Immigration aims for faster processing

More agents are on the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mexico News Daily | Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Travelers arriving by air at various Mexican airports ought to see shorter waits in the immigration lineups now that additional agents have been trained to receive arrivals.

The National Immigration Institute (INM) has added more personnel at six international airports so as to reduce processing times.

At the Mexico City airport, where 240,000 foreigners arrive every month, the INM figures that three minutes are needed to process the documentation for each one. With 140 flights arriving daily, the 40 INM desks can handle up to 3,000 foreign visitors in the course of 25-30 minutes.

In Cancún the number of agents has been doubled to speed up the process.

Other airports affected are Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Monterrey and Los Cabos.

Frequent American travelers to Mexico also have the option of using the Viajero Confiable, or Trusted Traveler program, if they are enrolled in the United States’ Global Entry system. Visitors insert their passports in a scanner and input other information in the process, which is supposed to take no more than three minutes.

The service is available at the airports in Mexico City, Los Cabos and Cancún.

The processing times are only those for immigration. Customs is even faster but not when you press the button and lose the red light lottery, which gets you a bag inspection.

Source: Notimex (sp)

- See more at: http://mexiconewsdaily.com/news/immigration-aims-faster-processing/#sthash.A0rjEEwc.dpuf

How to Fit Everything You Need into One Carry-On

cntraveler.com
 ByWENDY PERRIN

If the fashion police in Condé Nast Traveler's Style Department were to peek inside my luggage, they would have me arrested. They'd find few if any designer labels or logos–only inconspicuous clothing that helps me blend in at my destination; if drab is what the locals wear, it's what I wear. They'd find no expensive jewelry or watches that could turn me into a target of petty thieves or customs officials. They'd spot few primary colors or patterned fabrics; most of my travel clothing is solid black, khaki, or white, so I can mix and match and thus pack light and avoid checking luggage.

You can't be a slave to the fashionistas when you're a slave to the overhead storage bin. No way will I pay a fee to check baggage, or let a weighty carry-on slow me down. That's why the closest I'll ever get to a gorgeous leather duffel with gold buckles is the Gucci catalog. The style police will just have to cite me for the water-resistant ballistic nylon that covers my unchic and well-worn carry-on wheelie and my even more unchic combination pocketbook/laptop case/camera bag. As for what's inside the wheelie, forget bulky toiletry kits, designer jewelry cases, or padded lingerie pouches. Ziplocs are this girl's best friend. You'll find a bunch of these weightless, bulk-less, transparent, zip-top bags in my wheelie, holding everything from toiletries to extension cords to camera batteries. And, instead of some fancy garment holder, you'll find my business clothing and formalwear encased in plastic dry cleaner bags–the best wrinkle preventers I know.

My system may not be stylish, but it has stood the test of hundreds of thousands of air miles. Not only can I fit all my casual outdoor clothing, dress-up attire, and considerable electronic gear into one wheelie and one laptop bag, but I can find anything at a moment's notice and nothing gets wrinkled. For those of you who value utility over fashion, here is the unvarnished truth about what my wheelie looks like when you open it . . . and how yours can look that way too.

1. Use a carry-on with few structured compartments or other doodads.
I'm all for manifold zippered pockets in a laptop bag, but I've found them–along with internal straps, sleeves, hangers, and other organizers–to be a drawback in a wheelie. Wide-open space lets you squeeze more in and weighs less. My 22-inch Travelpro Rollaboard–which I have been forced to check only rarely, on certain flights between or within foreign countries–has external expandable zippered compartments, and that's about it. In those outside pockets I place garments that I will need easy access to in transit–typically my jacket, sweater (for warmth on the plane), and pashmina shawl (which doubles as an airplane blanket)–and that I can throw on, should the bulging pocket ever cause the carry-on to exceed the allowed dimensions (not all airports, airlines, security stations, and gates use the same size restrictions or enforce them consistently).

