Where can we meet?

[Kevo 69]

You do not need passport to enter Mexico. It is legal to visit Mexico within some distance from the Border. I know it as I live 30 mins away from the Border.

Like I said, check for yourself unless you want to trust Joe Blow the border agent...

From the DOS website (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html#crime) :

ENTRY/EXIT REQUIREMENTS: For the latest entry requirements, visit the National Institute of Migration’s website, the Secretary of Tourism’s Manual on tourist entry, or contact the Embassy of Mexico at 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20006, telephone (202) 736-1600, or any Mexican consulate in the United States.

Since March 1, 2010, all U.S. citizens – including children – have been required to present a valid passport or passport card for travel into Mexico. While documents are not routinely checked along the land border, Mexican authorities at immigration checkpoints approximately 20 to 30 kilometers from the border with the U.S. will often conduct vehicle and document inspections and will require valid travel documents and an entry permit or Forma Migratoria Multiple (FMM). All U.S. citizens entering by land and traveling farther than 20 kilometers into Mexico should stop at an immigration checkpoint to obtain an FMM, even if not explicitly directed to do so by Mexican officials. Beyond the 20-30 kilometer border zone, all non-Mexican citizens must have valid immigration documents (FMM, FM2, FM3 or FME) regardless of the original place of entry. Failure to present an FMM when checking in for an international flight departing Mexico can result in delays or missed flights as airlines may insist that a valid FMM be obtained from Mexican immigration authorities (Instituto Nacional de Migración, INM) before issuing a boarding pass.

All U.S. citizens entering Mexico by sea, including U.S. citizens engaged in recreational or commercial fishing in Mexican territorial waters, are required to have an FMM. Additionally, boats engaged in commercial activities in Mexican waters, including sports fishing vessels, must be inspected and permitted by the Secretariat of Communications and Transportations (SCT), which publishes Spanish-language information on Mexican boating permit requirements. All U.S. citizens aged 16 or older must present a valid U.S. passport book to return to the United States via an international flight. All U.S. citizens aged 16 or older traveling outside of the United States by air, land or sea (except closed-loop cruises) are required to present a Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant document such as a passport book or a passport card to return to the United States. Travelers with passports that are found to be washed, mutilated or damaged may be refused entry to Mexico and returned to the United States. We strongly encourage all U.S. citizen travelers to apply for a U.S. passport well in advance of anticipated travel. U.S. citizens can visit the Bureau of Consular Affairs’ website or call 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) for information on how to apply for their passports.

While WHTI compliant documents other than passport books are sufficient for re-entry into the United States by land or sea, they may not be accepted as entry documents by the particular country you plan to visit; please be sure to check with your cruise line and countries of destination for any foreign entry requirements.

Although Mexican Immigration regulations allow use of the passport card for entry into Mexico by air, travelers should be aware that the card may not be used to board international flights in the U.S. or to return to the U.S. from abroad by air. The passport card is available only to U.S. citizens. Further information on the Passport Card can be found on our website.

Legal permanent residents in possession of their I-551 Permanent Resident card may board flights to the United States from Mexico.

[KennyJ 10]

You definitely need a passport to fly to Canada. You CAN use an enhanced DL if entering by sea or land.

For flying but not for entering Canada by car. I called my friend who frequently travels to Canada by car and he said he only needs to show DL.

[KennyJ 10]

They "flag them" electronically. Which country will allow you to enter with a flagged passport? Maybe wiki will tell you. Not the same as "revoking". Irrelevent in this case...he has no passport. He is not going to get one and the arrearage will be deducted from his annual income for purposes of calculating the income for Adjustment of Status, just as Tax leins are. Why? Because Child support and the IRS are the only ones that get to the front of the line ahead of the Federal government for collecting on welfare benefits. They have to assume that amount of money is not available for them.

You have to show that you will support your NEW fiancee/wife. He cannot show he supports his child. Not making any judgements, I don't have to. But THEY do.

No they don't flag them electronically. Either they confiscate your passport or your passport is good to go if it is still valid. Having an arrear won't affect your petition as long as you are showing you are making monthly payment according to the order. Having an arrear is like having a credit card debt.

Please don't make assumption to scare other people.

