Mexico Travel Answers

laws have change recently on that, the best answer should come from an official govt agency. contact
travel.state.gov/travel/cis_...">travel.state.gov/travel/cis_...
hope it helps

I've not walked across, only driven and never been asked to show my card or passport in the last 7 years. Coming back to the US I've only needed my Card or my Sentri Card and not my actual passport book.

Now the question will be how do you plan to get back to the US? Will you fly back or just fly internal within Mexico and then walk back across at TJ?

If you plan to fly back to the US, you will need to stop at Immigration on your way south to get an FMM visa (the name has recently been changed but it's essentially a tourist visa). This is a two part form which is collected when you board a US bound plane from Mexico. Not having the stub to turn in results in rather stiff fines.

Agraichen wrote:

I've not walked across, only driven and never been asked to show my card or passport in the last 7 years. Coming back to the US I've only needed my Card or my Sentri Card and not my actual passport book.

Now the question will be how do you plan to get back to the US? Will you fly back or just fly internal within Mexico and then walk back across at TJ?

If you plan to fly back to the US, you will need to stop at Immigration on your way south to get an FMM visa (the name has recently been changed but it's essentially a tourist visa). This is a two part form which is collected when you board a US bound plane from Mexico. Not having the stub to turn in results in rather stiff fines.

gwened wrote:

laws have change recently on that, the best answer should come from an official govt agency. contact travel.state.gov/travel/cis_...">travel.state.gov/travel/cis_... hope it helps

I just asked a neighbor here in the Baja and she indicated that flying within Mexico she didn't even need the FMM, just her passport card. However that was flying within the Baja, not to the mainland. I don't expect it would be any different though as the FMM is only needed to board an international flight according to the imigration web site.

I just asked a neighbor here in the Baja and she indicated that flying within Mexico she didn't even need the FMM, just her passport card. However that was flying within the Baja, not to the mainland. I don't expect it would be any different though as the FMM is only needed to board an international flight according to the imigration web site.

whiskers, could you tell me how you got a passport card without the passport? It looks to me (and this is what my wife did) that you can get a passport card only along with your passport.

But my guess (worth every penny you paid for it) is that a passport card will serve in Northern Mexico where the card is not unusual...and you already know that you can't use it flying internationally but only walking or driving, so you've got that covered...hmpf, I see that Uruapan is pretty far south - west of La Ciudad de Mexico...well, let's hope you can get an official answer - how about asking the airline? They're the ones that actually care, not the government...

Bill

mccalpin wrote:

whiskers, could you tell me how you got a passport card without the passport? It looks to me (and this is what my wife did) that you can get a passport card only along with your passport.

But my guess (worth every penny you paid for it) is that a passport card will serve in Northern Mexico where the card is not unusual...and you already know that you can't use it flying internationally but only walking or driving, so you've got that covered...hmpf, I see that Uruapan is pretty far south - west of La Ciudad de Mexico...well, let's hope you can get an official answer - how about asking the airline? They're the ones that actually care, not the government...

Bill

That must have changed...last time we renewed passports - which may have been about the 2008 timeframe when the cards first came out - the instructions clearly stated that you couldn't get the card without the "passport book" (i.e., the usual passport)...it looks like things have changed...the official website no longer has this requirement...well, live and learn!

Bill

I agree for the choosing between the card or the passport, i get the same choice from FRance, of cours we take the passport lol!!

good for you to get official response, thanks are changing quick there, just came back myself with company doing business as far as sonora and sinaloa states.
cheers

As recently as last November I flew domestically in Mexico with nothing other than my US issued driver's license. I would usually use my passport, but it was in with the ministry of labor for permits. I'm not saying that it is typical or standard, but I flew this way with no problems.

domestically yes, an id will do but if you cross borders than is another question;and the mexican jails are not nice lol!!!

FACT.
You need a passport. When applying for a tourist visa, the old FMM, you have to produce a passport, when entering the USA from Mexico you have to produce a passport.
How do I know for a FACT, I did it

But the passport card IS a passport, which, however, can't be used on airlines traveling to/from the US (which the OP isn't going to do).

Now that I see that you can get the passport card without the passport book, I am going to assume that it will be honored on a domestic flight in Mexico...any luck contacting the airline?

Bill

You don't need a passport for domestic flights within Mexico and you don't need the (old) FMM or whatever it is becomming with the new rules now being implemented. You only need the passport OR passport card OR Sentri card when entering the US from Mexico. I do it 5-6 times a year and have not had to produce my paper passport since I got the cards.

according to the US dept of State you need a passport or the pp card, read the official site the original poster needs to go by, read the section entry/exit requirements.

travel.state.gov/travel/cis_...

Please remember the original question! The OP asked if he could use the passport card as ID for a domestic flight within Mexico. All comments about what you need to cross the border are irrelevant.

So far, the answer most on point has been the observation that one person successfully used his non-Mexican driver's license to board a domestic flight...so you would think that the passport card would also work...

Bill

In Mexico as i said before you can go with the driver license, citizen id card, FMM card and or passport. They do ask for one id, I just came back last week and go often not always advertise lol!!! Nevertheless on these matters I refer to the govt site on both sites

this is the Mexican embassy site in the USA

mexico.usembassy.gov/eng/eac...