TERRa Commercial Real Estate ROCKY POINT MX (638) 110-0471 USA (623) 335-5856
Travel to Rocky Point
Useful information
• Tourist Assistance Services
By dialing 078 you can obtain free information on tourist attractions, airports, travel agencies, car rental agencies, embassies and consulates, fairs and exhibitions, hotels, hospitals, financial services, immigration services and other issues.
You can also request information at the following email: correspondencia@sectur.gob.mx
• Requirements for entering the country
To enter Mexico, all tourists need to have a permit called Customs Form for Tourists, which is valid for 180 days. This document is available at airline offices, travel agencies or Mexican ports of entry. Each passenger must be provided with one.
As of 1999, a Non-immigrant Tax (DNI) is charged in Mexico, which is intended to promote tourism and improving immigration services. This tax must be paid upon leaving the country. Its cost is 294 pesos. For more information, visit the National Immigration Institute’s webpage at www.inm.gob.mx
Legal, permanent residents in the United States or Canada do not need a visa to enter Mexico.
Other requirements
In addition to their personal items, all passengers entering Mexico may carry a maximum of $300 dollars in merchandise; otherwise, they will have to pay a fee. All baggage is subject to review by the Mexican customs authorities.
Clarifications, questions and emergencies
Here are the telephone numbers of some agencies that may be helpful during your trip.
Tourism Ministry
From within Mexico City and the metropolitan area: 5250 0151
Toll free from within the Mexican Republic: 01 800 903 9200
Toll free from the United States of America: 1 (800) 482 98 32
www.sectur.gob.mx
Embassy of the United States in Mexico
Reforma 305, col. Cuauhtémoc, del. Cuauhtémoc, C.P. 06500
From within the Mexican Republic: 01 55 50 80 20 00, ext. 0
From the United States: 01 15 255 50 80 20 00, ext. 0
spanish.mexico.usembassy.gov
If you are a U.S. citizen and you find yourself in an emergency situation, you may call the following number:
(From the U.S.) 011 52 55 50 80 20 00, ext. 0
(From Mexico) 01 55 50 80 20 00, ext. 0
You can check the online directory of consulates and embassies at:
www.sre.gob.mx
General location: Puerto Peñasco is nestled in the northwestern corner of the Mexican state of Sonora, on Mexican highway #8 approximately 65 miles from the Lukeville, AZ/ Plutarco Elias Calles (Sonoyta) border crossing. It is important to note the Lukeville/Sonoyta border entry is closed from midnight until 6 a.m. Puerto Peñasco can also be easily reached by car from California and southwestern AZ along the new Coastal Highway 003. Travel Maps
Travel by road continues to be the most common way to get to Puerto Peñasco though in July of 2013 Aeromexico launched new flights between Las Vegas, NV – Puerto Peñasco – Hermosillo (flight schedules available Thursdays and Sundays). The Mar de Cortes International Airport is located just 9 miles southeast of the city, offering full-services for individual planes in transit or visiting Puerto Peñasco.
Driving tips & shuttles: When planning a trip to Rocky Point, you may choose to drive (be sure to get Mexican insurance ahead of time – available online through different sites [plus, two local companies: Alejandro Portugal and ProAlliance] as well as at numerous offices along the route to Lukeville) or you may opt for drive-free travels by choosing a shuttle service.
For door to door shuttle service from Phoenix we recommend Head out to Rocky Point (*Service from Tucson sometimes available for larger groups).
Other options from Phoenix include Nena’s and Transporte Supremo (sometimes more economical, though not door to door). Transporte Suprema has daily schedules between Phoenix and Rocky Point. In Rocky Point, their office is located at Calle Lazaro Cardenas y Sinaloa (near Candy Cake).
KEEP IN MIND: When traveling with shuttle services, as you cross back into the U.S. you will need to carry your own luggage through the U.S. customs checkpoint at the border and then meet up with the shuttle on the U.S. side. Luggage with wheels is particularly shuttle-travel friendly!
