We have just called the Banjercito in La Paz and ask them if we could turn in our TVIP there and they said no. This can only be done at the border!
Just FYI

Thanks for verifying this! No surprise at all. The whole TVIP system is the stupidest thing I've ever seen. Oh well, make the best you can!

If you are riding North, to USA and if you have the time ... I would recommend taking the Ferry from Topolobambo (near Los Mochis) over to La Paz, Baja and then ride up to the USA through Baja.

It's a MUCH NICER ride than riding on mainland Mexico. I've done both routes several times, Baja is really worth it. But if you must go to Texas ... then it is quite a distance out of your way.

If you do ride on mainland, maybe divert to see Copper Canyon? Interesting terrain. Highway 16 is a great road. Very long.

That's good stuff! Let us know if you can get your TVIP there!
I've been to the Migracion office in Ensenada (same general location IIRC) but did not but use the Banjercito services there ... in fact can't remember if they had them there when I was there 8 years ago. We only got tourist visas there, no TVIP.

Note that there is a main Banjercito/Aduana office in Tijuana, located right at the border. Of course migracion is there as well. All located in the new, modern office buildings built in the last few years.

FMM at the borders and TIP at the end of the hassle free zone which varies from east to west

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Tony
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Greetings Pin

We went through the Tecate in Nov 2007 and discovered the same lack of Banjercito. We were told that we would have to go to Tijuana or Mexicali and that while Ensenda had a Banjercito they were geared towards the yachts that visited not moto's (or that was my memory). It looks like not a lot has changed.

In the end I went up to Tijuana and got the import permit there. I have a vague memory of being told about La Paz but I was paranoid about going that far and finding out it wasn't true.

Getting to the Banjercito in Tijuana is easy if you are coming in from the USA (It's part of the immigration complex at the border) but it's a pain in the backside from the Mexican side as the road signs wants to send you back into the USA. However I have some good news, here are the GPS coords for the Banjercito.

N32 32.424 W117 01.943

If you have a GPS with routing that should get you there or use google maps.

One caveat, I'm assuming that it hasn't moved location, this was from 2007.

I hope this helps.

Regards

Ian J

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It has moved Ian, and you're correct it's a PITA to get there from the Mexican side. Best park bike and WALK over.

Everything's changed since 2007, new building, slightly different location, new roads and routes up to and through border area. The new buildings are pretty nice. Several govt. offices located there including Migracion, Aduana/Banjercito and some others.

Far as I know, Tecate has never offered TVIP service but you can get a FMM (tourist visa) there. Tecate is better to exit Mexico but you CANNOT cancel your TVIP there. So you've got to stop at either a main Banjercito office or find a Kiosk along the road near the border. (they have one like this just outside Nogales right on main road, hard to miss)

Not sure what other options are for canceling near Mexicali or how to get there on Mexican side. Bit of a pain unless they've made it easier.

Tecate used to be THE place to get TVIP. Very easy. Did is several times in 2001, 2003 and 2004, but now. Still like it coming back from the Baja vice TJ. Now my favorite (if going down mainland) is San Luis Rio Colorado outside Yuma. Very easy there also. Last couple of times down, I got the TVIP on the internet and didn't even slow down going thru border.

For Pinproject and Tonylee and EVERYBODY finding this in later research .

The recurring question , confusion , worry and insistence about getting the TVIP at the BORDER in northern Baja is not necessary and pointless in 2016.

Please do understand and accept the fact that the TVIP is available at the BANJERCITO desk at the PICHILINGUE FERRY TERMINAL in BCS .It is a fixed feature of the ferry terminal located 18km north of downtown La Paz.
. This has been the case for many years and it is the reason why TECATE does not issue the TVIP , it would be pointless duplication for services which are in limited demand there.
Getting a TVIP at Tijuana or Mexicali , although possible, is also pointless if you are heading to La Paz and the ferry to the mainland . No need to fear that somehow they will not issue TVIP at the ferry dock, it is an established part of their service package.

If you are entering Baja but are going to mainland Mexico by land you can postpone getting the TVIP AND FMM until you reach San Luis RC, very easy to do it that way and legal .

What you absolutely MUST obtain at the border is the FMM ( tourist card) .Without that FMM you will NOT be able to get the TVIP at Pichilingue nor anywhere else not at or near the border .And, without the TVIP you will not be permitted to board a ferry to mainland Mexico at Pichilingue.

Also be aware that BANJERCITO has an actual banking arm with locations in various towns in Mexico to serve mainly military personnel. These banks have totally nothing to do with anything related to TVIP but the name leads many Google searchers astray with hopes of having found a new source for TVIP. Wrong .

From Mollydog 's experience ( and others) we know that TECATE doesn't cancel TVIP . Therefor if you landed in BAJA with a ferry you should head for either Tijuana , east end Mexicali or San Luis Rio Colorado , SON to have your TVIP cancelled and to collect your deposit refund . Or you could continue your mainland Mexico sojourn to exit at any point along the border where you then cancel.
Of course if you are coming into Baja by road from interior eastern Mexico and intend to cross into California USA you should think ahead , choose the easy solution and cancel the TVIP at San Luis RC before going into Baja where you do not need it. The San Luis RC border facility is totally easy to to locate a block north of Mex 2.
The east end Mexicali crossing is a bit of a maze to find from Mex 2,but if you go to googlemaps and type it into the search it will show up ON THE MAP . For anyone capable of reading a map and following actual provided roadside direction signs it is a simple matter of just riding there , none of that robotic unthinking zeroing in on a set of GPS coordinates dictated by a follower tool .Think ! Read a map . The border crossing is north of Mex 2 in east end industrial zones of Mexicali and has street- side
direction signs to it , how hard can that be !

And Rick , even though you may get your TVIP and FMM over the internet you are still obligated to STOP at the border crossing and go inside to the counters to have your entry validated and have the ENTRADA stamp put in your passport

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

Sorry to hijack, but if you are coming down through here, PM me if you have time to stop for next time through...

Greetings Patrick

What's current one day.....

I went back and had a look on Google earth and it looks like that coord point is inside the immigration compound area. Out of interest do you know where the new Banjercito location is relation to that GPS coord that I have?

Regards

Ian J

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