2. Think of the zip-top bag as the Swiss Army Knife of your packing system.
All of the stuff that other travelers place in the aforementioned internal compartments, I place in Ziploc bags. One holds my liquids, gels, and creams in containers of three ounces or less. Another holds dry toiletries, another my makeup, another electronic accessories (cables, chargers, anything I don't need at my fingertips in my handbag). I carry a couple of spare Ziplocs for use during the trip–say, for holding a wet bathing suit. If I've made purchases and need to free up space in the wheelie, I'll roll up some wrinkle-free clothing (e.g., a wool sweater), stick it in a gallon-size Ziploc, squeeze out every bit of air, and–like magic–the sweater's size is halved. I even fill a sandwich-size Ziploc with stuff I may need during the flight (eyedrops, nasal spray, hand cream, lip balm, earplugs, eye mask, vitamin C–my version of a business-class amenities kit) and place it inside the Ziploc that holds my three-ounce liquids, then remove it post-security and place it in my handbag for the flight. When I'm not on the road, the Ziplocs holding my travel-size toiletries sit at home in the closet. I never empty them; I just save them for the next trip.

3. Stick to neutral colors, and limit patterns as much as possible. 
The inside of your luggage should not look like a Jackson Pollock painting. I pack a lot of black (partly because you can't tell if it's dirty) and then add color or pattern in the form of an accessory such as a scarf or shawl–a snazzy silk one in warm weather, a pash­mina in cold. I'll keep it in my handbag and use it as needed throughout the day, depending on whether I'm in a poor area (in which case I take it off) or checking into a hotel (in which case I put it on). I can wear it on my head if it starts to rain or if I'm entering a mosque in the Middle East or a Catholic church in Ireland.

4. Pack old garments that you've been meaning to replace.
I often pack clothes that I was about to throw out, then discard them (or give them to the needy) mid-trip, freeing up space for clothing I buy locally.

5. Go light on items you plan to shop for during your trip. 
Whatever you hope to acquire–a hat in Panama, ski socks in Austria–don't bring them from home. The advantages of buying clothing during a trip are many: You gain insight into the destination when you shop like a local, you show respect for the culture and help sustain it when you buy and wear local garb, you can usually get inexpensive and comfortable outfits suited to the weather, and bargaining is made easier, since merchants will see your attire and assume you know what the price should be.

6. Pack toiletries that are not only travel-size but also multi-purpose.
No need to carry little bottles of liquid detergent because you can buy tiny biodegradable soap sheets for doing laundry in the sink. You can also cut down on other liquids by packing moisturizer with SPF in it and travel-size packs of Neutrogena makeup-remover pads. My husband even uses the lather from Pert shampoo-plus-conditioner as his shaving cream. As for solids, I place non-prescription pills into one small container, consolidating a few Tylenol, Motrin, Sudafed, Imodium, vitamins, and anything else I need. Always leave prescription pills in their original bottles, though, in case the authorities question you about their provenance.

7. Remember to save those plastic bags from the dry cleaner. 
Garments come back from the cleaners on wire hangers, covered in plastic, and that's how they should go into your luggage, as long as each item is encased in its own plastic. (Wrinkles are caused when certain fabrics rub up against other fabrics; plastic significantly reduces that friction, as does tissue paper, which is why sticking tissue in the sleeves of folded garments also helps prevent wrinkles.) Hold all the hangers in one hand, then fold the layers two or three times, so that they lie flat atop everything else in your wheelie. (As the trip progresses and your garments get worn and no longer need to be kept wrinkle-free, throw out the hangers.) As for dress shirts, men should leave them in their dry-cleaning packaging (cardboard in the collar and all).

8. Wear your heaviest or bulkiest shoes to the airport so you needn't pack them.
I usually wear my sturdy, super-comfortable walking shoes to the airport and pack no more than two pairs of footwear: either sneakers or sandals (depending on the trip) and a dressy pair. I stuff the packed shoes with socks or underwear and place them inside plastic grocery bags (they're cheaper than shoe bags and won't wrinkle fabrics they touch).

