Passport

[Madeira16 8]

the general consensus is that you have to have a passport to travel from Arizona to Mexico. I do know friends that regularly travel in and out of Mexico by car and do not use a passport.

Anyone headed to Mexico for surgery and not using a passport?

Thanks!

[emiko_oz 62]

Into Tijuana you do not need one

[Madeira16 8]

Thank you'

[Proud2BMe 1,016]

The U.S. still technically requires one, at least the passport card. If you travel by air into Mexico you will need a passport. If you are driving, just a passport card. Whether or not the border patrol will ask to see it is another question entirely. I bought a passport card for me and my father who accompanied me and it was like a little under $300 I think.

[emiko_oz 62]

Guess I have been lucky - I haven't needed one when I've drove to the border and walked or taxi'd into Tijuana. I've been over 40 times in 15 years. I better look into this - thank you

[JamieLogical 8,710]

Allegedly, Mexico now requires a passport or passport card to ENTER Mexico. However, after jumping through a ton of hoops and going to the actual passport office for a rush passport card prior to my VSG, none of the Mexican border agents asked me for my passport. I already had an enhanced NYS driver's license, so I wouldn't have had any trouble getting back into the US over land with that. Oh well! I wasted $150.

["Henry" 109]

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to inform you that there have been changes in Mexico's immigration policy. If you are walking across the border into Tijuana, YOU ARE REQUIRED TO HAVE A VALID U.S. PASSPORT (book or card). If you are driving across it is not being enforced, YET.

I recommend that you get you passport before traveling to Mexico. You still need it to reenter de U.S. Don't risk running into the Agent that is having a bad day and get sent into secondary inspection for at least 30 minutes. You could miss your flight home!

[JamieLogical 8,710]

You still need it to reenter de U.S.

Not true. You can reenter the US with an enhanced driver's license or Nexus card. You don't need a passport or passport card.

["Henry" 109]

Your right JamieLogical. But not everyone has an enhanced license or nexus card.

I recommend that you check the State Department website:

Traveler’s Checklist

And read "Do You Have All Required Travel Documents?"

[belindadcns 55]

Enhanced drivers license? I am almost certain that is what I have.

[JamieLogical 8,710]

Enhanced drivers license? I am almost certain that is what I have.

They are usually available in border states. They cost more than a normal license and they have an RF chip in them. I live in NY, near the Canadian border, so I got one to make crossing back and forth between the US and Canada easier once they changed the laws for border crossing post-911.

However, as Henry pointed out, an enhanced license is technically not enough to allow you to cross the border INTO Mexico, as the Mexican government recently changed their own laws to require either a passport or passport card to ENTER Mexico. While that law is indeed on the books, how much it's being enforced is a matter of debate. I was not asked for ANY form of ID when I crossed the border into Mexico for my VSG.