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Leave Mexico Temporarily as Permanent Resident


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1 hour ago, AlanMexicali said:

If you use the CBX entering Mexico from the bridge you pass through Mexican Immigration [ INM ] and customs before entering the airport. This is the only place to have your FMM card handed in there. It is 40 feet to the left as you enter the bridge from the Tijuana airport baggage claim area. The signs when you enter say to USA and to Mexico. Turn left to Mexico. Once they take your filled out FMM card turn around and follow the to USA sign. If they tell you they won't accept it and you need to go to the Otay or San Ysidro border crossing tell them you are using the bridge and please take it.

Since I won't be entering México from the bridge (initially) you might understand why your statement is confusing.

If I now understand you correctly, you're saying that, on my way to the USA, I will need to stop at the desk where they check the documents for people returning to México, and give them the bottom portion of the permit.  When I come back to México, I will stop at the same place and give them the top portion of my permit.  If they won't give me an FMM when leaving México, then coming back just shut my mouth, hand INM my passport and Temp Residency card, and go on my way once processed.

 

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15 minutes ago, Bjones9942 said:

Since I won't be entering México from the bridge (initially) you might understand why your statement is confusing.

If I now understand you correctly, you're saying that, on my way to the USA, I will need to stop at the desk where they check the documents for people returning to México, and give them the bottom portion of the permit.  When I come back to México, I will stop at the same place and give them the top portion of my permit.  If they won't give me an FMM when leaving México, then coming back just shut my mouth, hand INM my passport and Temp Residency card, and go on my way once processed.

 

That is what I always do and have not had any INM officer ask me for a filled out larger upper portion of a FMM card when re-entering Mexico by foot or car so far. If they gave me one exiting I fill out the top portion and hand it to them. They put it on their desk and then scan my documents. They then thank me and I thank them and I continue to the Customs area close by at the airport.

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Why all the worry, and/or failure to understand?

If you have a residence permit, Temporal or Permanente, you are free to come and go as you wish.  Only when flying, must you fill out an FMM and keep the other half for your return.  By land, just leave and return with a smile.  If asked, just show your visa card to the INM agent at the border, and/or at any interior checkpoints.  If flying within Mexico, you only need your visa card. Of course, you will also be carrying your passport, just in case you need another ID.

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6 hours ago, RVGRINGO said:

Why all the worry, and/or failure to understand?

If you have a residence permit, Temporal or Permanente, you are free to come and go as you wish.  Only when flying, must you fill out an FMM and keep the other half for your return.  By land, just leave and return with a smile.  If asked, just show your visa card to the INM agent at the border, and/or at any interior checkpoints.  If flying within Mexico, you only need your visa card. Of course, you will also be carrying your passport, just in case you need another ID.

Yes, you are free to come and go when traveling internationally, but the law says you must fill out an FMM for Air, Land, and Sea border crossings - it is not restricted to Air.  Screw it up, and you get to start your visa process all over.  No thanks.

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I've read reports where residents crossed by land and tried to hand the agent their FMM form and the agent waved their hand in a dismissive way, saying it wasn''t necessary. When they insisted on giving it to him, saying they wanted to do the right thing, they saw him toss it in the garbage can as they were walking away 🙂

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That is exactly the practice.  We have been in and out of Mexico many times, and as recently as last week, always by land, and most recently as pedestrians.  Never have used an FMM, and have never had a passport stamped.  If driving, you will probably need to show your visa card; but, if driving a Mexican plated vehicle, you will probably just be waved on.  Military 'retenes' may require ID, but they are not fussy. Passport, visa, license, etc.

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As a temporary or permanent resident one is to complete a FMM each time you leave and enter Mexico. There is no rationale for stating it only applies to one exiting by plane. And, to suggest they are thrown in the garbage is a typical myth reported by someone who was told by someone who knew someone who saw it happen,.

Try applying for citizenship after you complete a FMM  when leaving and not turning it back in when returning. Since you may only be out of the country 6 months max in past 2 years when applying for citizenship you have a huge issue.

www.soniadiaz.mx

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On 9/1/2019 at 5:28 AM, Sonia said:

 And, to suggest they are thrown in the garbage is a typical myth reported by someone who was told by someone who knew someone who saw it happen,.

 

No Sonia, not in this case (I'm quite familiar with erroneous " I heard" reports) - the people who told me that happened to them were friends of mine. It happened in Baja.

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  • 2 months later...
On 2/8/2019 at 8:31 AM, AlanMexicali said:

A Residente Permanente card is green  and a Residente Temporal card is also but if he was comparing it to a US green card they are white and have been for a decade or more and a US temporary resident card is red. So "green card" is a bad choice of words in this sense. One should state which Mexican resident visa they have. RT, RP, Residente Temporal, Residente Permanente.

