Im planning a last minute Rocky Point Vacay and wont be able to get my passport by the day we leave! I recently had a friend get thru w just her birth certificate and DL but was wondering if anyone else could provide an experience with a situation similar to this?? I dont want to drive the 4 hrs down there and find out they wont let me in. :cry::(Thanks!!
this has been ask about a million times by now and it should be posted in another 5 threads and the answer is yes, original or notarized copy of the birth certificate and a picture ID is more than sufficient and you will not be ask about it until you go back to the US, as a matter of fact last week one of my passengers forgot the passport in Rocky Point and he did got thru just wiht his drivers license, however there was no question he was a USA citizen and by that I mean he is anglo, blonde, blue eyes and had a very strong texas accent, unlike me that I can pass for and anglo, was blonde was upon a time and hazle/green eyes however I start talking and you KNOW i am not a USA born person!! :eek3:
I am bringing my childs 13 year old friend with us, she will have birth cert but no passport, do I need a letter of permission from her parents for the border?
I am bringing my childs 13 year old friend with us, she will have birth cert but no passport, do I need a letter of permission from her parents for the border?
I would get one and be sure the letter includes contact information. The odds are you won't need it but why take the chance. Remember too, you aren't the only person who ever crossed with someone else's children in the vehicle, there is nothing unusual about it to attract attention. Unless of course the child has brown skin ! Have a great trip.
Whenever I brought along one of my daughter's friends, I always got a notarized "permission slip" from the parents.....signed by both. I also carried one from my "ex" for my daughter.
Does the girl have any kind of photo ID? I know that the Customs people will let you back in without a passport...but you need that photo ID and the birth certificate. They may give you a hassle or delay you.....
I used to always get a letter from the parents giving us permission to seek medical attention for their daughter if necessary, and to make any reasonable decisions concerning said medical attention in the event they cannot be reached. Always better safe than sorry!!
Well, you'll need a drivers license so you can drive legally. LOL! I would carry an ID besides my passport even if I wasn't driving. But, that's just me.
Hah, I was just about to suggest that someone should make the passport topic a sticky and realized it already is one...But this discussion brings up a good point: Why isn't there a FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page for this forum? Just about every board I can think of has one. I realize this may cut down on posts, new member registration and, ultimately, site hits (which, let's face it, is one of the main goals of every site owner for all the hard work they put into it).
That said, making the site more user-friendly will make it more popular in the long run, thus generating more hits, if this is in fact the reason for the lack of an FAQ sub-forum. Or maybe it's just that nobody ever thought of doing one! ;)
Please read the US rules and not clutter up this board with nonsense questions. If you desire to leave the US,and to come back, get a US Passport. It will make your re-entry to the US much easier. Please realize, no matter how easy it has been to cross both ways across the border, Mexico is a foreign country. If you have a problem with US (Arizona) immigration laws, please become familiar with the immigration laws of other countries (especially Mexico).
I asked this question at the boarder last week the laws say you need passport, But they said if you can prove you are US citizen they will not refuse you entry back into US. But it may take a few hours of delay..
I asked this question at the boarder last week the laws say you need passport, But they said if you can prove you are US citizen they will not refuse you entry back into US. But it may take a few hours of delay..
my head hurts...... again don't show them your passport stick to the drivers license/birth certificate and tell them to go fish......I got all kinds of good mexico stuff to talk about after i kick the mexicans(my fellow future democrats) out of my barn down here in beautiful Bowie.....
Keep in mind, If you are a US Citizen... The cant NOT let you back in. Now that doest mean that the cant be assholes and take up some of your time, but you WILL get back in.
"...lost our passport... ". Passports are issued to an INDIVIDUAL, not to a group. "...i would take the chance again" What chance? Admission to the US cannot be denied to US citizens. It just may take some time to prove that you are a US citizen if you do not have a US passport.
I'm tempted with every trip to not get mine when I come back and they tell me it's the law. Only problem I have is that I could have saved a tree by them NOT giving me that frigin' piece of paper to tell me I'm not conforming.
I always want to tell them 'Look at what I drive! I don't conform ANYWHERE!'
