Getting Into Mexico
Mule Deer
I am currently waiting on a passport, but I need to be in Mexico yesterday. I would be flying to Tucson and driving over the border. I’ve heard you can get in with a drivers license and a birth certificate, but I’ve also heard otherwise. Anyone know for sure or have any advice?
You might be able to get in with a DL and BC, but I’d be more concerned about the US side letting you back in without a passport.
US authorities can hold you up until your identity is established, but I don't believe they will refuse entry to an American citizen with a DL and BC. If you have an expired passport bring that too.
I have an expired passport. It may be iffy, but I’m going to give it a shot. Worst case scenario I get stuck in Mexico and guide deer hunts until I can figure out a way back. ??
I have never been checked going into Mexico!!
Only the US cares who comes back ;)
"Only the US cares who comes back ;)"
Not after Jan. 20. ;-)
^^^ good one. Wait till Jan 21st and stroll In. You’ll get free health care, college, maybe AOC will hook you up with free taxidermy.
I used to work some in Mexico. Back then my drivers license and birth certificate was all I needed. I worked at a chemical plant as a chemical engineer problem solver. I really liked the Mexicans. They treated me very well and were great to work with. Great eats too. I never saw so many different kinds of fresh fruit in my life. Had some baby goat and it was really good too.
CFMuley,
How long have you been waiting on your renewed passport? I applied for one last Feb, and was told it would be take about a month. Then Covid hit, and I still haven't received it. I had to send my expired passport in with the application, so I don't even have that, either.
I'm wondering how many others are in the same boat.
Matt
I think it's hit & miss. Going in, it's possible they'll wave you through without even asking for ID. Returning to the US, your best bet might be to drive back through as a passenger with some Mexicans. I came back in with two Mexican nationals last Nov and the US agent quizzed only them and asked for their ID's. He merely looked at me and asked if I was a US citizen, and then I was good to go.
You can apply for a quick, business related passport. It was normally a 4-5 day turnaround, but Covid has all bets off. I think the border agents should be able to decipher that you're a citizen, or not. Give it a try and report back to us if you become a Mexican citizen.
I wouldn’t screw around with it.
There was a change a few years back. You used to be able to walk into Tijuana and back without so much as anyone questioning you. Now you need a passport.
Passport only! Deal with it all the time on Fishing boats.
Sent mine in for renewal in May and received the new one 3-4 weeks ago.
I also sent my renewal in on May 26th received it back in the middle of August.
Passports? We don’t need no stinking passports!
yep, dont need them cuz most of the rest of the world you'd really want to go to still aint letting us in....
Sent I my renewal in June and received it back in September.
Two weeks ago I was planning at trip where I had hoped to be in Hermosillo Mexico on January 22 to hunt Coues deer with an outfitter friend.
Before I committed to the date, I thought I better check my passport, sure enough it expired on 22APR2020.
The Department of State's website says due to COVID, three day service is only available for "life or death situations", requiring a death certificate or signed statement from a hospital or medical professional explaining the circumstances.
Expedited service is available in 4-6 weeks (plus $60); normal service is 10-12 weeks.
I called a private passport expediting service which claims they can help deliver your passport sooner. They explained even with their help it would be closer to six weeks delivery, especially with Christmas/New Years Day holidays.
Regretfully, I will postpone the trip until next year.
I mailed the renewal application yesterday, it will be interesting to see how long until the new passport arrives.
An observation...............the passport renewal form has only Male or Female as a choice for "SEX". How do our gender confused citizens make that choice? What about the other 55 kinds that are supposedly out there?
Pass Port? What is the big deal, lots of people crossing the border with out one :)
rock50, you do realize now that you have rescheduled your trip your passport will arrive January 21. Good reminder, I need to check my passport expiration date.
If in doubt, pose as an illegal alien......
It all worked out in the end
Good one, congrats.
And what about the passport issue? Did your's arrive in time, or did they let you in/out without one?
That's a monster 3x3 !!!
Did you arrow him under his left eye ??
Great buck! What's the story on the left eye area?
"I’d be more concerned about the US side letting you back in without a passport."
Not anymore, you just have to know the right people! :-)
I ended up rescheduling and had my passport by the time I went, but some other guys with us had birth certificates and it wasn’t a problem at all. We flew into Tucson, drove from there, and then drove back to Tucson for our flight home. Crossing the border was as easy as could be both times.
Full disclosure, it was a rifle hunt. I only had 3 days to hunt and ended up killing this buck on the third day at noon. He was the first mature buck I had seen and he only gave me a split second opportunity. He started to run right as I got my scope on him, but I was able to sneak a bullet through the brush as he hit a small clearing. I tried to put one more shot into the back of his neck as he was running directly away, but the bullet barely skinned him below his left eye causing that wound you can see. I should’ve held off on that shot as he was already hit well, and it ruined the cape, but all’s well that ends well.
Nice heavy horns. Being a 3 point takes nothing away from a great buck.
Thank you! I’m a sucker for big 3’s! I was on a management hunt so he was the perfect buck to find. My pockets aren’t deep enough for a trophy hunt!
Congrats, that is a cool deer!
Congrats!!! Gnarly old warrior.
Bowhunted Muleys in Sonora just over a year ago and had pretty much the same experience. Border crossing into Mexico was a cinch - they did make me open the bow case just to ensure it wasn’t a rifle. We brought my hide and horns back on the outbound trip. Now, there they went over every single piece of paper, permit, licenses, passport, etc. No hassle and they were nice, but everything was thoroughly triple-checked.
Know you’all had guys in camp with just DL and Birth Certificate. But I cannot imagine trying to go through the return trip without a passport, as the number was required on just about every document and I had to show it to a bunch of folks as we cleared back into the USA.
Were you traveling with rifles and did you bring the hides back with you?
We had a rifle, but we just had the skull cap of my buck as the cape wasn’t good. We had 2 guys stop us on the Mexican side to check the rifle, and they checked it pretty thoroughly. It was a 300 prc and they kept saying the ammo we had was not for the rifle, even though it clearly was. At one point one of them slipped a .28 nosler out of his pocket and tried to say we brought that as well. Overall it ended up just being a minor hiccup. A little bit of arguing, and a bribe of a couple hats and we were good to go. The US side glanced at our stuff pretty quick and we were on our way.
