Guatemala
March 28, 2010 9:52 AM   Subscribe

Travelling to Guatemala (from Mexico) without a passport and Visa. Is it possible?

Im in Veracruz, mexico right now and i stupidly left my passport and visa at my house in morelia.
I decided to travel to Guatemala, maybe antigua and i was wondering if its at all possible without passport and visa?
I'm a german citizen and i have a mexican visa. I am only carrying a mexican drivers license, so thats the most official documentation im carrying at the moment.
How do i get over the border? Would it be ok to just pay a "fine" to get in, and then to get out of guatemala again?
Has anyone done this before, because i dont want to arrive at the border and be turned away from guatemala!
posted by freddymetz to Travel & Transportation around Guatemala (6 answers total)
 
You can FedEx documents to any major hotel where you are. Ask someone to send your passport. If you are an American Express member, I'm sure they can arrange a place to send a FedEx as well.
posted by qwip at 10:21 AM on March 28, 2010


Anything is possible, especially since you enjoy white privilege. But be aware that along the Mexico/Guatemala border, Mexico strictly controls entry to staunch the flow of economic migrants (Mexico has the biggest economy in Latin America), and Guatemala returns the favour out of spite.
posted by randomstriker at 10:35 AM on March 28, 2010


Yeah, you can have it on Tuesday if you get someone in Morelia to send it to you Veracruz by the cutoff time tomorrow.

Just at the beginning of this month, Mexico announced new regulations that required US Citizens to show their passport at land and sea borders. But the Northern Mexican cities that relied on American tourism complained to Mexico City and were given an exemption. But the Mexican government insisted the non-gringolandia borders would still have this rule effect. In other words, a month ago it would have probably been easier to enter Mexico from Guatemala than it is now (although German, you'd probably be assumed to be an American and probably allowed to pass). However, you may be able to find someone to let you in after paying a small multa. The Mexican immigration officials are serious about their southern border, but since you're not a Guatemalan or other Latin American entering Mexico to either take a Mexican's job or travel to the US, you'll probably have an easier time than a dark skinned Guatemalan in the same circumstance.

To me, I'd either go the FedEx route or reschedule the trip. I'm always the poster boy for when government officials decide follow the letter of the law.
posted by birdherder at 11:55 AM on March 28, 2010


When I went to Guatemala from Belize I needed my passport.
YMMV.
posted by SLC Mom at 6:17 PM on March 28, 2010


Response by poster: just for future reference, I didn't go, but friends of mine went without a passport and werent even stopped at the border. Maybe lucky, but it worked!
posted by freddymetz at 7:52 AM on April 14, 2010


Response by poster: They did mention that the guatemalans were the unfriendliest people they had met, though.
posted by freddymetz at 7:53 AM on April 14, 2010


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