[Gosia & Tito 199]

^This is what I was going to say. Certain states allow for special passes or driver's license to get into Mexico (or Canada), but if you don't have that then you can't get back in from Mexico.

I believe you can go to/from the Caribbean still with just an ID and your birth certificate, though. Someone correct me if that's changed!

Incorrect I believe, passport is needed only for air travel, land travel to Mexico and Canada are ok as long as within certain miles (Mexico, can't recall if 20 or 30 km) within the other country. I've crossed the border into Mexico many times and when coming back either I get asked if I an a citizen and waved in or in some cases, they just want to see my drivers license. Not even once I've been asked to show a passport. The times I've cross into Canada, I was waved back in (though a small off the beaten path check point somewhere in Montana)

Now I have a TX DL as well as Texas plates (and I cross at a Mexico-Texas border) and maybe that makes a difference, but according to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html, no passport is needed for re-entry into the US for land travel. For Canada, according to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1082.html no passport is required, though an enhanced DL is needed for return.

[nascarfan 4]

Like I said, check for yourself unless you want to trust Joe Blow the border agent...

From the DOS website (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html#crime) :

Hello and regards again,

This official document does seem consistent with what the gentleman from San Diego was speaking of, traveling a short distance into Mexico.

In regards to speculating about future possible probabilities for the Original Poster, I do not see what is the bearing on his original question.

Sometimes I right, but I can be wrong

P.S I really have to read more closely

When he said "Like I said, check for yourself unless you want to trust Joe Blow the border agent..." i read it too quickly and skipped the two words "Trust Joe". :reading:

Of all the suggestions made I didnt feel that was a good idea!

Regards and sincerely,

Nascarfan

Edited January 4, 2013 by nascarfan

[KennyJ 10]

Incorrect I believe, passport is needed only for air travel, land travel to Mexico and Canada are ok as long as within certain miles (Mexico, can't recall if 20 or 30 km) within the other country. I've crossed the border into Mexico many times and when coming back either I get asked if I an a citizen and waved in or in some cases, they just want to see my drivers license. Not even once I've been asked to show a passport. The times I've cross into Canada, I was waved back in (though a small off the beaten path check point somewhere in Montana)

Now I have a TX DL as well as Texas plates (and I cross at a Mexico-Texas border) and maybe that makes a difference, but according to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_970.html, no passport is needed for re-entry into the US for land travel. For Canada, according to http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1082.html no passport is required, though an enhanced DL is needed for return.

This is what I have been saying. You don't need passport to enter Mexico and Canada if you travel by land. It is unbelievable many people here making assumption on the subject they aren't well versed.

[Benediction 15]

The Canada comment someone mentioned is correct, although to get into the USA you will need a passport as a Drivers Licsence will not suffice.

So Canada would not be an option for you.

Good luck!

[googled 13]

Usually the best idea is the simplest and to me the simplest way would be to take care of the arrears and get your passport back. That is what I would be focusing my efforts on. Not taking care of the child support issue might come back and bite you later on in the Visa Process, so I think it would be best to get that straightened out first.

You have to show proof that you two actually met in person. One of the best proofs is your passport with stamps from her home country in it. My wife came here on a K1 and the only proof I gave was pictures of us together and my copies of my passport with the stamps of her home country in it.

[JensJrny2Ray 367]

For flying but not for entering Canada by car. I called my friend who frequently travels to Canada by car and he said he only needs to show DL.

It is an enhanced driver`s license then. You cannot cross with a regular driver`s license. I`m Canadian, I know this.

[Bill and Tanya 18]

Thanks to the advice of san diego, as well as a co-worker, I decided to just give it a try and go to Juarez. I started this morning a little late, arriving in El Paso not long after 10am, finally finding a safe place to park my car, and walked across the bridge into Juarez Mexico. I was met without any resistance to crossing the bridge, paid the $.50 they require to cross, then walked on over - alone, as if it was any pedestrian overpass found in most American cities.

Once on the other side, I immediately found a taxi and asked how much to take me to the hotel. Since taxis in Mexico are not metered, the driver decides the rate, and from what I understand is sometimes haggled over. Since the same cab ride in New York would have cost me the better part of a C-note, I didn't bother, got in the cab, and we left.

