# Entering Mexico at Nogales - On a Sunday?



## UrbanMan (Jun 18, 2015)

I am getting detailed about my travel plans. To cut to the chase, my current plans call for me to enter Mexico at Nogales on Sunday, October 15.

My question: Is the fact it will be a Sunday in any way an issue?

I will be entering in RT status which (by that time) will have been pre-approved by a US-based Mexican consulate. Also, I'll be bringing my car in, I will (by that time) have applied online with Banjercito for the needed TIP. 

There will be some processing needed at Nogales, and I want to be be sure that the day being a Sunday will not be a problem.

Thanks.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

The Mariposa truck crossing opens at 6 AM daily, signs along the highway to KM21 for FMM and TIP validation. very easy......


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

chicois8 said:


> The Mariposa truck crossing opens at 6 AM daily, signs along the highway to KM21 for FMM and TIP validation. very easy......


The old garita downtown which the I-19 takes you to (the U.S. DeConcini crossing) is open 24/7 and has the same INM services. I've used both and it's mostly a matter of which official you run in to, and what mood they're in, but never had a major problem. ¡Buen viaje!


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

perropedorro said:


> The old garita downtown which the I-19 takes you to (the U.S. DeConcini crossing) is open 24/7 and has the same INM services. I've used both and it's mostly a matter of which official you run in to, and what mood they're in, but never had a major problem. ¡Buen viaje!


True but driving through Nogales is a pain with stop lights and topes, the toll road is much faster and a smoother road.......


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

UrbanMan said:


> I am getting detailed about my travel plans. To cut to the chase, my current plans call for me to enter Mexico at Nogales on Sunday, October 15.
> 
> My question: Is the fact it will be a Sunday in any way an issue?
> 
> ...


You can´t apply online for a 180 day TIP as you will be entering Mexico with a RT 6 month visa in your passport and will be given at the border by INM an FMM "canje" card for 30 days and make sure to get your visa stamped in your passport and your TIP will be for 30 days also. Online TIP applications require you to first go to the INM [Mexican Immigration] website on the Banjercito webpage when applying for a TIP and be preapproved for a 180 day FMM tourist card.


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## LMtortugas (Aug 23, 2013)

UrbanMan said:


> There will be some processing needed at Nogales, and I want to be be sure that the day being a Sunday will not be a problem.
> 
> Thanks.


I enter regularly, sometimes criss-cross multiple times a day, through the Deconcini POE. I do not know what processing you must complete beforehand but entry into Sonora is routine and easy, particularly on a Sunday. It's the border zone so vehicle TIP and other related entry documents aren't required and rarely inspected. The only time I recall ever being stopped was a few days prior to Christmas and our car trunk was briefly inspected for contraband I suppose.

However, proceeding south along Fed Hwy 15 have all your paperwork in short order. The Federale & state police checkpoints are open for business!


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## UrbanMan (Jun 18, 2015)

AlanMexicali said:


> You can´t apply online for a 180 day TIP as you will be entering Mexico with a RT 6 month visa in your passport and will be given at the border by INM an FMM "canje" card for 30 days and make sure to get your visa stamped in your passport and your TIP will be for 30 days also. *Online TIP applications require you to first go to the INM [Mexican Immigration] website on the Banjercito webpage when applying for a TIP and be preapproved for a 180 day FMM tourist card.*


Re: the TIP - I have been told if you have an RT-pre-approval, Banjercito will online give a 180 day TIP. So the sequence will be get the RT-pre-approval, then go online with Banjercito. I'll see what happens when I actually go and try to do it.


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## UrbanMan (Jun 18, 2015)

perropedorro said:


> chicois8 said:
> 
> 
> > The Mariposa truck crossing opens at 6 AM daily, signs along the highway to KM21 for FMM and TIP validation. very easy......
> ...


I'm confused by the above. Can you please elaborate a bit? I've never done this before, so anything that can really dumb it down for me will help.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

UrbanMan said:


> Re: the TIP - I have been told if you have an RT-pre-approval, Banjercito will online give a 180 day TIP. So the sequence will be get the RT-pre-approval, then go online with Banjercito. I'll see what happens when I actually go and try to do it.


You ever told you that is wrong. The Banjercito website is very clear that they only approve TIPs for tourists and legal residents abroad as in people living in the USA or Canada legally. You are not a legal resident yet, only a person pre-approve to become a legal resident by processing your 6 month visa in your Passport for a RT visa/card once you go to your local INM office and start the processing, not before it is processed. 

