Green card / US Immigrant driving to Rosarito Mexico?

Question

Hi,

I am a filipino / us Immigrant. Im planning to drive to Tijuana & Rosarito. Do i need a passport coming back to California ?

Answer 1

No a passport is only required for air or sea travel since you are driving you should be ok just make sure you have proper identification.

Answer 2

No, you'll will be needing it next year.

Answer 3

Since you are not t U.S, citizen, you should carry your passport from the Philippines.  See website below and read the section just under the list of countries.

Answer 4

To answer your question accurately, it would be necessary to know if you are a lawful permanent resident of the US.  There are different regulations in place for people who are in the process of applying for an immigrant visa, and those that already have it.  

From US Customs / Border Protection Website: "An intending immigrant becomes a lawful permanent resident once the immigrant visa and accompanying paperwork is reviewed and endorsed by a CBP Officer. For specific information regarding immigrant visa classifications and requirements, refer to the USCIS website or the Department of State website."

There are many different kind of immigrant visas and it would depend on the terms of yours as to whether or not you would need a passport.  The best place to get more information about this is: http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/uscis - the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services web page.  

The Customs and Border Patrol has a web page about visitors and residents of the US leaving to travel, and it says that you need to register your departure before you go, and then leave from the point of departure that you indicate on your registration form.  They've written a whole lot about this, actually, and you can read it here: http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/trav...  

FYI, US citizens need to bring valid US identification to drive into Tijuana or Rosarito throughout the rest of 2007.  In order to return into the US, you are legally required (according to travel.state.gov) to have both your US identification AND a certified copy of your birth certificate.  Here is the paragraph from the State Department Website:

"Land or sea travelers must have a valid U.S. passport (or U.S. citizenship documents such as a certified copy (not a simple photocopy or facsimile) of a U.S. birth certificate, a Naturalization Certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a Certificate of Citizenship are acceptable along with photo identification, such as a state or military issued ID).  

U.S. legal permanent residents in possession of their I-551 Permanent Resident card may board flights to the U.S. from Mexico."

As of 2008, everyone will need to use passports to re-enter California, US citizens included!

To be safe, I'd bring your passport if you have it.  Also, don't forget to buy Mexican insurance for your car if you are going to be traveling in Mexico... everyone (no matter what country you are from) is legally required to carry Mexican car insurance if driving in Mexico.  There are a ton of companies you can buy the insurance from both at the border and online, and it isn't very expensive.  I use bajabound.com.  

Good luck with all this - I hope you have a great trip and that you are able to get the definitive answer to your question on one of the sites I am linking to below.

Answer 5

yes. and becareful INS DOESN'T CHECK REFRENCES.