traveled to Mexico without a passport
 

Please tell me if you've traveled recently (past month or so) to Mexico without a passport, using only your birth certificate. Did you have any problems?

I don't want to get on the subject of why I should get a passport as I know it would make things easier and I would like to have one. Just curious of what people have gone through who haven't had one. We are planning on going to Puerto Vallarta in October and it doesn't make sense for me to get one now, as I will be getting married end of Sept. and plan on changing my name. Plus, I just don't have the extra cash right now.

Remember you need a 2nd piece of ID along with a birth certificate (drivers license).

Yes, I will of course remember that.

my son went with 2 friends who only had this form of id, and had no problem.

We went to Mexico the first week of June with a birth certificate (with raised seal) and photo driver's license. The passport requirement does not go into effect until Jan. 1, 2007. The airline personnel were not happy as this causes them extra work but it was not a major problem.

I just got back from Mexico Tuesday. While I had a passport, it was expired. All they did was provide a form that was an affadavit of birth and notorized it for me there at the check in counter. I never once showed it to anyone, mexican customs or US. I would assume if you have just a drivers license, they would do the same thing. But if you have ID and birth certificate, there should be no problem.

Thank you so much everyone!!

Now, to throw a kink in it. What would you do if your driver's license has only your first and middle initials and your last name, but your birth certificate has your full first name, middle initial, then last name? (a little case of stolen identity made my fiance have to change his driver's license to just the initials and full last name--he has never had a problem flying in the states with it.)

The folks at Frontier airlines told everyone on the check-in line last month that they would be requiring passports even in December for travel to MX even though the law doesn't go into effect until Jan.

Have traveled to Mexico, Punta Cana, and other destination with birth certif. and photo id. NO Problem...however, when going to MX on our honeymoon my name was different than on my birth certif. after getting married. We didn't have our marriage license and had a problem. Actually, the custom's official took a bribe to let us pass through. We asked many married women on the bus to our hotel if they were traveling with their birth certif. and they weren't even asked if they had a marriage license and they weren't even asked. It does say in travel info. to have it. It is usually in the fine print, and our travel agent didn't mention it. It is a good idea to have it! We both got passports!!!

Do not try to take shortcuts. How difficult is to get a passport? Unfortunately in Mexico you can never be sure if immigration is going to be asking the same thing in a different places.

Remember to get your FM3 as soon as you get into the country and returned as soon as you leave. Avoid problems and fines.

Saludos desde Mexico

I'm not trying to "take a shortcut". I plan on changing my name after get I married so I'm not going to get a passport now under my maiden name then have to get another one after my name is changed. I don't have all that extra cash lying around and if I don't absolutely need it yet I would rather wait until my name is legally changed, which will be done after our honeymoon.

What is an FM3?

I dont' know why you would have suggested an FM3. That is a specific type of visa that allows extended periods of time in MX. The typical traveler does not use an FM3.

I think you may have suggested the FMT which allows up to 90 days in the country and is given when you pass through Immigration. Here is the latest posting from the Mexican consulate.
Do not need a visa. However, it will be required to present one of the following documents at the airport or port of entry into Mexico:

Valid United States Passport;
Original Birth Certificate and photo official identification (i.e., driver's license);
Certified copy of Certificate of Naturalization and photo official identification (i.e., driver's license);
Voter's Registration Card with photo official identification;
Notarized Affidavit of Birth Facts and a official identification

If you last day differs from your birth certificate than you will need to have your marriage license to show the reason for the name change. It's much easier to go with the passport. If you do, it's always a good idea to make two copies of your passport - one to leave at home and one to take with you and stored in another safe place other than where your passport is stored. The FMT will be given to you on the plane for you to fill out and present at the point of entry in Mexico. They will tear off the bottom portion and give it back to you. Take it and put it somewhere safe as you will need to turn it in when you leave the country. It is no problem at all.

ethel - just so you know, if you get a passport now, and then have to change your name, they will issue you a new passport with NO CHARGE. You just have to submit a new form.

See http://travel.state.gov/passport/get...ting_2654.html for details.

Karen

Sorry, I brought the FM3 issue because I live and work in the northern border of Mexico. In the border companies , no americans are allowed in unless a FM3 form is presented ,but this is a requirement for business purposes.

Lately I have seen immigration asking for a proof of citizenship even to Mexicans, usually in airports. They are getting tougher.

Saludos desde Mexico

Yes, I can imagine it's definitely becoming more difficult in the border towns! The travelers who are just in for a vacation don't seem to be having any difficulties but I've heard they are giving a shorter period of time on the FMT - around 30 days. When I was on line to check in with Frontier last month out of Denver they made an announcement that even though the new passport requirement went into effect in January they were going to be requiring one for check-in in December. Probably a good safe-guard so people don't get stuck.

Ethel,

About your question of the initials on the b.c. being different than on your license I would call the TSA and U.S. Customs and ask. I did this when my son broke his drivers license in half the week before we were going to MX two years ago and the DMV invalidated it when he went to get a new one. I was in a panic. They told me that it would be fine for him leaving the country and getting into MX. The problem would occur when he tried to re-enter the U.S. When I asked what would happen if they denied him re-entry they told me he would be sent back to Mexico. I needed this stress like I needed a hole in the head. It ended well with him not having any trouble after we taped the license back together but I did go out the airport to ask the Frontier people, the TSA people and the Customs people. I do not want to do that again.:)

My daughter travelled to MX in June. She didn't have the proper matching ID - the first name on her birth certificate is different than the first name she has always used. She couldn't even get a passport. Finally had to have a lawyer draw up an afidavit and cross her fingers. She wasn't asked for ID beyond her drivers' license so it turned out OK.

An FM3 is a typical work visa, folks. You have to have a specific offer of work listing the position, salary and employer information from the employer, and then go through a good bit of bureaucracy and fees, in order to get one (or rather to try to get one, since they can still refuse you at the end of all that). It is about as close as a foreigner gets to the equivalent of a green card for foreigners in the U.S. You have to stay in the same position with the same employer with it, and have to renew it yearly.

So basically nobody just travelling to Mexico will ever need to know anything about FM3s. :-)

Steve