Google Tranaslation:

"Temporary Vehicle Import System

This service is exclusive for Mexican Legal Residents Abroad and Tourists (Foreigners) who wish to enter Mexico in a vehicle of foreign origin.

Write your permission here

DOCUMENTS TO HAVE IN HAND FOR THE PROCESS

The Mexican citizen residing legally abroad must present one of the following documents:

• Resident Alien Card.


• Certificate of Naturalization.


• Passport (Not Mexican).


• Passport Card.


The foreigner can only present valid passport or passport card and the official document issued by the National Immigration Institute:"



You have no official document issued by the INM yet. 

That is why you will be getting a 30 day "canje" FMM card entering Mexico from the INM which is the INM document to be in Mexico legally and why Banjercito cannot issue you a 180 day TIP [you are not authorized to be in Mexico for 180 days] as at that point you are only authorized to be in Mexico for 30 days.

https://www.gob.mx/banjercito/articulos/sistema-de-importacion-temporal-de-vehiculos?idiom=es

https://www.inm.gob.mx/sae/publico/pre-autorizacion.html

On the above INM page the pre-approval for a tourist 180 day FMM card there is no where it states a foreigner can get a 30 day "canje" FMM card only a 7 or 180 day FMM tourist card. You need to have this INM pre-approval to complete the online TIP application, which you cannot do. If you come in on a 180 day FMM tourist card and the online 180 day TIP you have invalidated your 6 month pre-approved RT visa in your passport and have to start over again.

It is very important to do this correctly. Stop at the border, get a 30 day "canje" FMM card and have them stamp your 6 month RT visa page as entering Mexico from INM there then stop at Banjercito show them your passport visa page and the30 day "Canje" FMM card and get a 30 day TIP.

I think you are confusing a 6 month pre-approved RT visa in a passport with an actual RT visa/card. They are not the same and the 6 month pre-approved visa expires in 6 months and is only the first step in becoming a legal resident of Mexico. Step 2 is processing your application requesting a RT visa/card at your local INM office.


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## UrbanMan (Jun 18, 2015)

AlanMexicali said:


> The Banjercito website is very clear that they only approve TIPs for tourists and legal residents abroad as in people living in the USA or Canada legally. You are not a legal resident yet,
> 
> ........
> 
> ...


This site says different. I will give it a try, we'll see happens.

https://yucalandia.com/driving-in-m...to get a Temporary Import Permit for your Car

Note, the quote below is in the middle of a very large page that contains a lot of content. Use Ctl-F (find) and search for "180" on the page.



> Oct. 21, 2014 Update: ~ How to get a Temporary Import Permit for your Car – online – before entering Mexico – to get a 180 day TIP
> 
> If you take your Residente Temporal pre-approval and Canje visa from the Consulate – and you enter Mexico to get a Temporary Import Permit (TIP) for your car, Aduana and Banjercito only give you a 30 day TIP.
> 
> Instead, if you apply online with Aduana/Banjercito for a TIP, delivered to your home, then Aduana gives you a 6 month (180 day) TIP.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

UrbanMan said:


> This site says different. I will give it a try, we'll see happens.
> 
> https://yucalandia.com/driving-in-m...to get a Temporary Import Permit for your Car
> 
> Note, the quote below is in the middle of a very large page that contains a lot of content. Use Ctl-F (find) and search for "180" on the page.


https://www.banjercito.com.mx/registroVehiculos/

I understand what the webboard is saying but still on the Banjercito website during the application you have 2 selections. Piasano or Turista. If you select turista and then enter the 6 month visa and they accept it as the INM pre-approval document to get a 180 day TIP you are in jeopardy of voiding that 6 month visa in your passport when you show up at your local INM office if they can/want to check it out. If not then I presume you will show up at the border get your passport stamped in and ask for a 30 day "canje" FMM card to take to your local INM office to start the processing towards getting your RT vísa/card. IMO

Once you have a 1 year RT card you can notify ADUANA [Mexican Customs] and extend any TIP you have to match the expiration date on the RT card. When renewing after 1 year you can notify ADUANA again and have it extended to match your new RT card´s expiration date [you could get a 3 year RT card that time]


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

UrbanMan said:


> I'm confused by the above. Can you please elaborate a bit? I've never done this before, so anything that can really dumb it down for me will help.


