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Does anyone here know firsthand of someone allowed to cross a land border into Mexico in the last little bit, say 2 months? I can't seem to find a definitive, authoritative source on this subject. I met someone who will be flying into Merida in a week or two. Her understanding is that those flying in are permitted to enter while those trying a border crossing are subjected to some type of "essential travel" test. Thanks.

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A foreign citizen with a visa, either temporal or permanente, has been allowed to enter Mexico from day one of the land crossing restrictions. Also a foreign citizen with a "green card" has been able to enter the USA from day one.  

The restrictions are for "non essential travel"   You are also allowed to cross for work. medical appointments. etc. 

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My wife and I entered Mexico on August 3, 2020, via Laredo Colombia Solidarity International Bridge. No hay problema! We were the only gringos in line getting our TIP and at Immigration. It was very lightly traveled the day we came south. We entered with Residencia Temporal Visas specifically because we wanted to bring our car into Mexico.

We took the Toll-Roads the entire way into the Lake Chapala area and overnighted at the Midway Las Palmas Hotel in Matehuala, San Luis Pitossi. Real nice, very affordable place with a restaurant. No issues at all on our drive. Tolls totaled about $80 USD (paid in MX pesos of course).

🇲🇽   🚙   🌵

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41 minutes ago, Jubilacion said:

My wife and I entered Mexico on August 3, 2020, via Laredo Colombia Solidarity International Bridge. No hay problema! We were the only gringos in line getting our TIP and at Immigration. It was very lightly traveled the day we came south. We entered with Residencia Temporal Visas specifically because we wanted to bring our car into Mexico.

We took the Toll-Roads the entire way into the Lake Chapala area and overnighted at the Midway Las Palmas Hotel in Matehuala, San Luis Pitossi. Real nice, very affordable place with a restaurant. No issues at all on our drive. Tolls totaled about $80 USD (paid in MX pesos of course).

🇲🇽   🚙   🌵

When we lived down there, Columbia was our preferred crossing spot. We stayed in various places over the years including Matehuala, which would allow dogs back in the day. It's been a while though so I am unfamiliar with the current visa structures. Is Residencia Temporal like the old tourist visa--up to 180 days? I ask because I, too, would like to bring a U.S. plated vehicle.

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No, the 180-day visa is still available as a Tourist Card.... sometimes referred to as an FMM. One can add a Temporary Permit (TIP) for one vehicle.

Beginning in about 2012 new immigration laws did away with the old  FM2 and FM3.  The 'new' Residente Temporal is most akin to the old FM3. It DOES allow one to bring in/attach one foreign plated vehicle. The other 'new' visa is a Residente Permanente which does NOT allow a foreign plated vehicle.

There are 'financial' requirements for both the Temporal and Permanente visas.... different amounts for each. One must apply for them outside of Mexico at a Mexican Consulate.... even if they came in on a Tourist Card initially. After that preliminary paperwork is obtained... and a TIP secured for the vehicle if Temporal....one must then take all of that to an Immigration office nearest to where they will be living in Mexico. The visa is then further processed and in a few weeks or month one will get their real VISA.

In your case with a Temporal you will need to have your TIP 'attached' to it. One can get a Temporal for up to 4 years duration. After 4 years one must either leave Mexico or apply for a Permanent within Mexico. If/when one does that, the vehicle must be removed from Mexico.

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RickS is correct. We applied for our residency visas at the Mexican Consulado in Kansas City, MO. On our application for residence they requested income and savings (401k, etc). We supplied copies of requested documents and had sufficient funds to select Temporal or Permenente. We chose Temporal so we could bring our vehicle into Mexico and so far it has worked out well. 

Once you enter Mexico on a Temporal or Permenente Visa you have 30-days to report to INM (Immigration) to complete your residency visa and in our case to extend our vehicle TIP extended to match our Temporal Visa. Some individuals try to take care of this process on their own as a learning experience and challenge, we did not. We enlisted the help of a local immigration attorney - for about $200 each - and it was easy peasy and done right the first time with no extra INM visits or needed documents. Buena suerte! 🌵  🚙  🇲🇽

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