Hi, I am a international student holding a valid US visa (student F-1) and a valid I-20. I study at Arizona State University. I wanted to drive down to Puerto Penasco. I need to know if I need a special visa to get there or my valid US student visa is sufficient?

Our reply:
A valid passport or alien registration card is required for non-U.S. citizens to enter Mexico.

Another thing to remember: doublecheck the expiration dates on all of the above! Non-US citizens who cross into Mexico with expired documents will not be let back in! We've heard enough stories to know that trying to clear up such a situation from the wrong side of the border is a severe hassle, so doublecheck all those ID's!

Update 03.2005: The Tucson citizen ran this article which quotes the US Consulate in Nogales as saying "International students must re-enter through Douglas or Nogales."

This is the first time I've heard of this, but then again I'm not an international student. The US Consulate in Nogales maintains a website with contact info at:

http://www.usembassy-mexico.gov/nogales/NE_Introduction.htm

... so I would contact them beforehand to make sure.

-bhance

QUESTION:

Our reply:
It is a common myth that all you need to travel into and out of Penasco is a U.S. drivers license - and while sometimes this is all the border staff ask for, you are technically required to have proof of citizenship - and a US driver's license is NOT proof of citizenship.

Basically - if you have a valid passport, bring it. If not, bring a certified copy of your birth certificate, driver's license, or 'other government identification with a photo'.

From travel.state.gov's 'Tips For Travelers To Mexico'

Make sure that you can return to the United States with the proof of citizenship that you take with you. Although you may be allowed to enter Mexico with only a birth certificate, U.S. law requires that you document both your U.S. citizenship and identity when you re-enter the United States.

The most authoritative document to prove your U.S. citizenship is a valid U.S. passport. Other documents that establish U.S. citizenship include an expired U.S. passport, a certified copy of your birth certificate, a Certificate of Naturalization, a Certificate of Citizenship, or a Report of Birth Abroad of a U.S. citizen. To prove your identity, either a valid driver's license or government identification with a photo is acceptable.

Passport update 2007

Beginning June 1, 2008, The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin enforcing the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), legislation passed by Congress. This mandates that anyone crossing the border into the United States must have proof of citizenship. The passport is currently the only document that satisfies this requirement.

The legislation states that this requirement is to go into effect on June 1, 2009, but DHS intends to begin enforcing this legislation early. So, have your passport ready for June 1, 2008.

Passports are granted by the U.S. State Department. For details on obtaining a passport, visit their website at http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html . For a list of passport acceptance facilities in your area , visit http://iafdb.travel.state.gov .

Download an application for a passport here. http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_847.html . Follow the instructions on the page and consult with the above link for additional instructions. Photos for passports can be obtained at selected USPS locations, AAA offices and many major drug store chains.

Fees for passports
Age 16 and older: $97
Under age 16: $82

From: http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cbpmc/cbpmc_2223.html

Implemented on January 23, 2007, ALL PERSONS traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean region are required to present a passport or other valid travel document to enter or re-enter the United States.

LAND AND SEA TRAVEL
The following summarizes information available on the Department of Homeland Security’s website.

JANUARY 31, 2008
U.S. and Canadian citizens will need to present either a WHTI-compliant document , or a government-issued photo ID, such as a driver’s license, plus proof of citizenship, such as a birth certificate. DHS also proposes to begin alternative procedures for U.S. and Canadian children at that time.

SUMMER 2008
At a later date, to be determined, the departments will implement the full requirements of the land and sea phase of WHTI. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have either a U.S. passport; a U.S. passport card; a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI; a valid Merchant Mariner Document (MMD) when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or a valid U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders.

WHTI-compliant documents:

U.S. Passport: U.S. citizens may present a valid U.S. passport when traveling via air, land or sea between the U.S. and the aforementioned Western Hemisphere countries.
The Passport Card: This limited-use, wallet-size passport card is not yet available and is under development.  When available it will only be valid for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean region (includes Bermuda).
Other Accepted Travel Documents: SENTRI, NEXUS, FAST and the U.S. Coast Guard Mariner Document.  Members of the U.S. Armed Forces on active duty traveling on orders are exempt from the passport requirement. DHS has more information on these travel documents.  This information may be seen at www.dhs.gov.

