COVID-19 Updates for Baja California
-The U.S.-Mexico temporary land border restrictions were extended until at least October 21, 2021. U.S. Citizens and Canadian Citizens have been allowed to cross back north into the U.S. and have had no problems crossing south into Mexico from the U.S.
-Mexico has instated a national “stoplight” system which sets the safety levels for the region and is evaluated on a weekly basis. The state of Baja California (norte) is rated “yellow.”
In Baja California Sur, Los Cabos and La Paz are rated “yellow” level 2, Mulegé is rated “yellow” level 3, Comondú is rated “orange” level 4, and Loreto is rated “orange” level 5. Specific rules vary from municipality to municipality. We recommend that you call ahead to any business that you plan on visiting to find out about current hours and COVID regulations.
-Some of the California/Baja land borders are operating on reduced hours. The following are the current hours for border crossings:
San Ysidro: open 24 hours
(PedWest is closed but PedEast remains open 24 hours)
Otay Mesa: open 24 hours
Tecate: 6am-2pm Monday-Friday, 8am-4pm Saturday-Sunday
Calexico West: open 24 hours
Calexico East: open 6am-2pm
Andrade: open 6am-2pm
-For up-to-date information about COVID-19 in the state of Baja California (norte) please visit the Baja California COVID-19 page. For up-to-date information about COVID-19 in Baja Sur, please visit the BCS COVID-19 website.
-For Emergency Assistance for U.S. citizens in Mexico, call 55-8526-2561 from Mexico or 1-844-528-6611 from the United States. The U.S. Embassy in Mexico has put together a COVID-19 webpage or you can follow them on Facebook for updates.
-You can find the latest updates on our Road Conditions Page. Call the DBTC office at 800-727-2252 for more information about U.S. travelers crossing the border.
New 20 Peso Bill
The Bank of Mexico released a new 20-peso bill to honor the 200th anniversary of Mexican independence, recalling the moment two centuries ago when the rebel army entered Mexico City. On the following day, September 28 1821, Mexico was declared independent. The reverse side of the bill depicts the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve in Quintana Roo, a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site.
Daylight Savings Ends
Daylight Savings will end in the state of Baja California Sur on Sunday, October 31 at 2am with clocks “falling” back an hour. The time will not change in Baja California (norte) or California until a week later on Sunday November 7 at 2am.
Prepaid FMM Reminder
As a reminder, please submit your applications for prepaid FMM permits to us two weeks in advance of your travels. This is our busy season and we need the extra time to allow for processing. Gracias!
Allow Extra Time for Snail Mail
Regular mail delivery is slow these days and going to be getting even slower so we recommend that you send us things via email (ask@discoverbaja.com) when possible so that we can expedite processing time.
New Passport Renewal Online Payment and Mail-In Program for Ex-Pats in Mexico
The U.S. embassy in Mexico launched an online payment and mail-in program for adult passport renewals for U.S. citizens residing in Mexico. Beginning October 1, eligible applicants will pay the renewal fee online and mail their documents to one of five locations throughout Mexico. Processing time will be approximately 4-6 weeks. See the website for full details.
San Miguel Made A State Park
Baja California Governor Jaime Bonilla established the famous surfing area of San Miguel, just north of Ensenada, as a state park. The Arroyo San Miguel Parque Estatal encompasses 169-acres and is the first state park in the history of Baja California. The San Miguel break was the first place surfing began in Mexico. You can learn more and watch a video about the area on the park’s website.
Rare Chance to Download Landon Crumpton’s Baja Almanac
Landon Crumpton, the cartographer who published the Baja Almanac, passed away in 2015, and he left maps that had been updated at the time that were never published. There will not be another printed copy of the map book or fold-out maps, but on the Baja Almanac website you can now download digital files of the 2015 Baja Almanac and Foldout map that Landon had updated before his passing.
Corazón de Vida’s San Diego “Noche de Gala”
The nonprofit foundation Corazón de Vida will once again be hosting their annual San Diego gala, “Noche de Gala” in the iconic Crown Room of the Hotel del Coronado on Saturday, November 6th. The fundraiser will feature dinner, entertainment, and an auction, with funds going to the orphanages in Baja that Corazón de Vida supports. Tickets will sell out quickly—get yours online!