To Most Recent Bandsters...Crossing the Border

[dreamhappy07]

Hello all,

I am sorry about asking this again. I think I did once before or maybe it was on another board.

Those of you that recently have been banded, did you cross the border with just your US ID's or did you take a passport? My Mom is going with me and she paid for our plane tickets today and we have outdated passports, but have valid US ID cards. I am a worry wart. I know that I have been told and also read up about passports not being needed unless you are flying into the country. But I just want to be sure because it's a bit late if we need a passport...lol

I am concerned about having to bring my birth certificate too because I was born in Germany, but am a US citizen. My Mom also.

Thanks for any replies in advance!

Peace,

Judy

[KatieB]

Hello all,

I am sorry about asking this again. I think I did once before or maybe it was on another board.

Those of you that recently have been banded, did you cross the border with just your US ID's or did you take a passport? My Mom is going with me and she paid for our plane tickets today and we have outdated passports, but have valid US ID cards. I am a worry wart. I know that I have been told and also read up about passports not being needed unless you are flying into the country. But I just want to be sure because it's a bit late if we need a passport...lol

I am concerned about having to bring my birth certificate too because I was born in Germany, but am a US citizen. My Mom also.

Thanks for any replies in advance!

Peace,

Judy

Hey Judy,

Until 2008 all you need is your drivers license and a copy of your birthcertificate. I just got back today as a matter of fact, after having my first fill yesterday and we only had to show our license and when asked what our nationality was we just answered, American, no problems and we had to walk through the border area and put our bags on the x-ray machine.As long as you are driving across the boarder and not flying, you will be just fine. After January you will need a passport to fly or drive to mexico. Katie

[Kelly C]

Thanks Katie for the info. I have my passport. My husband wanted me to get one because I'm Mexican/American. After much research I found out all this info 4 yrs. ago. I'm first generation Mex./Amer. My bio father was from Mex.(he was born in or around Mexico City) and my bio mother was Amer. (I was adopted as an infant and don't speak spanish at all!)) He was afraid they wouldn't let me come back home! Or was he hoping! LOL!

Kelly C.

To be banded 4/26/07

Highest weight 241

Per-Op weight 226 4/18/07

[dreamhappy07]

Hey Judy,

Until 2008 all you need is your drivers license and a copy of your birthcertificate. I just got back today as a matter of fact, after having my first fill yesterday and we only had to show our license and when asked what our nationality was we just answered, American, no problems and we had to walk through the border area and put our bags on the x-ray machine.As long as you are driving across the boarder and not flying, you will be just fine. After January you will need a passport to fly or drive to mexico. Katie

Thanks Katie. That is what makes me nervous about needing both your US ID cards and a birth certificate. Even though my Mom and I were born in Germany, we are American citizens. How would that flow with the border guards? :-?

I hope our US Id's is all we would need.

Peace,

Judy

[Donna34]

Thanks Katie. That is what makes me nervous about needing both your US ID cards and a birth certificate. Even though my Mom and I were born in Germany, we are American citizens. How would that flow with the border guards? :-?

I hope our US Id's is all we would need.

Peace,

Judy

Don't worry about it! I took both my birth certificate, AND my drivers liscense. I handed both of them to the guy, and he never even opened my birth certificate. He just glanced at my drivers liscense, and away we went. I was there for surgery exactly 2 weeks ago, today! Dr. Ortiz's drivers have a border crossing "fast lane." I guess because they have so many American patients coming and going. We didn't even have to get out of the van. We opened the door, he asked who had just had surgery, we raised our hands, and he said, "stay in the van." The people who were with us had to walk through customs and run their suitcases through X-ray. He glanced at our drivers liscenses (surgery patients in the van) and told the driver to drive on through!

I was surprised. Our driver told us, "that guy is one of the WORST ones." He said all the others just tell him to drive on through most of the time. We picked up the others on the other side of the fence, and went straight to the airport.

Relax, it will be FINE!

Donna

[dreamhappy07]

Don't worry about it! I took both my birth certificate, AND my drivers liscense. I handed both of them to the guy, and he never even opened my birth certificate. He just glanced at my drivers liscense, and away we went. I was there for surgery exactly 2 weeks ago, today! Dr. Ortiz's drivers have a border crossing "fast lane." I guess because they have so many American patients coming and going. We didn't even have to get out of the van. We opened the door, he asked who had just had surgery, we raised our hands, and he said, "stay in the van." The people who were with us had to walk through customs and run their suitcases through X-ray. He glanced at our drivers liscenses (surgery patients in the van) and told the driver to drive on through!

I was surprised. Our driver told us, "that guy is one of the WORST ones." He said all the others just tell him to drive on through most of the time. We picked up the others on the other side of the fence, and went straight to the airport.