The implementation date will be determined based on a number of factors, including the progress of actions undertaken by the Department of Homeland Security to implement the WHTI requirements and the availability of WHTI compliant documents on both sides of the border. DHS and DOS expect the date of full WHTI implementation to be in the summer of 2008. The precise implementation date will be formally announced with at least 60 days notice.

See also:travel.state.gov's 'New Requirements for Travelers'
See also:travel.state.gov's 'Tips For Travelers To Mexico'
See also:NYT: The Clock Is Ticking for Winter Travelers

QUESTION:

Our reply:
Yes, there is still beach camping - we've had a lot of luck near the dunes, south-ish of JJ's cantina about a mile or so.

While there are a lot of 'beach camping' places that cater to RV's - hence the concrete - there's still a lot of right-on-the-beach sand camping to be had. Usually there's a sand / dirt road 100 or 150 yards from the beach where you can park your rig and then pitch the tents close to there.

QUESTION:

Our reply:
Yes, it is, provided you do your homework.

While many people say 'we've never had a problem bringing our pet back and forth across the border', you really, really, really should get valid U.S. Veterinarian Health Certificate & Rabies Certificate - not more than 6 months old. Any local vet should be able to provide these for you.

The thing is, most border checks aren't going to give you a hard time about it -- but should they, and they have the right to do so, they can hold/quarantine your pet which is both traumatic and expensive. So get the forms!

Also remember that Mexico has a lot of strays running around, so you need to keep a close eye on your pet. Don't let them roam free. Have tags on them. Keep them close.

And, of course, if your pet isn't used to hot climates, give them plenty of shade and water.

From travel.state.gov's 'Tips For Travelers To Mexico':

U.S. visitors to Mexico may bring dogs or cats by presenting the following certificates at the border:
1. A pet health certificate signed by a registered veterinarian in the United States and issued not more than 72 hours before the animal enters Mexico; and
2. a pet vaccination certificate showing that the animal has been treated for rabies, hepatitis, pip and leptospirosis.

Special warning - see also: 'Rewards spark dog thefts in Mexico' from azstarnet.com

05.04.2006 - Various people have been asking me about dog friendly hotels/condos, so I'm going to start a running list here, compiled from visitor reports. If you have additions to this list, please email me.

Baja Hotel and Cantina From U.S.: 011-52-638-383-68-78 or hotelbaja@hotmail.com (Thanks Faith!)

QUESTION:

What about scuba diving? Best place for fishing? Sunset cruises? Snorkeling?

Our reply:
I'm not the best person to ask when it comes to the sea around Penasco - not a boat person, sorry - but I do know who is:

Mark at RockyPointBoatTrips.com, he's got all of this down. His email? mark@RockyPointBoatTrips.com. Hint, hint.

Drop him a line, he's always treated me well.

QUESTION:

I need a rental car! I need a rental car!

Our reply:
If you are going to Penasco and want a rental car, see here.

QUESTION:

Can I fly into Penasco?

Our reply:
Yes - Penasco does have a small airport that is open to private and chartered flights, see my writeup in 'airport' and 'airlines'. The trip takes about an hour and fifteen minutes. A huge international airport is also currently underway about twenty miles east of town, slated for completion in 2008, which will presumably open up much easier commercial flight into the area.

QUESTION:

I need a bus into/out of Penasco!

Our reply:
In the summer of 2005, a number of shuttle services popped up that began offering bus and charter service into and out of Penasco. We have summarized them on our transport page.

QUESTION:

Is this domain name (puerto-penasco.com) for sale?

Our reply:
I get this email enough that I thought I'd put something online about it.

The answer is 'I'm not actively looking to sell www.puerto-penasco.com, but that doesn't mean I am a bad businessperson.' If you've got a serious, legitimate offer, it can't hurt to shoot me an email.

I've run this site for years and although it's a lot of work, I get a lot of enjoyment out of it. I've had a number of offers and they're all off by an order of magnitude, if that gives you any hints.

   Johnathan Is Alive Today Because Of His Mother's Kidney

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