Crossing the border into Mexico
Moving On 1
Spending another Winter in wonderful Mexico
Spending another Winter in wonderful Mexico
Follow along with our adventures in Jennie the RV and Willie the Jeep
We are in Amado, AZ doing last minute preparations for crossing the border.
Because of weather issues we took the southern route from Indiana to Arizona. Took the I-65 south then connected up with the I-40 to Little Rock. South again to Texarkana. Across Texas on the I-20 past Dallas finally hooking up with the I-10 to Tucson. Spent a couple of days in Tucson getting all the final bugs out of the satellite system. Had to get a new controller box and switch satellites. Hopefully we’ll have no more problems with it. We are now using SatMex6 which should provide us with Internet service well into Mexico.
Friday, November 27 crossed into Mexico. We took the I-19 towards Nogales and took Exit 4 Mariposa Rd the truck crossing. This way we avoid the town of Nogales completely. Things are changing at the border, last year we just had to pass through a narrower part of the highway and we were in Mexico. This year the highway still narrowed down but there were US Border Patrol there. They just asked us if we were taking more than $10,000US into Mexico. Answered “No.” and they waved us through. The Migración Office for tourist cards and temporary import permits is 21 kilometers into Mexico. But about eight kilometers there is construction going on that looks like it might be a border check.
When you cross the border you are immediately on Mexioc15-D the toll road and it isn’t long before you reach a toll booth. You can give them Pesos or Dollars. They have a sign in the window showing the exchange rate - this day it was 12. This time we are being charged as an “auto” and a “camion” (small truck). There are two rates for camiones - small ones and bigger ones- we are charged as the smaller one. In the big motorhome we were charged as an autobus. Passed through two more “Caseta de Cobros” (toll booths) before reaching Hermosillo. Total cost for day was around US$30.
Arrived at the Migración buildings and parked. Lots of parking for big RVs. Into the first building to get our tourists cards. We gave our passports to a clerk who checked them, handed them back to us with the tourist cards to fill in. Filled them in handed them back to clerk who quickly checked them over and returned them to us. Next stop right outside the door was the copy booth. Needed copies of the tourist cards (FMT), one for each of us as we both were taking in a vehicle. If you don't already have them you also need copies of your passports, vehicles current registration and copy of driver’s license of vehicle owner (in this case both of us.)
From there we walked a few feet to the Banjercito to get our temporary import permits (TIP) and pay the tourist card fee. The line was short so we were soon up to a window. Gave the clerk all the copies and our passports. It took us about an hour to get everything done. Mostly it was because the computer system is so over taxed and slow. Total costs 11,779 Pesos about US$118 - for both vehicle permits and both tourist cards. The permit for Jennie is good for 10 years. You have to pay for the vehicle permit with a credit card issued to the registered owner. So the Jeep went on my card and the RV on Bill’s. After paying everything and getting all our paper work back we had one more stop at the first building we went into. The tourist cards had to have a stamp placed on them.
Then we were on our way again. Leaving the Migración Office there is a check point. Last year the guards boarded the RV this year they just waved us through.
The road all the way to Hermosillo is very good. A four-lane divided highway. BUT you have to be careful - it is NOT a freeway. Along the way we passed cattle and goats feeding next to the pavement. At any time one could wander in front of a speeding car. Also as you pass through the small towns there are topes (speed bumps) and you better slow way down for them or they will tear out your undersides. Most are well marked, and you can see the trucks and busses in front of you slow down to a crawl to pass over them. In places there are no shoulders on the road, just abrupt drop offs anywhere from three to 12 inches. There are a lot of road signs in Mexico - I've taken pictures of a lot of them and provided translations. Click Here for Pictures and Translations
Because of weather issues we took the southern route from Indiana to Arizona. Took the I-65 south then connected up with the I-40 to Little Rock. South again to Texarkana. Across Texas on the I-20 past Dallas finally hooking up with the I-10 to Tucson. Spent a couple of days in Tucson getting all the final bugs out of the satellite system. Had to get a new controller box and switch satellites. Hopefully we’ll have no more problems with it. We are now using SatMex6 which should provide us with Internet service well into Mexico.
Friday, November 27 crossed into Mexico. We took the I-19 towards Nogales and took Exit 4 Mariposa Rd the truck crossing. This way we avoid the town of Nogales completely. Things are changing at the border, last year we just had to pass through a narrower part of the highway and we were in Mexico. This year the highway still narrowed down but there were US Border Patrol there. They just asked us if we were taking more than $10,000US into Mexico. Answered “No.” and they waved us through. The Migración Office for tourist cards and temporary import permits is 21 kilometers into Mexico. But about eight kilometers there is construction going on that looks like it might be a border check.
When you cross the border you are immediately on Mexioc15-D the toll road and it isn’t long before you reach a toll booth. You can give them Pesos or Dollars. They have a sign in the window showing the exchange rate - this day it was 12. This time we are being charged as an “auto” and a “camion” (small truck). There are two rates for camiones - small ones and bigger ones- we are charged as the smaller one. In the big motorhome we were charged as an autobus. Passed through two more “Caseta de Cobros” (toll booths) before reaching Hermosillo. Total cost for day was around US$30.
Arrived at the Migración buildings and parked. Lots of parking for big RVs. Into the first building to get our tourists cards. We gave our passports to a clerk who checked them, handed them back to us with the tourist cards to fill in. Filled them in handed them back to clerk who quickly checked them over and returned them to us. Next stop right outside the door was the copy booth. Needed copies of the tourist cards (FMT), one for each of us as we both were taking in a vehicle. If you don't already have them you also need copies of your passports, vehicles current registration and copy of driver’s license of vehicle owner (in this case both of us.)
From there we walked a few feet to the Banjercito to get our temporary import permits (TIP) and pay the tourist card fee. The line was short so we were soon up to a window. Gave the clerk all the copies and our passports. It took us about an hour to get everything done. Mostly it was because the computer system is so over taxed and slow. Total costs 11,779 Pesos about US$118 - for both vehicle permits and both tourist cards. The permit for Jennie is good for 10 years. You have to pay for the vehicle permit with a credit card issued to the registered owner. So the Jeep went on my card and the RV on Bill’s. After paying everything and getting all our paper work back we had one more stop at the first building we went into. The tourist cards had to have a stamp placed on them.
Then we were on our way again. Leaving the Migración Office there is a check point. Last year the guards boarded the RV this year they just waved us through.
The road all the way to Hermosillo is very good. A four-lane divided highway. BUT you have to be careful - it is NOT a freeway. Along the way we passed cattle and goats feeding next to the pavement. At any time one could wander in front of a speeding car. Also as you pass through the small towns there are topes (speed bumps) and you better slow way down for them or they will tear out your undersides. Most are well marked, and you can see the trucks and busses in front of you slow down to a crawl to pass over them. In places there are no shoulders on the road, just abrupt drop offs anywhere from three to 12 inches. There are a lot of road signs in Mexico - I've taken pictures of a lot of them and provided translations. Click Here for Pictures and Translations
This time we did not stay at the Sonora RV Park in Hermosillo we drove on to Bahia de Kino. We turned right off of Mexico15 on to Periferico Norte and followed it across the northern party of town. Eventually Periferico Norte becomes a one way street. Stay to the left. At Solidaridad we turned left and continued to Jesus Garcia Morales (just past Wal*Mart.) Another right turn and we were on the way to Bahia de Kino. The construction at Solidaridad and Jesus G Morales is complete. As is the road building between Kino Viejo and Kino Nuevo.
This is the sign warning about the shoulder dropping off - believe it.
Things we've done and places we've been on this trip - Mexico 2009