thrupp

I came to the US in December and left yesterday for Costa Rica. I am spending a few days here and then up through central America into Mexico...meeting some friends in Cabo San Lucas. My plan is to reenter America through Tijuana and then fly out the next day from San Diego back home. I am still within the original 90 days although my 194W card has been removed when I left for Costa Rica. I am worried it looks too suspicios like a border run coming in through Mexico and I am wondering if I should buy a new flight home out of Mexico instead of trying to come back for my flight.

ian-mstm

Wasn't this answered recently? http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...57&postcount=4

Ian

thrupp

Sort of....I am still unclear as to whether I can come back in to fly out. Will need to 1-94W even though within original 90 days because I am in Costa Rica.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

I know it is quite a bit cheaper to fly within Mexico. I can't be sure of what will happen. But, the situation you note is not all that un-common. I recall quite a few years back, after a large peso devaluation [the new peso has been pretty stable for some years], it was common for Angeleno's to drive down to San Ysidro, park their cars there, walk into Mexico, cab then to airport since it was about 60% cheaper to do that.

So, my GUESS is that the POE people at Otay Mesa and San Ysidro will be familiar with that. BTW, what are your transportation plans from TJ Airport to San Diego? No cross border taxi service. Although the Otay Mesa is adjacent to the Airport, it is in the middle of nowhere on the US side.

thrupp

what happens if I get denied into America? Do I get detained? I am not illegally in Mexico (and did not overstay in America and never have) so am I allowed to stay in Mexico for a bit longer or do they deport me?

Ozzidoc

Walk across/through the border. You can catch the trolley from the San Ysidro border almost all the way to the airport, you'll need a cab for the last bit - you might need to change at Santa Fe Terminal/station, or even catch a cab from there.

I suspect that as long as you have the evidence of your flights, you should be fine. And also evidence of a job or whatever back home.

Have you flown in/out of San Diego before? It's really, really close to Downtown, not out in the Styx.

Socal Local

I live in San Diego and have been down to Mexico before with visitors who have been staying with us whilst on vacation on the VWP. They did not have the I-94Ws removed from their passports and had no issues coming back over the border. We took the trolley down to the border and then crossed on foot. If you have had the form removed, can't you just fill out another one at the border if they require it?

Assuming all goes smoothly, it is, as Ozzidoc says, pretty straightforward to get to the airport using public transport.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

I realize my prior posting was not too clear -- I was talking about the Tijuana Airport. The TJ Airport is very near the Otay Mesa border crossing and then you are in the sticks on the United States side.

On the other hand, if you cross at San Ysidro, you are correct -- the red light trolley is there and will take you to the Santa Fe train station downtown, and then a cab ride to the airport -- it is so near downtown, the planes approach BETWEEN the office buildings. I make a point of never flying in and out of Lindbergh Field, it scares me.

Ozzidoc

Aha! I thought it was interesting that Americans would cross over the border to grab a cab back again.

I fly in and out of SAN a lot. I quite like the approach, particularly over Balboa Park. I can understand why you may be apprehensive though!

Never been to TJ's airport.

Folinskyinla

Hi:

I take AmTrak down from LA. The San Diego Immigration Court is about four blocks from the Santa Fe Terminal.

Socal Local

It is just as well we rarely have to deal with weather issues here. I came back to San Diego on a rainy stormy night a couple of months ago and it took the pilot three attempts to land the plane - two aborted attempts on the approach you describe over downtown, before finally they switched it round and we came into land approaching from the ocean

Ozzidoc

I like the Coaster! It's a great way to get between the two cities.

Ozzidoc

Oooo I'd never really considered inclement weather as a problem for SAN. That must have been quite scarey for you!


OP - Come back on another tip to explore San Diego - it really is a lovely place!

Idolator

Hi,

I am new here.

Question on WVP, since I haven't found the correct answer in the official sources: With WVP, one can travel to the US 90 days in a calendar year, or 90 days in, 90 days out? Theoretically.

I also read, the US Visit rectal mirroring... I mean, fingerprinting is working on even more border points. This does not definitely mean they are doing it at all points of entry, right? I am interested which points of entries are where one can enter Amerika without getting fingerprinted.

How about Canada-US flights? I don't know if they arrive some same international terminal like Europe-US flights, or they are like internal flights?

I have nothing wrong on my mind, I am just a privacy conscious individual, that's all.

Thank you,

The Idolator

Ray

Across the desert from Mexico ..a well trodden path ...