Relax, it will be FINE!

Donna

Thanks so much Donna. So do you think we shouldn't bother bringing our birth certificates? How was is going over the border before surgery? That is nice that they let you stay in the van on the way back if you had surgery. There must have been quite a few of you.

Judy

[Donna34]

Thanks so much Donna. So do you think we shouldn't bother bringing our birth certificates? How was is going over the border before surgery? That is nice that they let you stay in the van on the way back if you had surgery. There must have been quite a few of you.

Judy

I would bring it "just in case" but just don't offer it, unless they specifically ASK for it. Which I'm SURE they won't. There were 3 surgery patients on the van heading to the airport, we each had a companion with us, so there were 6 in total. 3 of us (surgery patients) got to stay on the van, and 3 (companions) had to go through X-ray. My husband walked through, and they just glanced at his drivers liscense too, and he even had a passport. So, really, don't worry about it. It's not that big of a deal! I know how you feel though....I worried about getting back across, and my DL, and birth certificate BOTH were from the US!

So I can understand you being a little worried. It will be just fine though!

You'll have LOT'S of fun, so get excited!

Good Luck,

Donna

Oh, and crossing over INTO MX is no problem at all. We stopped momentarily, they asked us to hit a button, on a post. Driver got out and hit it, and we drove on through. No problem at all.

[dreamhappy07]

I would bring it "just in case" but just don't offer it, unless they specifically ASK for it. Which I'm SURE they won't. There were 3 surgery patients on the van heading to the airport, we each had a companion with us, so there were 6 in total. 3 of us (surgery patients) got to stay on the van, and 3 (companions) had to go through X-ray. My husband walked through, and they just glanced at his drivers liscense too, and he even had a passport. So, really, don't worry about it. It's not that big of a deal! I know how you feel though....I worried about getting back across, and my DL, and birth certificate BOTH were from the US!

So I can understand you being a little worried. It will be just fine though!

You'll have LOT'S of fun, so get excited!

Good Luck,

Donna

Oh, and crossing over INTO MX is no problem at all. We stopped momentarily, they asked us to hit a button, on a post. Driver got out and hit it, and we drove on through. No problem at all.

Whew! I am getting excited and nervous also. The pre-op diet I am on is a bit rough, but I am doing ok.

I hope there will be others on the van along with my mom and I so my mom has someone to walk through with.

Did you do any shopping in TJ? My mom and I are kinda looking forward to shopping. Can you pay with US money at the stands and such? Really would like to know all I can before we go even though it is over a month away...lol

Judy

[FurEllie]

I just crossed back on Tuesday, had forgotten my passport (oops) and used my driver's license only - not a problem. I was with 2 other people who just used their driver's license.

You can also use USD everywhere in TJ that I have tried to spend it in. One warning: We couldn't find an ATM that had USD even though some of them said they did, so if you don't think you'll be spending all your pesos (I have about 200 left over for the next fill!) then take some US cash - there are USD ATMs in the SD airport.

[KatieB]

Hi Guys,

I did find that crossing the border back into the US is a lot different when you are just in TJ for the fill. They dont make the surgery patients walk, but the fill patients have to walk through, no biggie though, just like an airport security gate, then you meet the driver on the other side by the Jack In The Box.

[Donna34]

Shopping in TJ is FUN! Make sure you go to Revolution Ave. There are always cabs outside the hotel, just hop in and say Revolution Ave. It cost us $3 to go. BUT, beware of some of the cab drivers ON Revolution Ave. It cost us $10 to get back, and that particular cab driver gave me the creeps! The little red and white cabs are a safe bet, forgot the name!

We used US dollars the whole time. We also used our Visa debit card in the hotel restaurants, and for room service, etc. You can set that up at the front desk, SIMPLE. Just make sure you contact your BANK before you go, and let them know you will be in MX. Otherwise they may freeze your account thinking your card was stolen.

It's easier to use US dollars on Revolution than Pesos. Never pay the first price they quote you! You'll have a blast bargaining with them! In the first shop, the guy showed me the CUTEST little silver bracelet. He told me it was $25, I walked away, and he said OK, OK $20, I said no, and he said $15....this went on for awhile, but I left with the bracelet, and I paid $6. They come WAY down! It's amusing, to say the least!

You're gonna love your trip!

I sure did!

Donna

[Donna34]

Also, another thing to think about.... Pesos convert to US dollars at about 11%. So just for quick math we'll say 10%. So if you have 100 pesos, it's worth about 10 dollars. We forgot to look up the exchange rate, and were kinda freaking out when we were looking at the menu in the hotel. My entree said $144. Which was actually pesos, and it really cost about $15 dollars! So, you might want to look up the exchange rate before you go, because it could change before then.

Have fun!

Donna