Lucky me on Friday the 13th! A comedy of errors on the way down forced me to give up the idea of having a passport this weekend 'down south'. Thankfully, I did a full color scan of the passport back in 2009. Found it in my email and printed off a copy (which will be in the permanent collection in the glove box from now on. Show my AZ full color driver's license and the beautiful scan to the border detective and viola! Got through without a hitch. Just goes to show you, scan your importants and keep 'em nearby. Just in case...
In case anyone is wondering in 2012 if you need a passport....the truth and answer is NO, you don't. I would definitely recommend one because the US Govt says you need one, but they can not withhold a US citizen from entering their own country.
In fact, the last two times I went to Rocky Point, we were with people without passports and the US Border Patrol let us back in. Did they give us some crap about it? Yeah...for about 20 seconds. One time they gave us a pamphlet to get a passport. The other time they just waved us in after hecklin' us for a few seconds.
A Drivers License and Birth Cert is sufficient.
And if you really wanna know...one time a few months ago we with with a friend from Georgia who had NO BIRTH CERT AND LOST HIS GEORGIA DL AT WRECKED AT THE REEF lol.....so he had no ID at all....and Border Patrol let him back in. haha
So to finalize my thoughts on this....you don't need a passport. Go have fun in Rocky Point. And if you come back to the border and talk with an intense Southern drawl, have no ID at all, and are white.....then US Border Patrol will waive you back in and shake their head at your dumb redneck a$$ :)
So to finalize my thoughts on this....you don't need a passport. Go have fun in Rocky Point. And if you come back to the border and talk with an intense Southern drawl, have no ID at all, and are white.....then US Border Patrol will waive you back in and shake their head at your dumb redneck a$$ :)
My wife is scared to go without a passport. We went to Nogales last year on a whim with no passports and no birth certificates. We had no id for our daughter. They let us back with with our DLs and the border guard asked our daughter a few questions to make sure we werent stealing her from Mexico. Scared the **** out of my wife tho. We're planning a spontaneous trip to Arizona's beach for the 4th. She now wants me to call the Lukeville border crossing. I say we're going!!!!! Bringing everyone's birth certificates this time tho.
Crossed today at 10:30am today and there were 2 lanes open, each had 1 car with obvious non passport issues.
It took an extra 2 minutes per car.
I spoke with the border agent about what is needed and he replied a passport is required but they don't can't stop an American or permant resident
from entering the US as long as there is enough info to support that they are from the USA. Just takes a few extra minutes.
I had the same agent as last Sunday and he was way nicer this week to the car in front of me without Passports,
For me he actually was cordial and cheerful, as I had the 5 passports for my passengers all lined up nicely.
Last week he was a big grump, he usually works the left hand side lanes at the crossing.
Thanks. Do they scan your passports or driver licences when you drive back to the US from Mexico? Or do they just take a look and let you go?
brokenwave said:
Crossed today at 10:30am today and there were 2 lanes open, each had 1 car with obvious non passport issues.
It took an extra 2 minutes per car.
I spoke with the border agent about what is needed and he replied a passport is required but they don't can't stop an American or permant resident
from entering the US as long as there is enough info to support that they are from the USA. Just takes a few extra minutes.
I had the same agent as last Sunday and he was way nicer this week to the car in front of me without Passports,
For me he actually was cordial and cheerful, as I had the 5 passports for my passengers all lined up nicely.
Last week he was a big grump, he usually works the left hand side lanes at the crossing.
wondering if they actually make a record of everybody crossing the border...
Of course they do. They take pictures of the front and back of your car before you even get up to the booth. I'm sure there's video too, maybe even in real time with someone in the office watching your movements in the car before you get to the agent in the booth. They always scan my passport too.
The bigger question is why are you so worried about it?
yeah just curious as to how strict they are at the Mexico/US border in terms of tracking who's crossing. Some people said above in this thread that they crossed without even showing their passports/ids/birth certs...
mis2810 said:
Of course they do. They take pictures of the front and back of your car before you even get up to the booth. I'm sure there's video too, maybe even in real time with someone in the office watching your movements in the car before you get to the agent in the booth. They always scan my passport too.
The bigger question is why are you so worried about it?
