While traveling to Mexico on business this morning, I stopped at the immigration office on my way in to get my visa. The immigration officer noticed that my passport was not stamped when I left Mexico after my last visit and would not issue a visa and did not stamp my passport. I was then unable to visit the company that I was scheduled to see since I did not have a visa for my business stay.

A few phone calls were made on my behalf from the company I was suppose to visit and apparantly the only option I have is to pay a daily fine from the time of my last visit. This would work out to over $1,000!

Has this happened to anyone else and does anyone know what my options are? My first thoughts were, I could conveniently lose my passport and apply for a new one, rip the page out that has the admitting stamp, or ink stamp over the admitting stamp thereby making it illegible. The problem is, I don't know if any of this is illegal!!

Anyone have any idea as to what I can do? I need to be able to return in the future with no problems.

I'm no expert, but perhaps you can show proof of your return flight leaving Mexico at the end of the last visit (assuming you flew) to clear this up?

Perhaps the best thing to do is call the Mexican Embassy, explain the situation with your documentation that you were not in Mexico from the last visit, and see what can be done. I would only imagine that tearing out the page would lead to trouble, as could defacing the stamp, but if you aren't in the system as being rejected then a new passport might do the trick...but then again, do you want to take that chance?

Well, a new passport -- with new passport number -- sounds cheaper.

I don't have a single Mexican exit stamp in my passport. I thought they used the US system (airline collects the FMT and that's it). Does MEX even have an exit border control?

This was from a visit to Juarez, MX where I flew in to El Paso and then drove into Juarez. I could probably go back and find the expense report with my return flight and following weeks expenses in the US to prove I returned.

I really would like to go the proper and legal route, I just don't know where to start.

You might find that the primary interest of any Mexican officials you contact is to collect that USD 1000 fine rather than look at any documentation that you might have to show it is just a mistake. Getting a new passport might have worked earlier, but now you are in their system and usually the only recourse is to pay the fine. Mexico seems to be sufficiently computerized these days to ensure that you will have to pay up even if the paperwork is changed.

Why do you need a visa to go to Juarez????

For one, I am not sure that you need one given that the city is within the 15 miles special economic zone; and second, there is no Messican immigration control as you enter the country or leave it.

sounds fishy to me... perhaps they were expecting you to leave a couple of $20 bills in your passport to begin with?

just a thought...

Are you implying that Mexican officials are corrupt? Naaaaaaaaaahh.