Nogales has two crossings. One is downtown (DeConcini), at the end of I-19. The other (Mariposa) is in a less developed area about 2 kms to the west on AZ 189 which takes you to the Mex 15D toll road. As chico mentioned, the downtown route is more congested, but it is 24/7 whereas Mariposa is 6am-10pm. Both routes rejoin 8 kms south of town. INM is at both crossings, but they usually don't deal with vehicles there, insisting your TIP be processed further down, in the big facility at KM 10 or so.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

I just crossed at 6 AM at Nogales Mariposa crossing a month ago, Customs and immigration are at KM21 , I took care of both the FMM and the TIP there, I was out by 7:10 AM.......


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Google Translation:

"IMPORTANT INFORMATION BEFORE STARTING

• In case you are a foreigner, before starting the process of the permit you must go to the page http://www.inm.gob.mx/index.php/page/Pre_Autorizacion.html to process your pre-authorization immigration. The permit of the vehicle will be granted for the same days authorized in said pre-authorization. In addition, upon entering Mexican territory, he / she must present himself / herself to the immigration authorities, so that the pre-authorization can be changed by the definitive immigration form that allows him to enter Mexico.

• In case the information you enter is false, you may be liable to penalties by the Mexican authorities."

https://www.banjercito.com.mx/registroVehiculos/

This seems to be the stickler for you getting a tourist 180 day TIP when you are actually a migrant entering Mexico to complete your RT immigration application and not a tourist. IMO

"4.2 "BANJERCITO" will not make any changes to the information, refunds or cancellations of the permits issued through the site. "The importer" accepts that in case of providing "BANJERCITO" false information and / or documentation to carry out the procedure for issuing the vehicle temporary importation permit, through the "BANJERCITO" site, the BANJERCITO will not, for any reason, Reimbursement or against any charge, either of the commission or any other charge, made to the debit or credit card presented by the "Importer" with which the procedure was performed."


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

You are quoting from a website maintained by one person that usually has good information BUT it is hardly the gospel. I know of several incorrect statements inside that website. 

Point is.... I would hate to see you potentially jeopardize your pre-approved RT by overlaying it with an application/approval of a 180-day Tourist Card while trying to obtain a 180-day TIP online. And for what purpose. As mentioned above YOU will only be approved for a 30-day canje FMM card.

If I were the one attempting this, the information that you have been given here would make me VERY dubious of trying to get the 180-day TIP online... I'd just get it when I processed through the border. It would be very foolhardy to jeopardize your RT just to prove that you (thought!) you could get an online TIP.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

chicois8 said:


> I just crossed at 6 AM at Nogales Mariposa crossing a month ago, Customs and immigration are at KM21 , I took care of both the FMM and the TIP there, I was out by 7:10 AM.......


Which is good, usually. Not much traffic at 6:00 am. Couple years ago we hit customs and immigration @ KM 21 around mid-morning on Dec 20th or so, probably their busiest day of the year with NOB Mexicans heading home for the holidays. It was a zoo, took about 6 hours. Like I said, things are normally smooth, but certain vacation periods can be busy. Now with everyone in the family having a resident card or an IFE, and driving a Mexican plated vehicle, we cruise through on the 15 without even slowing down.


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## UrbanMan (Jun 18, 2015)

RickS said:


> You are quoting from a website maintained by one person that usually has good information BUT it is hardly the gospel. I know of several incorrect statements inside that website.
> 
> Point is.... I would hate to see you potentially jeopardize your pre-approved RT by overlaying it with an application/approval of a 180-day Tourist Card while trying to obtain a 180-day TIP online. And for what purpose. As mentioned above YOU will only be approved for a 30-day canje FMM card.
> 
> If I were the one attempting this, the information that you have been given here would make me VERY dubious of trying to get the 180-day TIP online... I'd just get it when I processed through the border. It would be very foolhardy to jeopardize your RT just to prove that you (thought!) you could get an online TIP.


Thanks Rick. But I am not sure why you are including the phrase "tourist card" in your post. My intent is to be pre-approved for a one year RT, and then get a 180 TIP for my car online if the latter is possible. Nothing I will be doing will be "tourist".

Also, I don't understand how anything to do with TIP could in any way jeopardize my RT. They don't like my TIP application, so they (in a separate arm of the government) will cancel my RT? I don't fathom how or why that would happen.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

Then by all means plow ahead with your plans......


