Xref: world wstd.travel.advisories:586 Newsgroups: wstd.travel.advisories Path: world!uucp From: Wally Doerge <76702.1202@compuserve.com> Subject: ALL: NEW TRAVEL INFO -- Mexico Message-ID: <940908123305_76702.1202_CHN24-1@CompuServe.COM> Precedence: bulk Sender: uucp@world.std.com (UUCP Owner) Organization: The World @ Software Tool & Die Distribution: wstd Date: Thu, 8 Sep 1994 12:33:05 GMT Approved: usenet@world.std.com Lines: 217 STATE DEPARTMENT TRAVEL INFORMATION - Mexico ============================================================ Mexico - Consular Information Sheet September 2, 1994 Country Description: Mexico has a rapidly developing economy. Luxury accommodations in major cities and resorts are widely available. Tourist facilities in more remote areas may be limited. Entry Requirements: Proof of citizenship and photo identification are required for entry by all U.S. citizens. A passport and visa are not required for a tourist/transit stay of up to 180 days. A tourist card issued by Mexican consulates and most airlines serving Mexico is required. Minors traveling without a valid passport require notarized consent from parent(s) if traveling alone, with one parent, or in someone else's custody. Mexican regulations limit the value of goods brought into Mexico by U.S. citizens arriving by air or sea to $300 per person and by land to $50 per person. Other travel-related items may also be brought in duty-free. Amounts exceeding the duty-free limit are subject to a 32.8 percent tax. Upon arrival in Mexico, business travelers must complete a form authorizing the conduct of business, but not employment for a 30 day period. If the business traveler departs and re-enters, the 30-day period begins again. There is no fee for the business pass. For further information concerning entry requirements, travelers may contact the Embassy of Mexico at 1911 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006, telephone (202) 728-1600, or any of the Mexican consulates in major U.S. cities. Medical Facilities: Adequate medical care can be found in all major cities. Health facilities in Mexico City are excellent. Care in more remote areas is limited. Air pollution in Mexico City is severe, especially from December to May. For additional health information, travelers may contact the Centers for Disease Control's international travelers hotline at (404) 332-4559. Crime Information: Street crime is common, especially in urban areas. Persons driving on some Mexican roads, particularly in isolated regions, have been targeted by bandits who operate primarily after dark. Criminals, particularly in Sinaloa, sometimes represent themselves as Mexican police or other local officials. Any U.S. citizen victims of crime in Mexico are encouraged to report the incident to local police authorities and to the nearest U.S. consular office. The U.S. Embassy advises its personnel not to travel on Mexican highways after dark. Highway 15 and Express Highway 1 (limited access) in the state of Sinaloa are particularly dangerous areas where criminal assaults and murders have occurred, during the day and at night. Driving Information: U.S. driver's licenses are valid in Mexico. Mexican insurance is required. All vehicular traffic is restricted in Mexico City in order to reduce air pollution. The restriction is based on the last digit of the vehicle license plate. (There is no specific provision regarding license plates with letters only.) -Monday: No driving if license plate ends with 5 or 6. -Tuesday: No driving if license plate ends with 7 or 8. -Wednesday: No driving if license plate ends with 3 or 4. -Thursday: No driving if license plate ends with 1 or 2. -Friday: No driving if license plate ends with 9 or 0. Also, no driving of vehicles with temporary license plates or any other plate that does not conform with the above. -Saturday and Sunday: All vehicles may be driven. Traveling in Baja: During heavy seasonal rains (January-March), road conditions can become difficult and travelers can become stranded. For current Mexican road conditions between Ensenada and El Rosario, Mexico, travelers can contact the nearest Mexican consulate or tourism office or the U.S. Consulate General in Tijuana. Traveling in Chiapas: The town of San Cristobal in the state of Chiapas remains quiet after the disturbances in early January 1994. The situation could become unstable in areas of Chiapas state outside of San Cristobal. U.S. citizens residing or traveling in Mexico may contact the U.S. embassy or consulates for further security information. Travel Through Mexico To Central American Countries: Mexican authorities require that all international transit of persons (transmigrantes) and merchandise through Mexico, destined for Central America, from the area from Ciudad Acuna to Matamoros, be handled by the Lucio Blanco-Los Indios customs office and by the Colombia, Nuevo Laredo customs office. Transmigrantes entering Mexico from areas other than the Ciudad Acuna-Matamoros zone, will continue to use their regular ports of entry. Mexican authorities require that a customs broker handle the temporary