San Diego outing (kind of TJ related)

Hmm - I wonder if anyone has ever done this (taking or meeting a TJ girl across the border)

The Gaslamp Quarter in Downtown San Diego has plenty of night life, bars, clubs, and restuarants.

@papi_chulo

I took one BG to the San Diego Wild Animal Park and another BG to Horton Plaza.

👍

Plan is to cross over, spend night 1 at her apt, then cross over with her to make sure all goes well and spend a couple days in the US. It’s an interesting situation I’m in as she’s starting to ask for me to meet her family so not entirely sure where this is all headed but having fun for now.

Old San Diego was pretty neat when I was there. It's a cool collection of historic buildings and some really good restaurants.

Meet her family?

Looks like she's hoping for a US citizenship (can't blame her)

Phandy, from the little I've read about you and this chica, she probably does genuinely like you.

The cross border experience can be a little dicey at times though, so I'm just going to play Devil's advocate for a moment. This isn't just for you, but for others that may be in a similar situation. Just something to be aware of, but not saying not to go through with your plans.

So, two things:

1. I've read stories of guys in the past who have met chicas in TJ and the girls have groomed them to eventually smuggle drugs across the border, without them suspecting it. This is especially true if you will be crossing the border by car and will be meeting her family on the U.S. side. Not to say that is the case here, but just something to be aware of if you continue to cross with her or some other chica in the future.

2. When you cross both into the U.S. and into Mexico, they usually watch to see who you are crossing with. If they think you are crossing with someone, they will usually review your documents together.

The Mexico database has ties to her passport and she is a registered sex worker, with a government issued health card for the sex trade. There is a possibility that they could link you two in the computer and it may put you under closer scrutiny crossing again in the future.

I read a story about a guy who crossed with a friend and the friend was a convict with an outstanding warrant. After that day, the guy continually got flagged for secondary inspections in the future, just from crossing with his convict friend that one day.

Anyway, I'm sure your situation is probably harmless, but just wanted to mention these situations in case they weren't on your radar.

In general though, I like to use the border as a buffer. Keep my life north of the border completely separate from my life south of the border.

If you do go party with her in the U.S. though, Cristobal's advice is good. The Gaslamp Quarter is full of bars and restaurants and night clubs. They'll cost about 3 to 5 times more than the same type of restaurants and bars in TJ though.

Anyway have fun and stay safe.

Yeah - I was thinking it'd be a better idea if he met her on the SD side of the border vs crossing with her

take it to the worlds second happiest place ...

(her)

Just adding support for the comments by OldGringo. I have had girls with US visas offer to cross. I have also seen girls with US passports log into HK. Some escort sites advertise girls who can cross the border and meet. So I think it happens more often than one would think.

OTOH, crossing with any Mexican or someone who has a flag on their record is going to put a target on you. If you have SENTRI or are planning to get it, it could be denied based on your association.

International trafficking for the purpose of prostitution?

Really great comments @oldgringo. Thanks for that. I will let her know she’s crossing on her own if we go.

@papi I would’ve thought the same on the citizenship but she hasn’t been rushing anything like that, in fact other than gifts to each other and dinners/drinks, no money has changed hands for a couple months between us.

Bringing a Mexican national into the US? How is there anyway to legally do this? Applying for any kind of a Visa takes time.

How?

SJG

@SJC she already has her visa

Got it, and I assume then that she can come and go freely? Sounds neat!

SJG

if she is hot looking, us customs agent will search her

Not sure how accurate this is, but I'll post it here anyway. Had a long conversation with an HK limo driver one day and he said he had a special "shopping visa". It allowed him to enter the U.S. for short periods of time (maybe a day or less) and only travel within a certain number of miles from the border. It may have only been to like L.A. or around that area.

He said to get that Visa, he opened up a special U.S. dollar denominated bank account in TJ. Certain banks like Banorte offer these to Mexican citizens who first have a peso account with them. With the U.S. dollar account, they can deposit dollars, keep dollars in the account, and withdraw dollars.

He said he needed to have a minimum balance and maintain it for about a year or so, before it qualified him for this special shopping Visa. It may have been about $2k or $5k or $10k. I forget the exact amount he said, because it was last year when I spoke to him.

He said a lot of Mexicans who live in and around TJ apply for this special Visa, because it allows them to go to the U.S. to buy big ticket items like electronics, which are much cheaper in the U.S. than Mexico.

It may have a more official name than a shopping Visa, but that's what he called it.

"... It may have been about $2k or $5k or $10k. I forget the exact amount he said ..."

Sounds like a lot of $ for an avg Mexican - hell a lot of Americans probably don't have that in the bank especially over a year

True. It may have been $1k or $2k he said. If I see him again, I'll try to clarify.

I think it may be a B 2 tourist visa

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/…

or a border crossing card

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/…

that the limo driver was referring to. Border crossing card says it's good for a visit of up to 72 hours in the U.S.

The short term visa explains some things. Around the Xmas holidays the lines to cross the border into the USA are hours long, all day long. I know many Mexicans like to shop in the USA, but with the current restrictions, I thought the population would be small, but a short-term, short-range visa would increase that population.

Good point Tahoe. Living here, I cross about twice a week. I always see families, who appear to be Mexican Nationals, crossing back into Tijuana with big bags of stuff they bought at the San Ysidro outlets. As Christmas approaches, the lines to the U.S. get longer and the number of people bringing shopping bags back to Tijuana increases also.

Thanks OldGringo!! As usual, you are a wealth of knowledge. And this extra perspective is most valuable and appreciated!

Thanks Math. Glad my misspent adulthood is able to help others in some way.