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

UrbanMan seems to have missed the details involved. With a consular pre-approval, a single-entry into Mexico within 6 months is authorized. There is a requirement that you appear at INM serving your area of residence, with proof of residence, within 30 days, in order to begin the tramite to canje the approvel for an actual visa, which may take a couple of months with repeat visits. That constitutes a change of INM status, so the Importada Temporal will only be issued for those first 30 days, requiring you to formally request an extension from Aduana. There is a potential Catch-22, which usually requires that you visit Aduana immediately upon receipt of the NUT letter/Tramite document, then again when the visa is actually in hand. All this is due to a 15 day requirement to notify Aduana of INM changes which take much longer than that.....so impossible in one visit, etc. Failure results in the vehicle being in Mexico illegally, the deposit being lost and the possibility, or likelihood that insurance may be deemed invalid in the event of a serious accident with high costs. From there, it can get more complicated......


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## UrbanMan (Jun 18, 2015)

I appreciate all the replies. Thanks to all.

Here is some verbiage from the Banjercito site: https://www.banjercito.com.mx/registroVehiculos/#



> IMPORTANT INFORMATION PRIOR TO STARTING
> 
> YOU MAY APPLY FOR A TEMPORARY IMPORT PERMIT 10 TO 60 days prior to entering Mexico by vehicle.
> 
> ...


I have bolded the sentence above. Seems to clearly state you will receive a TIP for a period of time matching your immigration pre-authorization. I can't see any other way to read it.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Your pre-authorization is for 30 days. Take heed. Then, you go to INM in Mexico and you know the rest of the process......I hope.
You may want it to be different. It won‘t be.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

RVGRINGO said:


> Your pre-authorization is for 30 days. Take heed. Then, you go to INM in Mexico and you know the rest of the process......I hope.
> You may want it to be different. It won‘t be.


You are 100% correct RV.

The Banjercito webpage for on-line 180 day TIP applications has no option for people with a "canje" visa in their foreign passports only options are Tourist - first preapproved on the INM website on the Banjercito application for a TIP website and "Paisanos" - Mexican Nationals living abroad.

So he will be getting a 30 day "canje" FMM card from INM upon entering Mexico [this is the rule, no other options available in his case] not a tourist 180 day FMM by the rules. His TIP he will get on the border will be a 30 day TIP with no other options avilable to him in his case. If he applies for a 180 days *tourist only* TIP on-line he will *HAVE* to select tourist as his status to apply and therefore by the warning on the bottom of the Banjercito application webpage [I copied that warning here : "*b• In case the information you enter is false, you may be liable to penalties by the Mexican authorities*." committing a fraud by soliciting a 180 day TIP by entering false information to complete the on-line TIP application.


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

Urbanman said, "_My intent is to be pre-approved for a one year RT, and then get a 180 TIP for my car online if the latter is possible." _

That is what all here are trying to tell you... a 180 day TIP is not what is given for a Consulate pre-approved RT... only a 30-day TIP is available to match the timeframe (30-days) for you to get to the INM at your destination after crossing. When you go there to continue your RT process you should tell them that you came in with a foreign plated vehicle with a 30-day TIP and that you want to 'attach' it to your RT. If you do this you will not forfeit your $400 refundable deposit and your TIP timeline will coincide with you RT for the first year. When, after one year, you go back to INM to renew your RT for 1,2 or 3 years you will want to make sure that they understand that you have a TIP vehicle and you want it to be extended also. This is SOP.

There is no reason for you to try and get a 180-day TIP online as you will be covered by the process described above. The online process is designed for tourists coming in who will want to get a 180 TIP to match their 180-day Tourist card. If you insist on getting a 180 TIP online you will stand a VERY good chance of invalidating your pre-approved RT and I am SURE that you do NOT want to do this! If you don't want to believe that the various Mexican agencies are connected by computers in some cases and share data, then go ahead a get the online TIP and possibly destroy your Consulate pre-approved RT.... having it overridden by your online statement saying you want a tourist 180 TIP.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

The formal request for an extension of the Importada Temporal is done at Aduana, not INM.


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

Urban Man, maybe you already got this from all the posts above but think it does not apply to your case. Just remember, if you first of all get a pre-approved RT, then intentionally or accidentally are issued a tourist permit (that "pre-approval" online), that tourist permit you need to click on to get the vehicle importation permit could INVALIDATE your RT approval. I have heard of people who were living in Mexico as a Residente Temporal, left Mexico and accidentally re-entered on the FMM as a tourist, and lost their RT status and had to start over from scratch. 

I'm not saying this will or won't happen, but personally based on all the advice above, I wouldn't risk it. If you do decide to go that route, please let us know how it turns it.


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