Living Without Borders

Two ways out of Texas, Pt. 2

February 13th, 2007

This is a follow up to our post from the other day, on driving south from Texas. This advice is more for those who are not dead-east in Texas and wanting to cross the border at McAllen or Brownsville. The greater part of people traveling from points north and east in the US will want to travel south from Dallas through San Antonio towards Laredo. I’ve honestly never traveled into Laredo because this route allows you to turn north, just before Laredo, onto a $2 dollar toll road that leads you to the Columbia Solidarity Crossing, crossing you into Nuevo Leon in Mexico instead of Tamaulipas.

It is a truly peaceful and normally quite barren stretch of highway that will allow you to say goodbye to the US quietly and even with some reflection, not emotions you might normally think of in such situations especially if you have been driving for some time. Unlike Laredo, or so I’ve heard, the Columbia Solidarity Crossing is much less congested and catching your first glimpse of Mexico from here can seem positively intoxicating.

Crossing this border is no big deal. To obtain the permit, the permiso de importación temporal de vehículos, you must present your driver’s license, proof of citizenship, and automobile title (or the original “yellowâ€? form you received when you obtained your car loan or lease). For people and pets and for this car importation permit, you’ll need to park and go into the main office building after driving through the main guard check-point. Simply presenting your passport, you’ll receive a MF-T Tourist Visa. You should bring some cash to pay for photo-copies and the permits though there is a bank teller machine (ATM) in the facility. If it seems confusing, there are always a few people inside to direct you.

I wanted to get to the actual driving south from here, which can be a little confusing but that will have to wait for a later post.

Entry Filed under: Travel, Living in Mexico, Getting Around, Paperwork & RedTape