Immigration proof of payment?
My husband and I drove down the Baja with my parents last month. We stopped at the border and got (and paid for) their visas at the beginning of our trip. When they left (by plane), they were told that they'd have to pay for their visa again, since they had no proof of payment. The obvious argument of "how else would I have gotten this visa" didn't work, and since they didn't want to miss their plane they just went ahead and paid for it again (I think it was 330 pesos...) Anyone else ever have this issue?
Immigration proof of payment?
by Talley Ho 
, Playa la Ropa, Friday, February 27, 2015, 18:43 (4202 days ago) @ Lisette
Your FMM does not get it's official stamp until it is paid for. Often that means that you are given your form, sent to another place to pay, then have to return for the stamp.
It's possible that when they paid for the FMM's, someone neglected to stamp them, or, more likely, they didn't return to get them stamped.
Immigration proof of payment?
by Scott 
, Mérida, Yucatán, Saturday, February 28, 2015, 10:44 (4202 days ago) @ Lisette
When you arrive by air, the airline pays the fee. When you enter by land, you are responsible for paying it. Asking for proof of payment is a legitimate request when leaving, if you have entered by land. If they have paid the fee, they should have the receipt from Banjercito to show.
The obvious argument of "how else would I have gotten this visa" is not valid, because you take it to Banjercito to pay for it after you already have it. If you paid "directly" to immigration in Baja, and did not get a receipt, then maybe that is where you got scammed, not when leaving at the airport.
I've never been to Baja, so I don't know exactly how it is when entering there, but here in Quintana Roo it is entirely possible to enter without stopping at Banjercito to pay, and the enforcement is when turning your tourist card in when you leave. So your situation does not seem unusual, except that they don't necessarily make it obvious what you're supposed to do and keep.
The common "scam" down here is requiring the proof of payment when leaving for Belize, even from air travellers. They are expected to show their full itinerary/receipt from when they arrived, showing the taxes paid, and if not, they will make you pay again. But it is supposed to be a legit payment to Banjercito, though I've read a number of reports of people paying this direct to immigration. That's not how it's supposed to work.
Immigration proof of payment?
by frostbite , Hamilton MT, Saturday, February 28, 2015, 12:08 (4202 days ago) @ Scott
When you arrive by air, the airline pays the fee.
The airline pays the fee because the airline has included the fee in the price of the ticket. If you have permanent residence, you can request a refund of the fee from the airline.
Immigration proof of payment?
I believe that they got their visas stamped by immigration only AFTER they showed proof of payment from Banjercito, but I'm not 100% on that. I will check with them.
Immigration proof of payment?
by Talley Ho , Playa la Ropa, Saturday, February 28, 2015, 14:38 (4202 days ago) @ Lisette
Your FMM will NOT be stamped until after proof of payment is provided. Period.
It's not uncommon for people to get their form, pay for it, and neglect to go back to have it stamped at immigration. Something about understanding the language.....
Immigration proof of payment?
by dhunsber , ¡Dondequiera que voy, estoy aquí!, Saturday, February 28, 2015, 20:01 (4201 days ago) @ Talley Ho
Your FMM will NOT be stamped until after proof of payment is provided. Period.
It's not uncommon for people to get their form, pay for it, and neglect to go back to have it stamped at immigration. Something about understanding the language.....
Back in the '80s in Ecuador, if you forgot that last bit about getting the stamp, you were SOL, and essentially had to re-book your departure and do it all over again. Don't even get me started on what picking up a shoebox-size package from the USA was like!
Immigration proof of payment?
by Scott , Mérida, Yucatán, Sunday, March 01, 2015, 12:15 (4201 days ago) @ Talley Ho
Your FMM will NOT be stamped until after proof of payment is provided. Period.
That is not universally true. A stamp from immigration is not proof of payment of the fee to Banjercito. Therefore I don't think the request to show proof of payment when departing is illegitimate.
Immigration proof of payment?
But since they had a stamp, and were flying out, how do the people at the Alaska airline ticket counter know whether or not the visa has been paid for or not? Do they always ask for proof of payment when you don't fly in with them? I've never been asked before....???
Immigration proof of payment?
by Scott , Mérida, Yucatán, Sunday, March 01, 2015, 20:34 (4200 days ago) @ Lisette
But since they had a stamp, and were flying out, how do the people at the Alaska airline ticket counter know whether or not the visa has been paid for or not? Do they always ask for proof of payment when you don't fly in with them? I've never been asked before....???
Probably if the "entering by" section is checked "air", they assume it was paid by the airline. If it is checked "land", they may request proof of payment.
It's been almost 10 years since I entered Mexico by land from the US, so I don't know what the current procedure is there, but I know for certain that you can enter Mexico from Belize and get your FMM stamped, and drive into the country, without ever stopping at Banjercito. At the crossings here, they check for proof of payment when leaving for Belize. That's why I can say that it is not universally true that a stamped FMM means you have paid the fee, because it is not the case at all crossings. I bet that is just the standard procedure at the busy northern crossings, but not an official regulation. That's just speculation, though.
Leaving for Belize, they'll hit you up for proof of payment of the fee, even if you arrived by air. You need to bring a copy of your itinerary showing the taxes & fees paid, if you wish to avoid "paying twice".
I guess the key take-away from this is that if you're doing anything unusual, such as flying in and leaving by land, or vice versa, then you should keep your receipt/proof-of-payment and be prepared to show it when leaving. But I still don't think it was an illegitimate request or scam.