 

True. And not everyone receiving a Residente Permanente is American so the use of the term Green Card is both confusing and inaccurate.

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  • 1 month later...

This has been a very relevant thread for me as I exited and returned in January of this year and I found the process confusing and disconcerting. At the GDL airport, I obtained the form, and an agent partially filled it out for me and some things weren't correct, so I fixed them. I was flying GDL to TJ which is a national flight and then used the CBX bridge.I could find no one to process the paperwork. I was told to just turn it in on the way back in which I did and my passport was stamped and he seemed to know what to do. But the whole process at different borders has not been consistent. I am RT with a work permit and do not wish to lose the status as 1 1/2 more years and I will gain a permanente. I'm going to try to find this office and make an effort before entering the USA. I believe it is the best thing to do.

I just may go in there tomorrow to INM and double check for advice.

 

 

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On 9/1/2019 at 5:28 AM, Sonia said:

As a temporary or permanent resident one is to complete a FMM each time you leave and enter Mexico. There is no rationale for stating it only applies to one exiting by plane. And, to suggest they are thrown in the garbage is a typical myth reported by someone who was told by someone who knew someone who saw it happen,.

Try applying for citizenship after you complete a FMM  when leaving and not turning it back in when returning. Since you may only be out of the country 6 months max in past 2 years when applying for citizenship you have a huge issue.

www.soniadiaz.mx

Hate to disagree with you Sonia, but here is exactly what happened to my wife and I at the Laredo INM office. Went in with our passport, RP card and FMM. The agent asked why we were there. We told him and he said "Residente Permanente....no es necesario". He was an older experienced agent. We shrugged and left.

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1 hour ago, conejorapido said:

Hate to disagree with you Sonia, but here is exactly what happened to my wife and I at the Laredo INM office. Went in with our passport, RP card and FMM. The agent asked why we were there. We told him and he said "Residente Permanente....no es necesario". He was an older experienced agent. We shrugged and left.

Sonia is correct in the law.  (Truthfully as long as you return by land it will not be a problem because Mexico will never stamp your passport or record your re-entry)  If you should return by air and have your passport stamped the possibility exists that you could have a problem in the future. 

Same thing has happened to others in Nuevo Laredo bridge 2 as well. Some of the officials seem to be clueless. What you need to do is ask.. Por favor, ayúdame con el sello. Lo necesito por razones legales. Gracias   and let them keep the small stub. It worked for me, and I had a copy of a stamped form should I need to return by air.

Once I handed a form all filled in for my exit and I was asked how was it possible for me to have the form in advance?  I told him they handed them out like toilet paper in the GDL airport and he could not believe it. 

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Maybe the INM has a record at some/many  border crossings of RT & RP visa/card holders entering Mexico not only at airports.

15 hours ago, Mostlylost said:

Sonia is correct in the law.  (Truthfully as long as you return by land it will not be a problem because Mexico will never stamp your passport or record your re-entry)  If you should return by air and have your passport stamped the possibility exists that you could have a problem in the future. 

 

Everytime I pass through the border at San Ysidro for the last 3 years on foot the INM is at the 2 enter Mexico walkways and scan my US passport and Residente Permanente card with different scanners.At the CBX - TJ Airport bridge there is the same INM scannings as the other 2. I presume the scanner that they always scan my RP card which registers my entrance into Mexico therefore they do have  data of me entering everytime. Correct?

They do not stamp my passport at San Ysidro. Only when we fly in from Spain it gets sramped out and then back in.

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1 hour ago, AlanMexicali said:

Maybe the INM has a record at some/many  border crossings of RT & RP visa/card holders entering Mexico not only at airports.

Everytime I pass through the border at San Ysidro for the last 3 years on foot the INM is at the 2 enter Mexico walkways and scan my US passport and Residente Permanente card with different scanners.At the CBX - TJ Airport bridge there is the same INM scannings as the other 2. I presume the scanner that they always scan my RP card with registers my entrance into Mexico therefore they do have  data of me entering everytime. Correct?

They do not stamp my passport at San Ysidro. Only when we fly in from Spain it gets sramped out and then back in.

If they are scanning your card then they see you are entering, hence they know you left.  You should be filling out the FMM form as required. Can't tell you if or when you might suffer consequences for not doing so. If you should apply for citizenship it could be a big problem. 

You do not need a tourist visa or residence card to enter Baja or the border zone, and if immigration does not ask your final destination possibly they assume don't need it. Could be a chink in the system. 

I was referring to land entries where no Mexican official looks at your passport or residence card. Very common when driving at the border zone limit checkpoint to just wave you on or ask you to show them your card & passport and then they wave you on without ever touching your documents. 

Many of those who drive never bother with checking out and back in because Mexico never records the events if you don't take the time to stop in at the immigration office 

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