Maybe because they will run you passports, I had a passenger with us last year who had an outstanding warrant for an overdue speeding ticket from another state that she ignored. We were detained long enough for them to contact Albuquerque NM Police, Border agents called to see if they wanted her held so she could be picked up and transferred to NM. After 30 minutes we were told to go on our way and for our friend to clear up the overdue ticket because she could be held and transported if NM police had agreed to have a NM police officer come get her and for transport. Wow, she will never go back to Mexico because of this. Agreed she should just get it fixed.
We have a group that goes down every year for our NFL Draft Party. We watch the draft, drink a beer or two and watch more of the draft and drink another beer or two..I think you catch my drift.
We all had passports and when we hit the spot the guy took them and went in the little station there. After a few minutes he came out and asked for my keys. He put them on the roof of the car
and looked at the guy next to who just happened to be a black man. He asked him for his social security number, wrote it down and went back in the cubical. I asked LJ what was going on. He
asked me if I could guess how many black guys named Leonard Johnson had outstanding warrants. He said he had none and never had had any. He is a Purple Heart recipiant from Desert Storm
and one hell of a great guy. Was the only survivor of an IED attack on his vehicle. After a few minutes the BP guy came back out, gave me the keys and apologized for the delay.
Yeserie. If you got warrants, if you go down, you better stay there.
ah sounds like people's experiences really vary - some people got through without any certifications and no records at all while others need passport. Sounds like you can really get different treatments depending on the border agent!
ah sounds like people's experiences really vary - some people got through without any certifications and no records at all while others need passport. Sounds like you can really get different treatments depending on the border agent!
There's a .000000000000001% chance you'll get back without being asked for at the very least your birth certificate and drivers license. Just get a passport card and save yourself a giant headache. If you think you are going to cross just by declaring "US citizen" like in the old days, you are sadly mistaken.
Last year, I left my purse in Tucson, got down to Penasco before I realized I didn't have it. My hubby gave his passport at crossing coming back home- I gave my name, explained what happened, and got through. I don't recommend it, but it can happen.
Yeah does sound like they could be quite flexible at times, the border agents ! i guess if you're with a bunch of people who have passports and you happen to forget they might just let you through if you look like a decent human being...
MIRAMAR said:
Last year, I left my purse in Tucson, got down to Penasco before I realized I didn't have it. My hubby gave his passport at crossing coming back home- I gave my name, explained what happened, and got through. I don't recommend it, but it can happen.
Last year, I left my purse in Tucson, got down to Penasco before I realized I didn't have it. My hubby gave his passport at crossing coming back home- I gave my name, explained what happened, and got through. I don't recommend it, but it can happen.
hmmm might be a good way to smuggle a new Ukrainian "wife" into the states.
My wife and I just went down over the weekend. Neither of us have passports, it was no problem crossing back with only DLs and birth certs. The agent didn't even give me a talking to about not having one.
I have been "accidentally" forgetting my wife and kids passports but never get to leave the family behind when I come home. On the next trip I am leaving my passport at home in hopes of being relegated to a few extra days in PP.
I think as long as you have at least a valid US drivers license, they will always let you in.
The reason it is good to have a passport card with the RF chip is to speed up the process. They have you up on the screen before you even get the window.
We are generally not lucky people, so if "WE" ever tried to get back into the US without our passports you can be sure we would be repremanded in some way!
(Unless of course that means we can never leave Mexico . . . :cool: Hmmm!)
I forgot my purse in Tucson a couple of years ago, we got to the border going into Mexico when I realized I didn't have it. They let me back into the US no problem, so Sorry Southbeacher, but you can get in with out any form of ID. Also, I was born in Germany- US Army Hospital, but I'm not sure they know that when they pull up my data. I just said US citizen (my husband had his passport so that may have helped!).
Has anyone RECENTLY tried to cross with only a Birth Certificate and Driver's License? My girlfriend has misplaced her Passport and we have a condo for Valentine's Day Weekend...... I have my Passport Card....
I dont know about going thru the usa border but sitting in line up the other day, the usa border guys were asking everyone for passports heading south and were scanning them in a booth.
Has anyone RECENTLY tried to cross with only a Birth Certificate and Driver's License? My girlfriend has misplaced her Passport and we have a condo for Valentine's Day Weekend...... I have my Passport Card....