When driving….watch the speed limit signs!!!! This is particularly true when nearing and going through Ajo and through Sonoyta just as you cross into Mexico. Important: the traffic signs in Mexico are in kilometers and just as you cross the border you will see signs that go from 20 kilometers to 40 kilometers and then back to 20, and often policias are there ready to remind you. When driving back to the U.S. border it is VERY IMPORTANT to drop your speed to 40 kilometers/hour just as you near the final curve leading into Sonoyta. Be sure to review our notes on Crossing the Border as to how much and what you can bring down!
THE NEW OVERPASS TO PEÑASCO IS OPEN !!
If you have driven around Puerto Penasco lately, you can not help but notice all of the construction projects under way. There are new roads, new monuments, cement trucks constantly roaming the streets on the way to work sites, and an overall infrastructure renovation happening all around us. As part of these efforts, a new overpass is being built on the highway at the intersection of the Sonoyta/Rocky Point and Laguna Shores turnoff. That intersection has been the scene of several serious accidents and the city has decided that an overpass is the best solution for making the intersection safer
In she short term, this will cause yet another detour (we are used to construction detours by now) but in the bigger picture, it will be certainly allow traffic to move more smoothly and safely through that intersection.
When Driving Mexico there is one fundamental rule: EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED vs. what you are accustomed to. When Driving In Mexico most accidents involving visitors to Mexico are a result of the visitor not expecting or anticipating an unaccustomed, sudden change in traffic or road conditions. For a list of maps and driving directions to destination in Mexico visit our Mexico driving maps and driving direction section.
For tourists driving into Mexico, the single biggest cause of motor vehicle accidents on the highway is the narrow roadway with almost no shoulder. When Driving In Mexico be aware of the drop-off from pavement to shoulder it is usually several inches, so if a right side wheel drops off the pavement, it will almost certainly result in an accident. When Driving In Mexico this type of accident often results in the vehicle rolling over with significant damage to the vehicle and injuries to its occupants. Driver attention is enormously more important Driving In Mexico because the roadways are much less forgiving than the wide, four lane highways we are spoiled with in Canada and the U.S. Besides driver attention, here are a few other pointers that may make your trip safer when Driving in Mexico:
Understand one-way street markings. When driving in Mexico the one-way signs are usually attached to buildings 10 feet or so above ground level
Click to Mexico Road and Traffic Signs
Petróleos Mexicanos (PEMEX) is Mexico's state-owned, nationalized petroleum company. PEMEX is now the sole supplier of all commercial gasoline (petrol/diesel) stations in Mexico. All petrol stations, although labeled PEMEX, are concessions that are strictly full-service. PEMEX accepts Mexican Pesos and U.S. Dollars and fills vehicles in liters. Credit cards are not accepted. Therefore, American tourists who drive in Mexico do not have to exchange U.S. Dollars for Mexican Pesos to gas up in Mexico. While Driving Into Mexico make sure the fuel pump is set to $0.00 when you begin fueling. Also, pay attention to how much change you should receive in return when paying for your fuel. Gas station attendants have been known to intentionally give tourists the incorrect amount of change. Gasoline is sold in litres (1 gallon = 3.79 liters).
PEMEX Magna is unleaded gasoline - 87 octane. PEMEX Premium is unleaded gasoline - 93 octane. PEMEX Diesel for diesel engines.
What is my franquicia? or Declarations into Mexico revisited
On a recent trip back to Rocky Point from the US, I stopped at the Mexican customs checkpoint in order to clarify some doubts that had come to our attention at RockyPoint360. Plus, I wanted to make sure the bottles of wine I brought along would make it with me to the beach for the holidays.
Let me begin by saying after speaking with a Hacienda (tax) agent at the customs office, as well as the Banjercito teller, they seemed to be just as exasperated with some of these details as I was. Note – Banjercito no longer accepts dollars, though you can exchange dollars to pesos at one of the importation offices by the border or, when coming through after 6 p.m., make tax payments in either pesos or dollars at the small Hacienda office at the time of voluntary declaration. We will continue updating this information if/when we find out about any new guidelines.
Some questions have arisen as to possible changes regarding the “franquicia”, or rather duty-free allotted amount that either visitors and/or residents along the border region can bring into Mexico. This question is also complex with the enactment of the Paisano Program, which allows for a higher duty-free amount during periods around the Christmas holidays and again for Semana Santa (Easter Holiday) but ONLY for Mexican citizens living abroad who are going further into Mexico (NOT applicable to the border region such as Rocky Point).