9. Fold clothing so as to avoid creases.
At the bottom of my wheelie, below the layer of Ziploc bags and shoes, sit my casual clothes. To keep these from creasing, fold them in overlapping layers so that they cushion each other. For instance, lay the top half of a pair of pants along the bottom of the wheelie, with the bottom half draped over one side. Place the upper half of a sweater on top. Top with a pile of T-shirts. Then fold the bottom of the pants over the pile. Then fold the bottom of the sweater over the pants. Voilà: no creases. Whenever you're forced to fold a suit jacket or blazer–say, to stuff into the overhead bin–minimize wrinkles by turning it inside out first. Hold the jacket facing you, then turn the collar and lapel away from you and put your hands inside the shoulders. Turn the left shoulder inside out. Tuck the right shoulder inside the left. The lining should be facing out on both sides of the jacket. Fold it in half and place it at the top of your bag or slide it into the overhead bin above your wheelie.

10. On any vacation, you're likely to get wet, so take the right outerwear.
Far preferable to a wool coat is a thin, hooded Gore-Tex jacket. It's waterproof, wrinkle-resistant, breathable, and great for a range of temperatures. It has multiple internal zippered pockets where you can put your wallet, passport, and other valuables, so that no pickpocket can get to them (making a neck pouch or fanny pack unnecessary–for which the style police will thank me). It also means you needn't carry an umbrella, and it fits in your wheelie's outside pocket.

11. Carry two or three accessories that instantly dress you up and send a signal to airport and hotel employees that you're a professional.
Gone are the days when you could finagle an airline upgrade by wearing a suit, but looking like a serious business traveler still pays off in any number of airport situations, and it can certainly get you upgraded at a hotel. I achieve this effect by wearing three items that weigh virtually nothing and take up no space: elegant pearl earrings, a matching necklace, and the aforementioned silk scarf. For my husband, the equivalent items are a Rolex, Mephisto shoes, and a Montblanc pen clipped to his shirt pocket.

12. Pack a thin, lightweight duffel bag.
I always pack a LeSportsac nylon duffel in case I accumulate so many purchases that they can't all fit in my wheelie. In that case, for the flight home, the duffel becomes my carry-on and I check the sturdier wheelie.

13. Remember that the best status symbols of all are tiny and plastic. 
I won't leave home without my frequent-flier elite-status card, my hotel frequent-guest cards, and my fancy credit card that gives me airport lounge club membership and priority at check-in, in the security line, and at boarding. These cards do me more good in transit, I've found, than any designer ensemble I might wear. My credit card, a Continental Presidential Plus MasterCard, also waives checked-baggage fees on Continental flights for my whole family (up to two bags per person) when we travel together and have no choice but to check bags. Other airline-branded credit cards that let the cardholder and his or her companions check bags for free (one bag per person) on those carriers are the Continental OnePass Plus MasterCard and the Gold, Platinum, and Reserve Delta SkyMiles American Express cards. A family of four can save $200 per trip this way.

Traveling to Mexico

frommers.com

By Plane

Mexico has dozens of international and domestic airports throughout the country. Among the major airports and their airport codes are Mexico City (MEX), Cancún (CUN), Acapulco (ACA), Guadalajara (GDL), Puerto Vallarta (PVR), Ixtapa/Zihuatanejo (ZIH), and Los Cabos (SJD). There is one major Mexican airline, Aeroméxico, and a handful of newer, low-cost carriers.

Arriving at the Airport -- Immigration and Customs clearance at Mexican airports is generally efficient. Expect longer lines during peak seasons, but you can usually clear immigration and customs within a half hour.

By Car

Driving is not the cheapest way to get to Mexico, but it is a convenient way to see the country. Even so, you may think twice about taking your own car south of the border once you've pondered the bureaucracy involved and the security situation across areas you're planning to travel. One option is to rent a car once you arrive and tour around a specific region. Rental cars in Mexico generally are clean and well maintained, although they are often smaller than rentals in the U.S., may have manual rather than automatic transmission, and are comparatively expensive due to pricey mandatory insurance. Discounts are often available for rentals of a week or longer, especially when you make arrangements in advance online or from the United States. Be careful about estimated online rates, which often fail to include the price of the mandatory insurance.


If you have additional questions or you want to confirm the current rules, call your nearest Mexican consulate or the Mexican Government Tourist Office. Although travel insurance companies generally are helpful, they may not have the most accurate information. To check on road conditions or to get help with any travel emergency while in Mexico, call tel. 55/5089-7500 in Mexico City, which is staffed by English-speaking operators.