Plenty of options to solve this problem. Expedited replacement passports are available in as little as 24 hours. Here is one out of many that offer the service. http://www.rushmypassport.com
you can also show the receipt of passport application at border if you wish to avoid the expedited passport fees. Or do an enhanced DL for land travel...
you can also show the receipt of passport application at border if you wish to avoid the expedited passport fees. Or do an enhanced DL for land travel...
Currently only Washington State, Vermont, New York, and Michigan are offering Enhanced Driver's Licenses.
I use a Passport but I think if they were stopping people from returning we would have heard about it. Every report I have gotten you can pass with other ID, birth cert best, Drivers license.
The need for a passport to reenter the USA by land is embodied in a legal "initiative" It is the WHTI initiative. Because it is a land crossing it is different from an air or sea entrance to the country. The WHTI initiative does not replace the US constitution which provides it's citizens the right to re-enter the the country of their birth without this document.
14th amendment: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
As long as you can prove you were born in the USA you have the right to reenter the country without a passport. Drivers license - ssn or any other valid proofs of "belonging", as has been said before, they pretty much know who you are before anyone even talks to you.
Regarding ID in the southbound lane. They cannot ask to see your passport. You may use it out of convenience but it is not necessary. A drivers license suffices, I use mine and it is a Mexican DL.
The need for a passport to reenter the USA by land is embodied in a legal "initiative" It is the WHTI initiative. Because it is a land crossing it is different from an air or sea entrance tot he country. The WHTI initiative does not replace the US constitution which provides it's citizens the right to renter the the country of their birth without this document.
14th amendment: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
As long as you can prove you were born in the USA you have the right to reenter the country without a passport. Drivers license - ssn or any other valid proofs of "belonging", as has been said before, they pretty much know who you are before anyone even talks to you.
Regarding ID in the southbound lane. They cannot ask to see your passport. You may use it out of convenience but it is not necessary. A drivers license suffices, I use mine and it is a Mexican DL.
Russ, they have been asking to see passports when leaving the US lately. Not sure why, or if they are allowed, but I was asked last week - and they scanned it. Not sure what's up with that.
They are not supposed to ask you for your passport. The USA does not require a passport when exiting the country and Mexico does not currently require one for entry to Mexico by land.
ID is different than passport.
If they ask me for passport I give them my Mex DL.
Has anyone RECENTLY tried to cross with only a Birth Certificate and Driver's License? My girlfriend has misplaced her Passport and we have a condo for Valentine's Day Weekend...... I have my Passport Card....
Came across in October with a guy that only had a drivers license . He told them that he haven't got his passport in the mail yet. They never said Boo about it. Just let him thru.
U.S. Passport Card Why a passport card?
The U.S. Passport Card (PASS Card) is a less expensive, more portable version of the traditional passport book. As a response to the new security measures imposed by Homeland Security and WHTI, PASS Cards come equipped with a microchip that assigns a distinct number to its owner. This number, through vicinity-read radio frequency technology, matches up with a Custom and Border Protection (CBP) database to promote more secure crossings with faster queuing. The PASS Card is a new form of approved identification targeted at border communities who make frequent crossings. It's wallet-sized, less expensive than the full passport book, and a suitable alternative for anyone who travels by land or sea between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean.
Note: The PASS Card is not approved for air travel. Unlike the passport book, the card is not considered an international travel document recognized worldwide.
Specifics
Valid for land and sea crossings only, not air
Valid for travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean
Valid for 10 years, just like a passport book (five years for minors)
Wallet-sized, with a protective sleeve
How do I apply?
The first PASS Card was issued in the summer of 2008, and already more than 700,000 applications have been processed.
To get your PASS card if you already have a passport book, just apply for the card as a renewal with Form DS-82.
First-time applicants should apply in person using Form DS-11. Check with the Department of State for your nearest passport application facility.
What does it cost?
$55 for first-time applicants ($40 for minors)
$30 for renewals from an expiring passport book
This compares to $110 (plus a $25 execution fee) for a first-time passport book or passport book renewal.
just came back yesterday from RP and at the border remember that the passports are nicely tacked in the nightstand drawer, the custom agent wanted only the DL both wife's and mine, literally 5 seconds later he was handing them back and letting us in the young bad USA!!
