TIP
 

Hi
i am British and riding through Mexico to Belize and onwards. When I entered from Laredo in the US and drove straight across the border - I expected to be directed to the right offices to do the necessary paperwork to import my vehicle temporarily. This didn't happen, I am leaving Mexico in less than a week and not sure what will happen when I reach the Mexican Belize border.
Any help suggestions appreciated
Pete

Especially the smaller border crossings in Mexico aren't very clear. We left Mexico to Guatemala at a pretty small crossing and there wasn't anyone around so we could have just gone right through without stopping. It's not likely anyone from customs will notice you so the vehicle probably won't be an issue. Immigration will want to see your visa which you should have picked up at the entry point. You should be able to talk your way through that, but they will want the visa fees paid since you won't have a receipt. If you are lucky , you might just drive through to the Belize side without any issue!

Had this message exchange yesterday

and then

so since they were in a pickup, you might be lucky. Penalties for illegal entry into any country can be pretty severe. I think they did have the FMM though, just not the TIP.

It is fairly common further south for the ingoing border officer to carefully check for the outgoing stamp of the previous country and send you back if it isn't there so that might come up when you head into the next country. The TIP issuing offices in Mexico can be 25km south of the border and on Baja, a couple of hundred km south and they don't stand out on the road waving their arms around. Same happens way south between Bolivia and Chile and between Argentina and Chile and between Bolivia and Brazil so you need to read up on locations., Go to ioverlander and look at the map for border crossing locations and descriptions. Not guaranteed but may save you backtracking 100km to sign out

Let us know the result.

We crossed into Belize from Mexico a month or so ago by bike. It's similar to the entry in that you have to stop and ask where customs is, rather than being forced/prompted. The main checkpoint/exit booth (physically on the road, preventing you from leaving) just checks your passport and cancels your tourist card.

Don;t worry, you won't face the same issue in Belize. There is a lot of items to complete and they will make sure you get it all before letting you in!

TonyLee , was that exchange with Rangi ? Sounds odd that he' d post a question yesterday and be in Panama now already . What 's the point asking then ?

In any case if it wasn't Rangi and Rangi is still within a day or three of the US / Mex border I'd suggest they turn back and get the proper paperwork .
" Just going for it " is asking for trouble . Actually , evidence of poor research , should have known better had y'all been here on HU earlier with questions .
It's not as if the Mexican border process offices are hidden , ASK at every border what you need to do , don't expect to be babysat . :).
Rangi , if you get to the crossing to Belize near Chetumal and you stop to actually leave Mexico at the new Chactemal terminal they will want to see your FMM ( tourist permit ) for cancellation
If you don't have that nor the TVIP they may get very interested . They may send you back to the USA border if they want to make a point . They certainly would be interested if you did nothave the TVIP.
If you have a TVIP ( unlikely if you blew the NL Border crossing) and are not coming back north then cancel it ( and get the refund , but you did not pay that security deposit either)
If you manage to just trundle through the Mexican part without getting stopped the Belizeans still might get difficult because you did not get a Mexican exit stamp .

Ah , the problems folk make for themselves by not paying attention and asking questions at borders . Just don't try sneaking in or out of countries through unmarked and unsupervised border crossings in the boondocks unless you are willing to accept surprises .

No, of course it wasn't with Rangi. It concerned another issue where Mexico has started to refuse many pickup trucks on the spurious basis that they are cargo trucks - because of an improper reading of their own regulations regarding GMV. In the case I cited, they had been refused and they messaged me for advice. Unfortunately - or maybe fortunately considering they got away with it - I don't look at facebook message requests so by the time I did read their message weeks late they were waiting for the ferry at Panama. If I had given advice it would have been to follow a new procedure that apparently satisfies the Mexicans but which doesn't always work.
This problem comes up about once a week, especially on Baja where there is very little in the way of visual clues that you need to visit immigration and then maybe 100km later, visit aduana. Reason is almost the whole border zone of variable width is a hassle-free zone and there are no barriers or people standing around direct you. I've been involved in exchanges with several travellers who get right down to LaPaz Baja and only realise what they have missed when they try to get on the ferry and need a TVIP for the mainland and are refused because they don't have an FMM which is only available way north.

Yes, you are right - illegal entry is usually taken very seriously and all countries are very jealous of their sovereignty which is why I said " Penalties for illegal entry into any country can be pretty severe"

One thing that should be added is that penalties for overstaying a TVIP can also be very severe. Ecuador apparently charges US$350 A DAY for overstaying and Peru confiscates the whole vehicle without option of a fine

Guess I should give my usual plug for iOverlander.com Like The HUBB it is an indispensable tool for travellers and in the context of this topic, contains specific information on locations and procedures of most of the border crossings in the Americas - and indeed in a good part of the world as well.

Tony , I get you now . I also have run into tourists deep into Mexico and even in Guatemala who were blithely ignorant of the need to have the entry documents, they just rode on and never thought about it because no guards clobbered them .

Okay , RANGI , where are you now ,any plan formulated? Headed back to the northern border to rectify your oversight?

As I said earlier , you will be going through the border to Belize from near Chetumal, QR , the ONLY possible MX/ BZ crossing .
IF you get there without your Mexican entry documentation it will be tricky but if you can manage to trundle past the Mexican exit without the FMM do not even mention that you do not have the TVIP if they do not ask about it . One is not required to cancel the TVIP if one only wants to visit BZ and then return to Mexico , so it could be made to appear that you are only leaving MX for a short time .
IF you are lucky and get that far then you still need to talk yours way through the BZ customs if they ask where your MX SALIDA ( departure) stamp is . But that should be possible to talk your way out of in English... with luck .

However I still urge you to defer your trek southward and retreat to the border with the USA to get all your missing Mexican paperwork , even if it means several extra days of riding. Think of it as an opportunity to explore more different Mexican roads. The worst that can happen is that they make you pay a fine AND send you back to the MX / US border.

Just an fyi for anybody that reads this thread, I drove from Coatzacoalcos to Palenque yesterday and went through a random police stop, they were just randomly pulling vehicles aside and I was pulled aside. He asked to see my passport, visa, and vehicle importation (TVIP). I wonder what would have happened had I not had the permit.....

What did you end up doing anyhow?