Anyone here know? Can I take a bus down to the Belize border and just turn around and return the next day? Or is there a specific amount of time I have to be out of the country? Thanks for any info!
TomT, Love your music, man. See this thread re: Belize and Visas, though the FMT, commonly called a Tourist Card, while it looks, smells and tastes like a Visa, is technically not a Visa. http://www.cancuncare.com/forum/living-cancun-riviera-maya/13429-visa-runs-belize.html Not sure if this thread so states but you take a bus to Chetumal, then catch another to the Free Zone of Belize. Come back the same way, just in the opposite direction. T.J.
Thanks, TJ. I recall reading that thread, but it seemed to have some contradictory info...two days for one person...two hours for another. And last night at dinner someone said "you have to be out of the country for three days." So it's confusing. I was just hoping someone here had some really concrete information (I know I know...it's Mexico). And I hear it's not even an FMT anymore...it's now an FMM.
The law does say that you have to be out of the country for 72 hours. They dont enforce it too much unless you go and come back in a couple of hours and you come and get the same guy that were there when you turned in your FMT.
Has anyone reading this stayed in Mexico for 180 days on an FMT, then done a "visa run" and immediately returned on an FMM, as a tourist, since that new form was introduced? Or, does anyone reading this know someone who has done this? ______________________ [What I'm curious about is whether anyone has noticed any limits on the ability to exit, then immediately reenter the country, as people could do, before. My thinking is that if you entered on an FMT, and reenter on an FMM, you are then subject to the new rules for the first time: in that case, even if the new law limits your ability to exit and reenter, as a tourist, within a 12 month period, after you've initially spent 180 days in country on an FMM- as some have suggested- this possible limitation may not apply at all until you enter on an FMM, and you would still be entitled to 180 days on what would then be your first FMM. (I'm thinking out loud, here, and don't have an opinion on this question.)] ______________________
Tori, I'm hoping someone has had some experience with this, recently, or heard of another's experience with this, and will respond to my post, above. [I've looked through the new rules and didn't see any reference to a limitation of 180 days, out of any 360 days, in country on an FMM; but, a limitation was widely discussed on the internet, earlier this year, in reference to the new rules which went into effect May 1, so I may have missed something.] There still hasn't been enough time to test the limit, if one exists, applicable to those who have entered on an FMM: we'd have to wait until at least November 1 before anyone having entered on an FMM on May 1 would need to exit, and reenter again. _____________________
??? Nobody out there come in on an FMT, stay 180 days, then reenter on an FMM; or, heard of someone who has, so we can hear how it went?
I guess i am a unique instance. We shall see in two days if any problems arise. I am gonna be a little nervous that's for sure.
My experience with this is not recent, was a few years back (about six now that I think about it). I was told I had to be out for 48 hours by one agent, 72 by another. My first time out I fell in love with Caye Caulker Belize and stayed 7 days, no biggie. Second time out, we couldn't get IN to Belize so turned around and came right back. The INM agent laughed when she saw that we had just hit the border and turned around. She asked how much we paid for the Belize stamp, we told her and she said "You could have avoided paying them and just walked over to me from the exit INM and paid me. Now, for 300 pesos, I'll let you in". More of an anecdote than anything helpful, but thought I would share.
