|
Crossing Summary
I made a summary table for all the border crossing we did on our Latin America trip in 2010/2011. It can be found on my blog (in my sig) and you are welcome to contact me personally about specific experiences
naomi.j.tweddle (at) gmail.com Happy Travels:mchappy: |
Some title questions
Hi, everyone! I'm doing a trip from SF to TdF soon. My questions:
My motorcycle has an electronic title. What do I do? Has anyone crossed a Central/South American border while having one of these? If I were to get a paper title, should I bring the original, or is it sufficient to have copies? Thanks! |
Only paper title will work and a few copies would be handy, but you always end up making copies from papers you can only do @ the borders such as tourists cards or stamps from the country to prove you entered, so you make as well all copies on the borders and have less paperwork to carry around and the copies are not that expensive and usually the people what make the copies, know exactly what you need!
|
WikiOverland, the encyclopedia of Overland travel contains everything you're going to need to know about border crossings in Central America. It's updated regularly by people traveling through Go through each country (i.e. Overland Guatemala Travel - WikiOverland ) to see the process at the border, fees, gas prices, safety, maps, etc. etc. etc.
-Dan |
Quote:
|
Customs for Bike in Panama
We are crossing from Cartagena to Carti in November and understand that the customs clearance for the bikes must be done in Panama City.
Does anybody have any experience , tips for the process? J |
hi
you come over with the stahlratte?? than you get all the informations from ludwig - no worries. when not: ride to the airport Aduana GPS Nord 9*04.680 West 79*22.224 from there to the "main office" - a small shelter on the right. N 09*05.072 W 79*22.318 inside are two nice ladies, there know how it works - easy job! you dont need insurence or copys there!! easy and fast! cheers from costa rica, bernd |
The aduana office for imports and exports is near Albrook airport in P.C. Taxi drivers can find it for you--hire one to lead you there. Accomplishing anything involves the usual run of inexplicable bits of paper taken from one office to the next for stamps and signatures. We eventually found the Big Man who could make things happen, and he snarled at a few underlings who then did all the running around on our behalf. All in all, not too bad in Central American terms.
I've also used the airport office, but only when I was flying the bike out. When I was there even the office staff in their little shack were confused about whether any documentation was necessary. I had to insist, and I'm glad I did because when I returned the office in P.C. tried, but failed, to find anything wrong with my papers. That office is definitely more convenient than the main office in town if they can give you what you need. Hope that's helpful. Mark |
Roameo have you started the ride? im leaving around October 1st from Oklahoma. You can cross wit me at the ferry at Eagle Pass, Texas. This is my first time also.
twowheelsthreeamericas -Dale |
How I was taken for one at the Mex/Guatemala border....
I so wish I had done a bit of research on the HUBB before I made for Guatemala....Thank you one and all for the help here that will see great economies for this sucker...
Here is an an extract from my blog, www.vegibike.com. "....I got done over like a good'un at the Talisman, Mexico / Guatemalan border. Basically I fell for one of the oldest tricks in the book and handed over US$160 to my “fixer" who was helping me through the rather vague import procedure. He asked for this money to buy the permit to drive in Central America. Although I questioned him vigorously, he persuaded me that it was essential to drive any further. Off he toddled to get the form, whilst I was kept occupied by his conniving pal for half an hour. When he got back he had all the paperwork and rushed me through the final gate saying it was about to close. Of course at this stage I was none the wiser, and thanked him profusely giving him a generous tip on top of his US$20 pre-agreed fee. Again it was at the end of the day, after 5 hours of steep mountain roads that I thought I better put all the paper work in the right folders etc. To my horror my more thorough look at the receipt showed that it was 160 Quetzales, about US$20. Of course I was livid, with myself as much as anything, and planned to head back the next day to confront the rascal. After a night's sleep I realise that there was very little proof and the chances of him being there for the next month was highly unlikely, as it amounted to several weeks pay...." If anyone comes across a very short rotund 30ish year old 'fixer' at this border called Manuel (probably not actual), please say that there is an Englishman not wishing him as well as he would have liked to. And then don't use him...thanks.. |
Quote:
|
Just crossed into Guatemala at Cuatehmoc Mexico/La Mesilla Guatemala today. Professional and friendly both sides, bike is only out of your sight for a few minutes. Tourist visa was free, bike permit Q160~=$20. I need to check my credit card account in a few days to make sure my Mexican deposit of $200 was refunded.
|
visas for Euroean vs US citizens
Does anybody know if border crossings in Central and South America are the same for Europeans and US citizens in terms of purchasing my visas? Thanks!
:helpsmilie: |
Quote:
|
Perhaps it depends on which European country supplied your Euro passport.
There may well not be a charge for "a visa" but at most of the CA borders you actually do not need a VISA per se. VISA means a specially stamped page in your passport which you get from their embassy or consulate before you even show up at a border crossing. The CA countries and Mexico and even the USA (depending on where you now live) will accept your valid passport as adequate proof of citizenship and your good intent as a tourist and will readily issue ,after you complete the forms , a tourist card to let you into the country for a few months stay. There will be fees associated with getting the tourist card and for temporarily importing your bike or car and for other services rendered at the border such as "fumigacion" ,municipal tourist tax etc. These at each country vary ,some add up to only a few dollars while some may come to a total of around $48 to $50 US DOLLARS at most before you are ready to step into the actual country. Watch your receipts and the currency required for each payment and do not let yourself be confused by slick operating swindling so-called helpers. Some borders demand all payment in moneda nacional, some will allow a mix of MN and US Dollars |
| All times are GMT +1. The time now is 17:15. |