Do I need a tourist visa to visit San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico ?

Mexican Tourist Visa and Card Requirements for Visiting San Felipe Baja California

The overwhelming majority of tourists to San Felipe Mexico arrive by road. This update is intend to answer Mexican tourist visa or card questions for visitors heading to San Felipe by road and crossing the U.S. – Mexico border in California and other close by border crossings. I hope this brings some enlightenment about the Mexican tourist visa and card requirements and the reality on the ground.

Mexico immigration requirement says tourist visas or tourist cards are required for travel into Mexico beyond 30KM from the border or if your stay in Mexico will be for periods beyond 72 hours. Keeping in mind that this update is for tourists wishing to visit San Felipe – the reality is that almost none of the U.S. tourists visiting San Felipe bother with getting a Mexican tourist visa or card even though San Felipe is about 190 KM from the U.S. – Mexico border. Note that this assumes you are driving across the border. If you are an international traveler who is coming from say Europe, and has a stop over in say Mexico City, you would need a Mexican tourist visa to show immigration at the entry point before making your way to San Felipe via Mexico City.

As a matter of fact, there is no immigration check point between the California border, where most folks driving to San Felipe from U.S. cross, and San Felipe. If no one is checking for immigration documents, this is another hint at how strict the Mexican tourist visa requirement is.

Where do I get a Mexican Tourist Visa or Mexican Tourist Card?

In spite of the fact Mexican tourist visa requirement is not enforced when visiting San Felipe by road from the U.S, some tourists insist that for peace of mind, they want to get the Mexican tourist visa or card. If you have a similar concern, you have two options for getting the Mexican tourist visa or card.

Option 1: is to get the Mexican tourist visa at the Mexican consulate closest to you.

Option 2 : is to simply drive up to the border and drop in at the Mexican Immigration office at the border. Fill out a form and in not too long of a time, you will have your Mexican tourist visa or card and can head South to San Felipe to start you exhilarating vacation.

Difference between Mexican tourist visa and Mexican tourist card

The difference between the Mexican tourist visa and Mexican tourist card is that the former goes into your passport (this requires that your passport be valid and have an empty page), and the later is simply a card issued to you – see sample picture.

A Mexican tourist card is free standing card issued by Mexican immigration, either at the border or consulate which grants you permission to enter and stay in Mexico for the duration specified.

Note that these travel document rules apply to tourists visiting San Felipe for a short period of time. If you plan to make San Felipe your new home, a different set of rules apply.

U.S. Customs and Border Patrol rules are not as liberal and do require you to show proof that you are allowed to enter the U.S.