The city was not very busy, but I didn't give it any mind. I arrived at the hotel and was greeted by very friendly staff, and one nice girl who walked me around the hotel and showed me several rooms they had available. Once I was finished with my tour, I was given a business card and suggested that I contact the hotel manager to inquire about a special rate if I planned to be there a week or more. I took the card, thanked her for the hospitality and left to return to the border crossing.

The taxi driver took me right up to the bridge, where I had to pay another $.50 to cross again. This time was a little different - instead of the lonely walk across the bridge, I was stopped by the end of a very long line nearly half way over, and it is a long bridge, maybe quarter of a mile or so.

I spent the better part of the next hour and a half until I finally reached the bottom where groups were funneled into a large building with more lines inside. The lines were labeled according to to your citizenship standing, starting with US citizens with US passports, and another line for people with SENTRI passes, another line for non-US citizens with passports, and a line simply labeled non-citizens.

I asked one of the border patrol officers nearby which line I should be in, after explaining I did not have a passport. He didn't even give me a confused look, like I was expecting. He pointed to the shortest line labeled non-citizens. This line had only about 6-7 people in queue, smack between the three others that had literally hundreds each, all twisted and turned like a decrepit snake slithering to be eaten by a bigger snake.

You know that short line at the airport reserved for those people that over-paid for their tickets? that is what this felt like. Before I could get my birth certificate and driver's license out of my pocket, I was already at the head of the line. I was promptly called up to the counter, handed her my papers, and she asked me a series of what seemed to be very standard and mundane questions. She didn't even inquire about my not having a passport.

Once she was satisfied I was who I said I was, she waived me on through in a way like I was holding up progress by not moving out her way faster. After that, I placed my small pack on the x-ray scanner, retrieved it on the other side, then left to go find my car.

Well, that was my experience today. Sorry for the long read, I just wanted to get all the details out for those who were curious while I still had them fresh in my head. I am in no way saying this is the current stance by US border patrol on the south side of the country, I am just saying this was how my experience went.

Anyway, now that my girl and I have a place to meet, we just need to figure the best flight to take from St. Petersburg to Juarez. Seems all the domestic sites do not cater to international originations. Also, we will have to figure out if she needs a visa for Mexico. I read one site that says if you hold a Russian passport, you do not need a visa if staying in Mexico under 180 days. And another that says you can go to a site and apply for one online, with immediate approval, but with no links where this online application is...

So I have much work to do in the next few days! I really want to thank everyone for their helpful suggestions and encouragement. With any luck I will have my very own I129F to fill out soon, and the REAL fun begins!

[dave97232 12]

You also need to find out what she needs, if anything, to enter Mexico. Has she already applied for and received an International passport? Does she need to obtain a visa before entering Mexico?

[dave97232 12]

Oh, nevermind. On second reading I see you are already investigating those issues.

[Bill and Tanya 18]

I just got back from a 10 day meeting with my girlfriend in Juarez. I have to say, this was a very good decision, and I highly recommend this to anyone in my situation. Just listen to the advice everyone gives you in regards to safety - the best being don't go anywhere in the border city you would not go if it were in your home city/country. Bring plenty of cash (US dollars or Pesos), and tip everyone. Tips do not have to be large, but if you show you appreciate their service, you are treated like royalty.

I decided to bring my car across, paid the $60 for Mexico auto insurance. Advice on this: make sure your own insurance will cover your car, and how far from the US border, then only buy liability. Also beware of the roads. They are not maintained like most US roads, and are treacherous. I lost a $250 tire to this - I could have avoided this had I been more careful.

All in all, if anyone has questions, I am more than happy to answer. But I thank all of you for your helpful advice. I now have a new problem I will ask your help with in another thread. Best of luck to anyone else who wants to attempt this.

[Bill and Tanya 18]

Added advice for your inbound traveler: make sure there is plenty of time between flights if your significant other does not know the local language where flight connects. Something will always happen you did not plan for, and will add to delays. Sitting in an airport with nothing to do and no problems to face is better than having a short layover, and discover you have to stand in a baggage claim line for 2 hours while your connecting flight leaves. Also make sure their mobile has plenty of credit on mobile account, and verify roaming is enabled in each country where stop will be made.

[belinda63 2,981]

Glad it worked out for you and I hope you and your girl had a great time.