In addition, check with the U.S. Department of State (www.state.gov) for warnings about dangerous driving areas.


Car Documents -- To drive your car into Mexico beyond 25km (16 miles), you'll need a temporary car-importation permit, which is granted after you provide a required list of documents . The permit can be obtained after you cross the border into Mexico through Banco del Ejército (Banjercito) officials with Mexican Customs (aduanas), or at Mexican consulates in Austin, San Francisco, Phoenix, Albuquerque, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Los Angeles, Sacramento, and San Bernardino. For more information, call tel. 877/210-9469 in the U.S. or visit www.banjercito.com.mx.

The following requirements for border crossing were accurate at press time:

• Passport.
• A valid driver's license, issued outside of Mexico.
• Current, original car registration and a copy of the original car title: If the registration or title is in more than one name and not all the named people are traveling with you, a notarized letter from the absent person(s) authorizing use of the vehicle for the trip is required; have it ready. The registration and your credit card must be in the same name. If the car is leased or rented, be sure to have a copy of the contract.
• Original immigration documentation: Likely a tourist card.
• Processing fee and posting of a bond: You have three options for covering the car-importation fee: pay $29 at the border, pay $39 in advance at a Mexican consulate, or prepay $49 online at www.banjercito.com.mx. If you apply online, it takes about 2 weeks before you can go into the Banjercito office to get your permit. You will generally need a credit card to make this payment. Mexican law requires the posting of a bond at a Banjercito office to guarantee the export of the car from Mexico within a time period determined at the time of the application. For this purpose, American Express, Visa, or MasterCard credit card holders will be asked to provide credit card information; others make a cash deposit of $200 to $400, depending on the make/model/year of the vehicle. To recover this bond or avoid credit card charges, go to any Mexican Customs office immediately before leaving Mexico.

If you receive your documentation at the border, Mexican officials will make two copies of everything and charge you for the copies. For up-to-the-minute information, a great source is the Customs office in Nuevo Laredo, or Módulo de Importación Temporal de Automóviles, Aduana Nuevo Laredo (tel. 867/712-2071).

Important reminder: Someone else may drive, but the person (or relative of the person) whose name appears on the car-importation permit must always be in the car. (If stopped by police, a nonregistered family member driving without the registered driver must be prepared to prove familial relationship to the registered driver -- no joke.) Violation of this rule subjects the car to impoundment and the driver to imprisonment, a fine, or both. You can drive a car with foreign license plates only if you have a foreign (non-Mexican) driver's license.

You must carry in the car at all times your temporary car-importation permit, tourist permit, and, if you purchased it, your proof of Mexican car insurance. The temporary car-importation permit papers are valid for 6 months to a year, while the tourist permit is usually issued for 30 days. It's a good idea to overestimate the time you'll spend in Mexico so that if you have to (or want to) stay longer, you'll avoid the hassle of getting your papers extended. Whatever you do, don't overstay either permit. Doing so invites heavy fines, confiscation of your vehicle (which will not be returned), or both. Remember that 6 months does not necessarily equal 180 days -- be sure to return before the earlier expiration date.

Mexican Auto Insurance (Seguros de Auto) -- Liability auto insurance is legally required in Mexico. U.S. insurance is invalid; to be insured in Mexico, you must purchase Mexican insurance. Any party involved in an accident who has no insurance may be sent to jail and have his or her car impounded until all claims are settled. U.S. companies that broker Mexican insurance are commonly found at the border crossing, and several quote daily rates.

You can also buy car insurance through Sanborn's Mexico Insurance, P.O. Box 52840, 2009 S. 10th, McAllen, TX (tel. 800/222-0158; fax 800/222-0158 or 956/686-0732; www.sanbornsinsurance.com), in daily, monthly, or yearly time periods. The company has offices at all U.S. border crossings. Its policies cost the same as the competition's do, but you get legal coverage (attorney and bail bonds if needed), roadside assistance, and for a premium, vandalism protection. You also get a detailed guide for your proposed route. Most of the Sanborn's border offices are open Monday through Friday; a few are staffed on Saturday and Sunday. AAA auto club (www.aaa.com) also sells insurance.