As may be found under the post “Declarations when entering Mexico” the Secretary of the Interior (SEGOB) provides a detailed list of allotted items that individuals may bring into Mexico as one’s “franquicia”. You may also find this detailed here: http://www.aduanas.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/2008/pasajeros/139_10210.html and answers to additional FAQs http://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/2008/pasajeros/139_10179.html
What is my franquicia when traveling by car? • For tourists to Mexico, individuals are allowed $75 US in new items per person. • For foreign individuals with FM2, FM3, or immigrant status visas who reside within the border zone, thefranquicia amount is $150 US per person (max $400 US per car). • For Mexican border residents in general (legal age) the daily duty-freefranquicia amount is $150 US when entering the country by car (max $400 US per car).
These amounts are valid throughout the year.
Wine not? El que vino y no tomó vino, ¿por qué vino? ~He who came and did not drink wine, why did he come?
In planning for holiday events, one of the questions that arises is precisely about how much alcohol can be included within the franquicia. The list, as provided by SEGOB, indicates 3 liters of alcoholic beverages (not wine) AND 6 liters of wine. In speaking with the tax agent at the Lukeville-Sonoyta border (11/30/11) he noted an additional 6 liters of wine could be brought in (subject to a 90% tax!!) but no more. We are still confirming some conflicting messages regarding as to whether the value of such purchases are or are not included within the allotted “franquicia” amounts stated above – stay tuned!
Yet, based on this information regarding franquicia, I am happy to report I successfully brought down 6 bottles of delicious wine gifts (750 ml each or 4.5L) on Nov. 30, 2011. Now, to figure out how much tequila I can take back! SALUD!
The Ready Lane program of the US Customs and Border Protection has been up and running at the Lukeville entry since the Spring of 2011. With Ready Lane, Travelers with approved Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) travel documents now have exclusive access to a special vehicle lane.
Approved Ready Lane documents include the U.S. Passport Card, the Enhanced Driver’s License (EDL), the Enhanced Tribal Card (ETC), Trusted Traveler Cards (NEXUS, SENTRI and FAST cards), New U.S. Permanent Resident Card, and the New Border Crossing Card (BCC).
How to Use RFID enabled cards 1. Stop at beginning of lane and wait forsignal. 2. While driving slowly through to the booth, holdcard up to electronic reading device so it can be read from the driver’s side.* 3. Stop at officer’s booth.
* All travelers in the vehicle over the age of 16 must have an RFID-enabled card to use the Ready Lane. Children under 15 years old and younger may travel in the Ready Lane with adult travelers if all adults in the vehicle have an RFID-enabled travel card.
For more tips on how to use Ready Lane documents, visit www.getyouhome.gov
Sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program So We Can Contact You in an Emergency
Why It’s Important
The State Department strongly encourages American citizens planning travel abroad to sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program. The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program makes it possible to contact a traveler if necessary, whether because of a family emergency in the United States or because of a crisis in the place the traveler is visiting. It is a free service provided by the State Department, and is easily accomplished online at https://travelregistration.state.gov.
Note that, in accordance with the Privacy Act, the Department of State may not release information about those registered without their express written authorization.
If your family needs to reach you because of an emergency, they can pass a message to you through the Office of Overseas Citizens Services, which can be contacted from within the United States at 1-888-407-4747 (toll free), and from overseas at 202-501-4444. The Office of Overseas Citizens Services will contact the U.S. Embassy or Consulate in the country in which you are traveling in order to pass the message to you.
The State Department also advises leaving a detailed itinerary and copies of your passport biographical-data page with a friend or relative in the United States.
How to Sign Up (It’s Easy)
General location: Puerto Peñasco is nestled in the northwestern corner of the Mexican state of Sonora, on Mexican highway #8 approximately 65 miles from the Lukeville, AZ/ Plutarco Elias Calles (Sonoyta) border crossing. It is important to note the Lukeville/Sonoyta border entry is closed from midnight until 6 a.m. Puerto Peñasco can also be easily reached by car from California and southwestern AZ along the new Coastal Highway 003.
