So, you've decided you want to drive to Mexico, or more specifically Baja. But you're wondering how much trouble it will be to get across the border into another country.
If you've never done it before, the 'wondering about it' might cause some anxiety. But it really isn't so bad. And after you've actually done it, you'll wondering what all the fuss was about.
This picture is at La Bufadora, not far from Punta Banda. This is one of our favorite hang-outs. La Bufadora Tequila Grill....mmmm, you gotta love the Tequila. The food is one of the greatest things about Mexico.
Here is a link to the Border Wait Times table. Please note that this refers to traffic returning to the United States from Mexico.
Coming into Mexico either through the San Ysidro entry point or the Tecate entry is much easier than returning. There is seldom much of a wait time. And not every vehicle is stopped and questioned by the Mexican border officials like the U.S. Border patrol does when you return home.
Most people with nothing to declare will drive right across and continue on their way to their vacation destination.
At the border there are certain things you need to "declare". There are many sites online that explain all the customs rules. Here is one from BajaBound, follow the links in the article to find out what you can or can't bring across. For the most part, casual travelers with the usual things you bring with you on vacation are fine to cross the border without declaring anything. Let common sense prevail. Be aware of Mexican laws, some are more stringent than ours. DO NOT bring firearms, ammunition, knives with blades larger than 3 inches, narcotics, illegal drugs, very large sums of money, or too much of anything that looks like you want to sell it, or go into business. If you take prescription medicines, you should have the prescription with you. And only bring enough for the vacation.
A note about prescription medicines. You can buy many prescription medicines in Mexico "over the counter" without having to have a prescription for them. However, it is unlawful to bring these back into the United States without a prescription.
There is also information about obtaining "tourist cards" and "vehicle permits" for your trip into Mexico. But, in Baja, if you are not traveling outside of the "border zone", and you don't plan on staying more than 72 hours you do not need a tourist card. The border zone in Baja extends from Tijuana to Ensenada (and it's outlying areas). Also, you do not need a "vehicle permit" for this area. If you do plan on staying more than 72 hours, you might want to obtain an FMT or tourist card that will be good for 6 months. Again, if you follow the links in the BajaBound article noted above, it will give you the information you need.
For traveling back into the United States, here is the site for the U.S.Department of State with a summary of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative in regards to proof of identity and U.S. citizenship when traveling abroad (like to Mexico). This will tell you what documents you need to get back into the U.S. from Mexico.
Here is a link for a visitors safety update from My Baja Guide.com
There is a website for Baja Tourists at Discover Baja California.com with information about different areas, things of interest. It's a nice site with plenty of information about traveling in Baja.
You need to obtain Auto insurance for your trip into Mexico. This can be bought just before crossing the border. In San Ysidro you will find many places that sell insurance at a very reasonable price. You can go online and put "mexican insurance san ysidro" (or wherever you are crossing) into the search engine and there will be plenty of sites to choose from. Some will offer online sales of insurance. Here is a link to one of the Mexican Insurance vendors in San Ysidro. This particular place has lockers for leaving valuables that you may not want to take into Mexico with you. If you travel with any kind of weapons and/or ammunition, you want to leave this in the United States. This includes most hunting knives or even jack knives if the blade is over 3 inches in length.
OK, so you've got your Mexican insurance, your weapons are locked up, you have all the information you need, and now you're heading to Mexico. As you cross into Mexico there will be a signal light that you pass. You must stop briefly to wait for the signal light to come on. Nine times out of ten, it will be a green "pase", and you are on your way. Just follow the road carefully, the traffic starts getting a little frantic here. If the signal light turns red, you must stop for a brief inspection. Don't panic, stay calm and just pull to the right where the Mexican border officials will wave you over and show you where to park. Most of them speak enough English to communicate fairly well. They will ask you to step out of the vehicle, and briefly look through the vehicle and trunk. If you have not brought anything that you should have declared, they will soon have you on your way again. If you should have declared something, they will tell you what to do. If you are driving an RV or a motorhome, you should enter the declaration lane, as they will want to inspect any of these type vehicles.
So now you're in Mexico. Congrats! Have a great trip.
Oh.....for directions to get to Ensenada, and then Punta Banda from either the San Ysidro or Tecate border crossing....look on my blog page bottom left side of the page.
