davetravels

I was just going thru my passport wallet, and found my boarding pass from my last trip to Mexico in December - - AND - - -

It STILL HAS the immigration card stapled to it!!! Isn't the gate agent supposed to collect those when you board the plane when you're leaving the country?

I'm flying into MEX tomorrow. Does anyone have any have any idea if I'll have any problems?!?!?

Thanx in advance!

DT

JDiver

One word of advice: fuhgeddaboutit.

Though it is good practice to turn it in at departure, someone forgot to lift the card (not your fault) and Mexico MAY have the means to track these things in essence they don't follow through with an alert system

Relax and ¡buen viaje!

Section 107

Agreed, nothing to worry about.

However, I would bring it with you in the highly unusual and extremely unlikely case their systems have been upgraded to the 20th Century and they do realize it was not collected last time.

Ironically, had you lost the departure card before leaving Mexico would have charged* you to replace it before allowing you to leave. So, I suppose now they owe you!

*the fee for a lost departure card used to be ~$30us but who knows what it is with current exchange rates.

Often1

I would forget it and simply say that they must have misfiled it because it was lifted.

Why make trouble where there is none?

kthomas

Sorry I didn't see this earlier-- I suspect you're good, especially if you're holding the card. If you entered after approx. 10 Dec 2014, you're still within the 180 day visit period... and obviously, have exited.

davetravels

Well, I'm writing to you from in Mexico City Airport prison.You know, the VIP section, where they have wifi!



Actually, I said nothing, and nothing was said to me.

Thanx for all yer help and suggestions!

JDiver

Not impossible. I knew of a jewel thief who had a suite with employees, and the guards would take him (with his money) to excellent shady, up front seats for the bull fights Sunday afternoons. WiFi? $ure!

Glad you made it (I was never worried); thanks for the follow up.

aumedina

I had exactly the opposite problem. Last year I visited I visited Dallas and when I returned to Mexico I found with horror my immigration card. When I visited Houston a month later I took the card with me, but they didnt ask anything
I havent had any problem since then

davetravels

So, you're saying that, the US immigration tracking system is exactly as good as the Mexican system.

JDiver

I'd s trike the word "exactly".

Section 107

Yes, but don't believe that will always be the case. In most cases for simple tourist/business trips it probably will not be a problem. But there are many situations when it could become a problem as the government can/will/may use any excuse to deny an application. Example, when my fiancee (now wife) was going through her K-1 process (changing from B1/B2) we also discovered a departure card that had not been collected properly by airline staff. An immigration attorney and an ICE official both recommended it be turned in as so we took it to the ICE office at IAD.

Ultimately we did not experience any issues due to it in her process but there is no way of knowing if that is because they didn't care to begin with or because it was turned in.

My point - if you find such an document was not turned in be sure to turn it in as soon as possible. Don't give them any excuse to mess up your day.

GatoAndaluz

Just tear it out of your passport and throw it away. The only way they'll give you trouble about it is if they see it still in your passport.

JDiver

With a Mexico FMM (Forma Migratoria Múltiple para Extranjeros) there is nothing to "tear out" of one's passport. The "talón" or slip the visitor must keep is loose and easily falls out of passport.

GatoAndaluz

The OP said it was stapled into the passport.

JDiver

I've never seen that unless someone does that themselves; the OP actually stated it was stapled to his boarding pass.

I'd not ever recommend anyone tear out anything from, or particularly a, passport page; that can be viewed with suspicion arriving in the US or in some other countries.

Regardless, the issue has been settled, as stated above by davetravels.