Returning to the U.S. with Your Car -- You must return the car documents you obtained when you entered Mexico when you cross back with your car, or within 180 days of your return. (You can cross as many times as you wish within the 180 days.) If the documents aren't returned, serious fines are imposed (50 pesos for each day you're late), your car may be impounded and confiscated, or you may be jailed if you return to Mexico. You can only return the car documents to a Banjercito official on duty at the Mexican aduana building before you cross back into the United States. Some border cities have Banjercito officials on duty 24 hours a day, but others do not; some do not have Sunday hours. See www.mexbound.com/mexican-vehicle-permits.php for a listing of office hours.

By Ship

Numerous cruise lines serve Mexico. Some (such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean) cruise from California to the Baja Peninsula and ports of call on the Pacific coast, or from Houston or Miami to the Caribbean (which often includes stops in Cancún, Playa del Carmen, and Cozumel). Several cruise-tour specialists sometimes offer last-minute discounts on unsold cabins. One such company is CruisesOnly (tel. 800/278-4737; www.cruisesonly.com).

By Bus

Greyhound (tel. 800/231-2222; www.greyhound.com), or its affiliates, offers service from around the United States to the Mexican border, where passengers disembark, cross the border, and buy a ticket for travel into Mexico. Many border crossings have scheduled buses from the U.S. bus station to the Mexican bus station.

Arrivals at Mazatlán Airport Up Over Last Year

by Maureen Dietrichon 13 Dec 13 
mazmessenger.com 

Statistics recently published by the Grupo Aeroportuario Centro Norte OMA shows an overall 8.9 percent increase in passenger arrivals in Mazatlán compared to last year.

Sixty-seven percent of arrivals were national tourists, representing 43,871 passengers (up from 37,156 in 2012): 22,174 were foreign tourists, a 1.7 percent increase from 21,795 last year.

Interviewed by reporters, the Sinaloa Secretary of Tourism advised that until the end of December flights from the United States and Canada were 70-75 percent full representing around 3,500 Americans and Canadians arriving per week.

(from Noroeste)

Airport Internet Tips

independenttraveler.com

Tips for getting online at the airport and in flight

Waiting out yet another flight delay? The Department of Transportation reports that only about 77 percent of U.S. flights arrive on time. Luckily, your e-mail, the latest news headlines and that trashy gossip blog you can't resist are just a mouse click (and perhaps a credit card) away.

The use of laptops, PDA's, smartphones and other electronic gadgets is on the rise, and airports are wooing tech-savvy travelers by offering wireless Internet access -- also known as Wi-Fi -- throughout their terminals.

Of course, not all airport Internet options are the same, and you'll have to come to the terminal prepared. Does your airport charge for wireless Internet, or will it let you connect (albeit sometimes at frustratingly slow speeds) for free? For some travelers wishing to log on, swaggering into the airline club lounge might be the savviest choice. For others, the in-air connection will do the trick. And what about that ever-present threat of the dead battery? Grab your gizmo and read on for the latest in airport Wi-Fi.



Free Wi-Fi

While you should be prepared to pay to use the Web at most airports, either at a wired kiosk or via Wi-Fi, there are a number of places that offer the service as a "courtesy." The largest U.S. airport offering free Wi-Fi is, ironically, Las Vegas ("Nothing's free in Vegas, baby"), and connectivity reviews have been very complimentary. Other major freebie airports include Philadelphia, Boston, Charlotte, Denver and Fort Lauderdale.

Outside the U.S., cities that will give you a Wi-Fi fix for free include Hong Kong, Vancouver, Toronto, Vienna, Oslo and Osaka, to name just a few.

For a comprehensive list of who makes you pay and who's free, as well the general locations where you'll be picking up a signal, visit TravelPost.com. (Be sure to double-check this information against your airport's own Web site, as wireless plans change frequently.)

But free of charge doesn't necessarily mean free and easy. The overall consensus seems to be that the free services can be spotty. And some airports put a cap on how long you can surf for free (for example, the Athens airport starts charging after an hour).