entry into Mexico of all non-personal property of travelers destined for central American countries. Fees will be processed through the customs broker. For more detailed information, travelers can contact the nearest Mexican consulate or tourism office or the U.S. Consulate in Matamoros prior to departing the U.S. Bringing Vehicles into Mexico: The government of Mexico strictly regulates the entry of vehicles into Mexico. The owner of an imported vehicle should be present in the vehicle at all times the vehicle is in operation or the vehicle may be confiscated. Travelers are advised to contact the nearest Mexican consulate in the U.S. for specific, detailed information prior to departing the U.S. Drug and Firearms Penalties: Penalties for drug and firearm offenses are strict, and convicted offenders can expect lengthy jail sentences and fines. Sentences for possession of drugs in Mexico can be as long as 25 years plus fines. Just as in the U.S., purchase of controlled medication requires a doctor's prescription. The Mexican list of controlled medication differs from the U.S. list, and Mexican public health laws concerning controlled medication are unclear. Possession of excessive amounts of a psychotropic drug such as valium can result in arrest if the authorities suspect abuse. A permit from a Mexican consulate in the U.S. is required in order to import firearms or ammunition into Mexico, whether or not the firearm is legally registered in the U.S. Sentences for possession of firearms in Mexico can be as long as 30 years. Some Mexican cities have ordinances prohibiting the possession of knives or anything that might be construed as a weapon. Travelers should check with the nearest Mexican consulate before traveling to Mexico with firearms or to purchase medication. Dual Citizenship: U.S. citizens who are also considered to be Mexican citizens could be subject to compulsory military service and other aspects of Mexican law while in Mexico. Those who may be affected can inquire at the Mexican Embassy or a consulate to determine status. In some instances, dual nationality may hamper U.S. government efforts to provide protection in Mexico. Other Information: U.S. citizens who become involved in time-share or other real property purchases should be aware that Mexican laws and practices regarding real estate are markedly different from those in the U.S. A list of local attorneys can be obtained from the U.S. Embassy or nearest consulate in Mexico. The U.S. Embassy strongly recommends the use of competent local legal assistance for any significant real property or business purchase. Tips for Travelers: Useful information is provided in the Department of state pamphlets "A Safe Trip Abroad" and "Tips for Travelers to Mexico" which are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. Civil Aviation Oversight: In May 1992, the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration assessed Mexico's civil aviation authority as in compliance with international aviation safety oversight standards for Mexican carriers operating to and from the U.S. The same level of safety oversight would typically be applied to operations to other destinations. For further information, travelers may contact the Department of Transportation at 1-800-322-7873. Registration: U.S. citizens who register at the U.S. Embassy or a U.S. Consulate can obtain updated information on travel and security within Mexico. Embassy and Consulate Locations: The U.S. Embassy is located in Mexico City at Paseo de la Reforma 305, Colonia Cuauhtemoc, telephone (52-5)211-0042. There are also U.S. Consulates General in: Ciudad Juarez at Avenida Lopez Mateos 924-N, telephone(52-16)134048; Guadalajara at Progreso 175, telephone (52-3) 625-2998; Monterrey at Avenida Constitucion 411 Poniente 64000 Monterrey, telephone (52-83)45-2120; Tijuana at Tapachula 96, telephone (52-66)817400. There are U.S. Consulates in: Hermosillo at Ave. Monterrey 141, telephone (52-62)172375; Matamoros at Ave. Primera 2002, telephone (52-88)12-44-02; Merida at Paseo Montejo 453, telephone (52-99)25-6366 and Nuevo Laredo at Calle Allende 3330, Col. Jardin, telephone (52-871)4-0512. There are Consular Agencies in: Puerto Vallarta at Parian Del Puente Local 12-A, telephone (52-322)2-0069; Acapulco at Hotel Club Del Sol, telephone (52-748)5-7207/5-6600; Cancun at Avenida Nader #40, Edificio Marruecos, third floor office #31, telephone (52-98)84-24-11; San Luis Potosi at Francisco De P. Mariel 102, Desp. One, telephone (52-481)2-1528; Oaxaca at Alcala 201, telephone (52-951)4-3054; San Miguel de Allende at Dr. Hernandez Macias #72, telephone (52-465)2-2357/2-0068; Tampico at Ave. Hidalgo #2000 local 4, telephone (52-12)13-2217; Veracruz at Victimas del 25 de Junio #388, telephone (52-29)31-5821; Cabo San Lucas at Blvd. Marina Y Perdregal, Local No. 3 Zona Centro, telephone (52-114) 3-35-66 and Mazatlan at Hotel Playa Mazatlan, Rodolfo T. Loaiza #202, Zona Dorada, 82110, telephone (52-69) 134-444 ext. 285. No. 94-186 This replaces the Consular Information Sheet dated June 7, 1994 by adding information on aviation oversight.