there but for the grace of god

[maja]

Hi People, Ive just met a couple of middle aged US motocyclistasts that have managed to get from the US/Mex border to Mazatlan without getting a touristo pass or a temporado importo pass for their motos. They want to ride to Panama then return to the US but having met me they realise what they should have done at the border. They went to the Aduana/Migration office at the port and said " Yo Estupido" and can I pay the fine etc. but to no avail, "return to your crossing point and start again and this time get it right", a round trip of lots of miles and if you get caught you will lose your moto. Mazatlan is a major touristo place but I think that they have been dealing with desk people rather than those who can decide, they have admitted their mistake are getting no real help from the local officials. ( go back to the border and start again) Anybody any ideas for getting them and their motos into Guatamala so allowing them to re-enter Mexico going through the correct procedures this time. Ride safe.

[MikeS]

Mike, I had no paperwork for mine in Mexico as I came across the river from Guatemala. The guy that did my passport in Mex didn't deal with vehicles (no Aduana there) and told me to go to immigration in Palenque, which I did but they weren't even slightly interested in giving me any paperwork and told me 'no problemo'.

At the US border, I rode straight through no problem. However, not so sure about the main guatemala border further south but if they were to cross the river border (you pay about $20 per bike to take them across the river), there's no Aduana and hence they will have no problem. From there its an easy ride to Flores/Tikal etc.

[mollydog]

Mike's suggestion may actually work.

Good luck them,

[garrydymond]

They should just keep going, relax take it easy and leave the country without stopping when they get to the border. They have already got as far as Mazatlan so why worry. The next time they come in they will know what to do. When they get to Guate they should make sure to do it right.

[mollydog]

So Garry, are you saying at the Mex/Guat. border, one need not stop at all?

[Sjoerd Bakker]

By now the lads have already decided to either return to the US border entry side or to risk moving onward so what I say is not goig to influence them .
Tsk,tsk, for not having done enough research before starting the trip , obviously from now on they should be checking this Horizons Unlimited site .
Continuing onward is a bit risky- there may well be some roadside checkpoints where they ask to see the documents and then they would face some problems. The difficulties will depend to a big measure on the particular mood of the officials they have to deal with- some can be downright nice guys willing to help, others are happy to stick to the book and make life difficult. Granted , southward bound traffic is less prone to get stopped than northbound which is the favourite direction for illegal migrants and drug smugglers, but still the possibility exists.
Leaving Mexico for Guatemala without getting stopped at the border is only possible at a few small remote crossings where neither country has a customs presence, and then it is expected of the traveller that he goes to the nearest such facility to check out of Mexico , and to officially announce his entrance in Guate .Try this at one of the regular and manned crossings and Mexicans will want to see at least your exit stamp, the Guate side may actually send you back to Mexico for an exit stamp before the will let you in. Just riding thru like you can at the US/Mex border is not possible, they have barricades across the road and you do not pass without the documentation.
Sorry , but the fault for this screw up is completely that of the two boys who rode in expecting the Mexicans to babysit them. They should be happy to head back to the US border to get things set right. If any foreign traveller demonstrated a similar ignorance and got as far into the USA without proper papers Homeland Security would have them thrown in jail awaiting extradition, as a number of Europeans have already discovered after overstaying the term of their I 94 forms.

[maja]

Hi Guys, on behalf of my US friends thank you all for the response and suggestions. The local town hall has given them tourist cards for US$26.00 instead of the normal US$18.00 but no way are they getting a a temporary vehicle import sticker so they have decided to take an extra weeks leave and ride back to the US/Mex border and start again this time doing it properly. Ride safe.

[skibum_1260]

i believe i met these guys in monterrey, one on a harley and one on a v-strom i think it they were from washington? they said they were heading back to brownsville to get there paperwork taken care of, but i kind of had the same deal, we crossed del rio on a sunday and the lady at the toll both told us to just go on and we dont need to stop to do anything so we did, but aparently we were suppose to stop and get our proper paperwork, luckily i was never asked for anything even heading back north through the military checkpoints and even crossing the border out, but lesson learned for sure!

[paddyT]

If they are from Washington I saw the bikes in Chiapas at new year. What a small world!
i was stopped and asked for my bike permit twice in the north of Mexico, but not since then, and yes, certainly crossing into Belize, there is no need to stop on the Mexican side as you exit and the Belizians don't seem to give a monkeys about anything!
Relax and enjoy if you are reading this guys
Paddy

[GotaCohiba]

Originally Posted by Sjoerd Bakker

If any foreign traveller demonstrated a similar ignorance and got as far into the USA without proper papers Homeland Security would have them thrown in jail awaiting extradition, as a number of Europeans have already discovered after overstaying the term of their I 94 forms.

I know it's my first post, but the above comment has got to be a joke.
1000's of illegals enter the US weekly, and how many of those millions over the years has been sent back?
NOT ENOUGH !!!
Before I get slaughtered let me say, I have no issue with people coming legally, but I do have issues with those coming illegally.

[maja]

Maybe it's just me, but sometimes I get the impression that some people don't get out enough. Ride safe and just consider the fact that not all people are as wise and switched on as you think you are.

[forward]

In Baja last year we blew right through the border (they don't even slow you down!). I thought the immigracion might be further along the road. When we got to San Filipe, the guy at the tourist office told us we must ride back to the border to get our proper permits if we wanted to continue south. Another guy told us we could get our permits at the Provincial border between Baja Sur and Baja Norte. I was a bit nervous being that far into a country without the proper documentation (not something I'd want to do in, say, Zimbabwe), but the officers at the Provincial border were really nice, and they said this kind of thing happened a lot.

[Sjoerd Bakker]

No offence taken ,Gota Cohiba, but they at INS/homeland security really do throw people in jail for such minor things Yes you are absolutely right about illegals getting in , but if some foreign tourists make the double blunder of overstaying their USA entry permits and then making that known to the authorities they are into problem territory. A year or so ago there was a news report of several Dutchmen getting into hotwater and winding up in jail for a while because they overstayed their visa time.Others have had the same happen, .It is best to assume that every border needs some form of documentation and then seek it out before getting deep into the country .Just because there is no great bureaucratic machine waiting to process you does not mean there are no restrictions.It is especially tricky for Europeans who are now used to just driving across their EU borders without a thought.