Pay-Per-Use Wi-Fi

In the airports where you must pay, your wireless radio will often pick up a number of different providers. Some of the most popular are Boingo, T-Mobile, Sprint and AT&T, all of which require a credit card for payment. Most of the services cost between $8 and $10 for a full day. Of course, you'll be in the airport for a fraction of that time (unless your flight is seriously delayed), but not all providers offer hourly or per-minute rates.

Subscribe to T-Mobile's HotSpot add-on (which can be added on a monthly basis for subscribers on the company's standard cell phone plans, or purchased on a daily basis) and you'll have access to Wi-Fi at a large number of airports and/or airport lounges, as well as more than 45,000 other locations around the world.



If you're a frequent global traveler, Boingo's monthly plan is another option. The Boingo network gives you access to more than 400,000 locations worldwide for a flat rate of $59 per month ($9.95 a month for just North and South America, or $7.95 a month for worldwide smartphone access). The system basically piggybacks service providers around the world, at hotels, airports and thousands of McDonald's. So if you're on an extended sojourn and need to keep in touch, it's an excellent option.

Airports Without Internet
"Does it have Wi-Fi?" has long been replaced by "Does it have free Wi-Fi?" as the airport-related question business travelers and nerds ask most frequently. But not so fast. There are an ignoble few, relics of the space age, still lacking wireless capabilities. Have a layover in Fairbanks, Alaska? Killing a flight delay at Kauai's Lihue Airport? Forget about e-mail and RSS news feeds.



Other Charge Issues

Battery life is a frequent concern for those using electronic devices in the airport. Many airports, especially those well frequented by business travelers (O'Hare, Philadelphia, JFK), have installed popular charging stations where you can restore battery life in your cell phone, laptop or other device.

Other airports feature only traditional outlets, often oddly located, requiring those in need of a charge to camp out on the floor. And where outlets are few, demand will be high.

A few years back, a writer on Girlawhirl.com, a lifestyle Web magazine catering to the woman on the go, suggested packing an adapter that can turn one outlet into four. It may look like all charge options are taken, but if you come prepared and ask politely if other travelers would be willing to share ... problem solved.


The Airline Club

Complimentary drinks, snacks, comfortable seating, a clean bathroom -- and Internet access. That's the domain of the airline lounge, that private sanctuary of elite business travelers and a few everyday travelers willing to pay for the privilege of entrance. Most airline lounges these days feature complimentary Wi-Fi, as well as data ports where you can hook up your computer to the Internet. (Don't forget your Internet cable.)

Day passes for airport lounges run about $50 per visit or $300 - $500 per year. Interestingly enough, passes for airline lounges that are bought ahead of time and not used often end up on eBay -- and sell at more than 50 percent off. Is it worth paying $25 for unlimited snacks, cocktails, Internet use, plus an exceedingly comfortable place to relax before an exceedingly uncomfortable flight? (That's a rhetorical question, as you've guessed.)

For information on specific airport lounges at specific airports, try LoungeGuide.net, a user-generated resource featuring reviews of airline clubs around the world.


Wi-Fi in the Air

In another step toward satisfying the need to stay connected seamlessly from earth to air -- Internet access on the inside of the retina will be next -- several carriers have now begun adding in-flight Wi-Fi. (Technically, you'll have to wait until you're in the air and permitted to use approved electronic devices, so there will be a small usage gap.)

As of this writing, Virgin America and AirTran have rolled out Wi-Fi across their entire fleets, while most other major U.S. airlines have begun adding the service on select aircraft.

The most common in-flight Internet provider is a company called GoGo, which costs $4.95 for Internet access on a single flight up to 90 minutes, $9.95 for a flight of an hour and a half to three hours, and $12.95 for a flight longer than three hours. You can also buy daily and monthly passes.

If you're connecting in the air, don't expect flawless service -- simply said, it isn't easy to provide solid connectivity at 37,000 feet. Reviews have been generally complimentary, expectations being rightly set, but video watching in particular is said to be a bit choppy.

Battery life will be another concern. Some planes, such as those in the Virgin America fleet, have laptop power sockets at all seats. On the American Airlines planes offering Wi-Fi, not all seats are equipped with sockets. So if you can't snag one of those, be prepared for limited computer use, or bring another battery -- something to consider before shelling out the fee.