Mexico Phasing Out Use of Paper Visitor Permits (FMM)

I've preprinted it a few times last year and once this year, never was asked for it or showed it. Waste of time...

Most land crossings on foot into Mexico do not require the FMM or any verification. San Ysidro/Tijuana is an exception. And there it isn't always required, but you cannot rely on that being the case. Occasionally they will simply look at your passport and waive you through. Most of the time the FMM is required. Technically you are supposed to have it on you at all times while in Mexico, but I have never been asked for it and the other crossings do not issue it. Once a police officer asked for my passport and that was once in seven years of bi-monthly visits.

A FMM for seven days or less at the pedestrian crossing to Tijuana is free, as long as you have a passport.
If you do not have a passport and try to cross with a DL or other ID, the FMM is $30 which I am guessing is a bribe, as I have seen it collected from others.
A 180-day FMM is $30. I always get it, so I can walk through the Mexican side with little hassle. Occasionally the agents have asked to inspect it to verify that it has not expired.

Only drove across to Tijuana once in an Uber, so my experience is limited to the pedestrian crossings at Tijuana, Mexicali, Nogales, and Ciudad Juarez.

I don't think that they will be eliminating the FMM for Tijuana, where there is the greatest number of land crossings into Mexico. Gotta be a big revenue source. Guessing that the other places are not busy enough to bother.

And these myths keep getting circulated (such as from your article):

"If a paper version of the FMM is stamped and given back to you at the port of entry, keep this safe—you’ll need it to exit Mexico when you leave."

I have never been asked for the FMM when exiting Mexico. I have always been asked to show my passport or passport card.

"If you don’t get a paper version of the FMM, the immigration official will place a stamp in your passport instead, in lieu of the paper FMM. This will also be marked to show how many days you have been granted to stay as a visitor. You’ll need to show this page when you leave Mexico."

Often, if you ask, the officials will not stamp your passport. They did stamp my passport when I was using my paper passport. I now have a passport card. Many foot crossings accept passport cards (including Tijuana); there is no place to stamp a passport card and most other crossings don't issue a FMM.

Finally, the law says a citizen of the United States of America cannot be denied entry into this country. You can cross back into the USA with a SS card, driving license, birth certificate, or nothing at all. You will be sent to "secondary" and get a lot of grief, but at the end of the day, agents must let you return to the USA.

^ Great info. Thanks!

The major airports in Mexico have stopped requiring the FMM as of last year unless you're coming from a country that requires a travel visa or you're staying for more than 180 days, so this is just a continuation of the evolving rules.

@Puta_Tester:

The whole having to surrender your stamped half of the form was more for air travel. The US had something similar back in the day (I-94), and the airline you took was responsible for collecting it as part of the boarding process.

I always have one printed in case they ask. I've crossed into TJ dozens of times the last few years. I was asked for it once. It totally depends on who is standing there and if that particular person is asking. But I've been asked once in three years.

i like having the FMM bottom portion.
that way i leave my passport/ GE card in the room. i once showed it to a polica when asked for id. no problem.
if mex customs doesn't give one to me i carry my passport card.

I'd have one printed out just in case, even if they supposedly discontinue them. These cock-suckers make up their own rules, so you never know what to expect. I've had some wave me through without so much as looking up and one guy, a fat piece of shit, tell me to pay $30 for an FMM or I can't cross.

yeah, I don't even bother printing up an FMM. this last visit last week the guy filled it out for me... free. I told him 7 days. but so many times now they just wave me through when they see my passport card.