Then again over 23 years of going back and forth I bet my list of INs and OUTs of USA is well documented!!
They knew everything about you before you even got to the inspection booth. Just talked to a young man who's father has worked for CBP in the inspection booth for many years. He confirmed what we already suspected about their border surveillance equipment, information tracking abilities, and how they are well trained on how to question you. He even confirmed they know when you exit the US, so the next time they ask you how long you were in Mexico, be honest because they already know the answer.
My wife and 2 kid's crossed back into the US yesterday with expired passports for my kids.
Handed the agents 1 valid passport for my wife and expired passports for my kid's.
They never said a word. Imagine that! LOL
Our passports are in L.A. at the Brazilian consulate awaiting a visa. When we passed thru yesterday we were very polite w/ the officer and he just took our drivers license, looked us up on the computer, and let us go within a minute of so.
Please read the US rules and not clutter up this board with nonsense questions. If you desire to leave the US,and to come back, get a US Passport. It will make your re-entry to the US much easier. Please realize, no matter how easy it has been to cross both ways across the border, Mexico is a foreign country. If you have a problem with US (Arizona) immigration laws, please become familiar with the immigration laws of other countries (especially Mexico).
Amen! I hate to be mean, but the passport "thing" has been going on for years! If y desire to leave Rocky Point without being hassled, get a passport! Now that I've bitched and moaned, I'm wondering what the age children are required to have passports? One more thing, I'm always thinking about taking my animals to rocky point but never do because I have read the requirements and it sounds like a hassle; is it really? My sister who owns a home in Las Conchas always brings her pets and no shot records etc. and swears it's no problem- she never gets additional insurance either and I think she's nuts but maybe it's me (I hate when that happens, lol) thanks in advance!
One more thing, I'm always thinking about taking my animals to rocky point but never do because I have read the requirements and it sounds like a hassle; is it really? My sister who owns a home in Las Conchas always brings her pets and no shot records etc. and swears it's no problem- she never gets additional insurance either and I think she's nuts but maybe it's me (I hate when that happens, lol) thanks in advance!
I'm thinking your sister might have small animals (?) My two big dogs have become a guarantee that we get pulled over. (I've put them in the "down" position and gotten by the "pet" inspector, but if pulled over for a random green light, they call the pet inspector over as well.) And once pulled over, papers for them are required. It is really sad, because now that my pets are geriatric (and always indoors, fenced, or on leash), I refuse to continue their annual Rabies boosters. Consequently, we must deny them the fun times on the beach, while hiring a costly pet sitter every time we go (which is at least once a month). Kills me.
Always take the dogs. Sometimes they ask for papers, take their pics, the whole nine yards. Last month got the red light, asked where we were going, looked in the back of the truck, saw the dogs and sent us on our way ?? All depends who is working, I don't know??
Always take the dogs. Sometimes they ask for papers, take their pics, the whole nine yards. Last month got the red light, asked where we were going, looked in the back of the truck, saw the dogs and sent us on our way ?? All depends who is working, I don't know??
It is only when SAGARPA, http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/SAGARPA has somebody working that checks dogs, the others on the border work for SAT and will confiscate dog food, but have nothing to do with checking dog papers.
Always take the dogs. Sometimes they ask for papers, take their pics, the whole nine yards. Last month got the red light, asked where we were going, looked in the back of the truck, saw the dogs and sent us on our way ?? All depends who is working, I don't know??
Trouble is (as lagrimas points out) SAGARPA is often working -- at least almost every time we pass. And they have us on file from previous stops -- old vaccination records, dog photos, drivers license. So for us to hand them some line about not knowing of the rule wouldn't go over.
There are lot of people that do not believe in vaccinating their animals - for various reasons. Never thought about it before, but I wonder how many people forge their pet's papers every year? Doesn't seem like it would be that hard to do if you're even the least bit computer savvy. The people checking the papers mostly likely don't even know what they're reading - just looking for something official looking, don't you think?
I love the pics Todd! I forgot my purse (and passport) in the states, and got back into the states last night with just providing them my name and DOB- no ID.
