me that it was a "delito" and a $1500 peso fine. I said that I didn't have nearly that much and so she said, "how about $1000?" and I said nope. She then said, "well, $700 is the minimum fine" and I said alright. She never looked at the computer and, like Reefhound says, I doubt they actually track it via computer. I had never turned mine in before (due to ignorance of the necessity) and I had never had a problem getting another when I returned. However, it is technically required and I got "busted" this last time.

I would say that you guys should just reenter normally and if they do say something, remember -- like everything in Mexico -- the fine is negotiable and maybe you can do better than I did!

I really doubt you'll get questioned.


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## Joycee

This fall I took a bus to the US border and did not turn in my FMM. I was not questioned about it the next time I returned by bus. However, another time this fall the agent asked me if I had turned in my previous FMM when I again took the bus to Mexico. I answered honestly that I had turned it in since that time I took the plane back to the States. Perhaps he was looking to fine me if I had said that I hadn't turned it in. Based on this experience I concluded that they do not keep track of whether or not the FMM's are returned.


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## RVGRINGO

Destroy your old tourist permit. When you return, don't mention it. You'll be just fine.
However; the next time, do it right. Look for the INM office and go there to turn in your permit. If you have a visa, you'll need to fill out an FMM and keep the stub for your return to Mexico. Again, it is up to you to comply, as agents don't seek you out on departure. Once the FMM becomes a computerized document, they will catch you.


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