I am down there once a month for four days. I stay in San Diego by day and keep a room in Cascades for the nights. I cross the border each night around 9:00 pm and have never had a problem. They just waive me through. I cross back each morning around 6am and only once back in March did I receive any push back. The US agent told me I “needed to pick a side to stay on”. Since then no questions other than where are you going, anything to declare and what were you doing in TJ. To the last question I always answer visiting my sister and her boys.
Go and enjoy.
I'm cross every week, if it's closed I'll let you know. I bought the $30 180days pass then no question asked, walking in the Mexican line, not the foreigner line.
Gator,
When you are crossing the border on foot into Mexico , you will ask the border officer for a 6 month tourist visa. You will fill it out and take it to the bank there at the checkpoint to pay the fee. You will return to the border officer with the paid visa and they will validate it. They will stamp your passport.
For the next six months you will go through the locals checkpoint flashing your visa and passport. Next best thing to the passport card. To get a passport card you must turn in your passport and I am unwilling to do that considering the Covid-19 shutdowns. Lord knows when it will be processed.
"To get a passport card you must turn in your passport and I am unwilling to do that considering the Covid-19 shutdowns. Lord knows when it will be processed."
As a point of clarification, to get a passport card you must send your passport to the USA authorities with a request. You get it back with the passport card. Accurately, for a variety of virus related reasons, processing time could take months when you would be without both your passport and a passport card.
Also, keep your receipt for the Mexican visa. Tossed mine, because it had identifying information. Mistake, as I was asked for the receipt as well as the visa and passport...by the same guard who issued me the visa. She was just being cranky, but it could have delayed me or denied me. She finally relented.
Another way to get the passport card is to just request it when you renew your passport. That's how I got mine at least. I got it to have an ID that would allow me to skip the CA DMV line to get the new TSA approved DL. I don't remember how much extra the passport card was but it was around $30 extra off the top of my head.
Just crossed today at 12 am and it was super easy I just said I was staying for 2 days and the lady filled the form out for me and everything also watch out for the guys on the side gate coming out of the building they're all hustling 20-30 dollar rides a bit ridiculous.
Border is not closed nor curfewed at 10pm. Butt, CA is closed & TJ followed, HK & all clubs closed, back to hotels only. I don't recommend crossing now. Unless you're a desperate PL like me.
I can confirm the border is open and I experienced no restrictions. I crossed four consecutive nights December 13 through December 17. I went into Mexico each night at 9 PM through the locals line simply flashing my passport and visa no one even stopped me and asked any questions. I return to the US the first morning at 3 AM with no restrictions all other mornings I returned at 7 AM again with no restrictions. The only question that I ever had to answer was where I was going in the US.
I've seen this before but just to be clear. As an American citizen, I can walk across and get in the locals line if I have a passport and have the free 7 day visa filled out already or does it require the 180 day visa?
No, with the 7 days pass you'll go in the foreigner line. If you bought the 180 days pass, you may go in the mexican line. But both line will stop you at the same front desk anyways.
I have been through the Mexican side with a 7-day pass. Had a convention in SD, so I was going back-and-forth. Note that it was pre-covid and it could be that the screener on the Mexican side didn't look at the visa very carefully. And I have gone through the Mexican side without any visa. Note that I am a pale gringo of Eastern European decent; never would I be mistaken for being Mexican. If stopped, I was going to tell the screener that I misread the sign and thought that it meant that I needed to go through that side if I was staying in Mexico seven days or more. Worst he could do is write me off as another idiot tourist and send me to the other line.
I did the same on my last trip in Nov. Because i was crossing daily, i just used my 7 day visa to cross on same side Mex nationals did when the other line was full. Showed the agent rhe visa with my passport, he just waived me by without a second glance.
But i am brown 🤷🏾♂️
To me the issue is not if the border is open or closed, there are ways to into México (border enforcement is lax at times, bribes, fake doctor appointments, etc.).
The real issue for the mongers heading to Tijuana is whether the Zona Norte clubs are open.
Currently, the hotels are open but the clubs are not which has created a new mongering environment, and to me it seems underwhelming.
For me the fun of TJ was going there and seeing hundreds of willing ladies at various clubs, drinking with one or two, watching the dancers on stage (and on the top of the bars), evening talking with the waiters and other customers (plenty bought me drinks), other cool things included watching sporting events and dining at different places.
Tijuana was primarliy for the chicas but there was much more to it.
Going to Cascadas or Rizos and picking from a line up and then taking her to your room does not sound fun to me.
Cristobal. I continued visiting monthly throughout the pandemic. The first couple of months the hotels were open it was a lineup to be taken back to the room. You are right it was no fun at all. They soon went to the full on bar experience including the red bar furniture from downstairs, dancing poles, small stages and TVs. On my last visit they even had shave cream shows. The girls now line up in the long hallway instead of the stairs between levels.
I have found the experience very similar to the bar experience with plenty of company choices and places to sit and sample the goods. Obviously some have implemented this better than others but they all seem now to have a "club" atmosphere.
Finally, when I went in November and December the restaurants were open again for indoor dining.
I would recommend that everyone purchase the 6 month visa for $30 usd. Once you get it, just show them that every time you cross and be on your way no questions asked or excuses needed. Use the Mexican national line.
Do you purchase that 6-month visa at the border crossing?
Also, I received an email from HK last week saying they are open. Does that mean fully functional like before, with stage shows and the whole nine yards?
The $35 180days pass and the $20 quick pass can be purchased in the room at the border check-point desk for pedestrians. Yup all clubs are fully open inside.
Went Saturday. Wasn't sure the border guard got the memo and asked, "Purpose for your visit?" Just to be safe I said I was going to the dentist to get a tooth replaced. He waved me through without any paperwork. I probably could have said I was going to fuck a Mexican girl and he wouldn't have cared. Just a question he had to ask.
Has there been any issues coming back to the US after visiting TJ? Have the USCBP ever give an issues for a US citizens to come back during this COVID-19?
They cannot legally prevent you from re-entering the USA. However, my temp was checked. Not sure what they would have done if I had not been average. Hopefully simply advised a 10-14 day quarantine.
@TrillSd15 No issues getting back in. Typically waved through with a simple question of where are you going and possibly what were you doing there.
@tahoecruz I believe that is a camera and not a thermometer that the border agent uses on the counter. I’ve crossed numerous times now and each time they take a photo which goes into their database.
SDM I wasn't sure. It does look like a camera. Waiting for the rectum...er ah retinal scan. Blame spell check. Anyway, that is my story and I am sticking to it.
Whats to update? Crossing still the same. Some Mex agents will require you to buy the $30 180days pass, some don't. Some US agents will ask you questions & search your bag, some don't. CBP has been using facial cameras since Jan 1, you can't refuse it.
Yes, you need a passport. There are those on other forums that claim that you can bluster your way across with a driving license, but I always have mine.
It comes down to this: If you're a citizen they ultimately have to let you in. A driver's license isn't proof of that, because there are lots of ways that people who aren't citizens can get one. So, if that's all you have with you, they have to go through a separate process to try and verify your citizenship. this can take a lot of time, and if the CPB officer is in a bad mood or or you get up their nose or he/she just plain feels like it, it can take a whole lot of time. All those rights mentioned in the Constitution do not apply to you until you get past that officer.
A couple of years ago I saw a US kid, perhaps 18-20 coming back in with only a driver’s license. They had one lane plugged up giving him the speech about how he needed a passport. Maybe 10 minutes later I went through the adjacent line (old border crossing) and heard him still giving dumb “I don’t know” answers. I have no idea how long they talked to him? And gave him attitude, but he was definitely hung up a while.
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