Border Crossing in Both Directions Have Restrictions on Whta can and Can not pass
(Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fishing and Food - National Service of Food and Agriculture, Health, Safety and Quality. Agricultural Health Inspection Office)
s the name says, this office is responsible for the inspection of products of vegetable, animal and fishing products, as well as international pet transportation. These inspection offices are located at each port, airport and border of entry into the country.
When you enter Mexico by airplane or boat, you must fill in and hand in your customs declaration. It is important that you read it carefully and answer truthfully. Remember the customs declaration is a legal document and that any false information may lead to the confiscation and destruction of the product or to an administrative sanction procedure. Therefore, if you have animals or products of animal, vegetable or aquatic origin, with you or in your baggage, you must declare them upon your arrival on national territory. When declaring these items, they will be inspected by a phytozoosanitary safety official who will determine whether the import is allowed, controlled or prohibited, in accordance with regulations in force.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The information included on the page must be taken with responsibility given the dynamic nature of plagues and animal and plant diseases around the world. Therefore, if there are any doubts concerning the entry of merchandise regulated by the SAGARPA, it is recommended that you contact the corresponding general direction offices. Compliance of the requirements stipulated by the SAGARPA does not release you from the provisions of other entities.
CBP link to site
is one of the Department of Homeland Security’s largest and most complex components, with a priority mission of keeping terrorists and their weapons out of the U.S. It also has a responsibility for securing the border and facilitating lawful international trade and travel while enforcing hundreds of U.S. laws and regulations, including immigration and drug laws.
For crossing back into the U.S. by land – IMPORTANT!!: As of June 1, 2009 a passport or passport card is required for returning to the U.S under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. U.S. Border Crossing Requirements Have Changed- Make sure you are compliant today!
Simplify your travel checklist! Starting June 1, 2009, U.S. citizens returning home from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, by land or sea, are required to present one of the following travel documents:
Knowing what documents are required and having them ready when you return home will help streamline the entry process and ensure your return to the U.S. is as smooth as possible. For additional information please visit (www.getyouhome.gov).
Car insurance and permits
While some U.S. insurance companies do extend their comprehensive and collision coverage into Mexico, none of these offers Liability coverage in Mexico, which is required by law. You can purchase Mexican Insurance online prior to travel, as well as over the phone or at numerous spots along the drive down (for example in Ajo, Why, or at the gas station in Lukeville just before crossing). You do not need a vehicle permit for travel to Rocky Point though you will need to have: valid Mexican insurance for the period of your stay, car registration, valid driver’s license.
If your travel plans in Mexico include driving solely within the state of Sonora, you will be happy to know about the Only Sonora program (unique in Mexico), which allows Americans to visit Sonora without paying the customary federal vehicule fee when crossing at any of the 5 border crossings in Sonora: San Luis Rio Colorado, General Plutarco Elias Calles (Sonoyta), Nogales, Naco, Agua Prieta, or through the port in Guaymas.
If you plan to travel further into Mexico (or rather out of the State of Sonora), you may temporarily import your vehicle for a period of 180 days with less paperwork and at a lower cost than before. These requirements include:
Documents • Current license plates • Valid vehicle registration or title, with current insurance • Passport or residency credentials, with valid immigration permit (FMT, FM2, FM3, or FME as applicable) • Driver’s license
Costs Costfor
permit valid for up to 6 months Payment at Banjercito: $22.00 DLS, plus tax *When paying in Mexico, this must be done in pesos. Payment at Mexican Consulate in US (for example Phoenix, AZ): $36.00 plus tax
In any case the vehicle must be driven by the owner, his/her spouse, family or siblings (who are also foreigners or Mexicans residing abroad). If the vehicle is driven by someone else, the owner of the vehicle must be on board. (Information retrieved Oct. 31, 2011 from: GoToSonora)
While this service used to be available at the border, you now must get this at the customs check-point along Highway 2 heading South to Caborca. In order to acquire the car permit you will need the original and a copy of: the car title, your valid visa (from immigration), a driver’s license, passport, or copy of your birth certificate, and a valid credit card. If you prefer to pay in cash you will be asked to leave a deposit at the border. After visiting Mexico, you must check in at the border so that the permit may be taken off your car by the designated officials. This will also guarantee that you will not be charged for not re-entering the US.
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