What happens if you are an American Citizen and you go to Tijuana with out a passport?

Question

Will I pay a fine if I want to cross with just my I.D? Or will the border patrol just give me a warning?

Answer 1

In theory, you will be held at the border check point until such time as it is possible to prove your citizenship status.

Answer 2

You do NOT need a passport to travel to Mexico by LAND.  You only need a photo I.D. and certified birth certificate.  If you have a passport, you may use that instead, BUT, it is NOT yet required. People that say that is is required have Not kept up with the CURRENT info from the state dep't.  That Jan. deadline was moved back MONTHS ago and now there is no set date.  You can go to the site below and read the top half of the page carefully for the CURRENT info.

Answer 3

I don't think you can get across the border w/o a passport as of Jan. 2008

Answer 4

I know somebody that did just that....was their hr's but got by cause he was who he said he was...now somebody with a grren card...u'll also have to wait a coulpe hr's and pay 250 dlls for them 2 find out if that is really u!

Answer 5

Under the newest federal law, you cannot re-enter the U.S. from any foreign country (including Canada and Mexico) without a passport.  They allow for no exceptions.