As of Wednesday, foreign pedestrians crossing into Mexico between San Diego and Tijuana are required to present a passport, fill out paperwork and, if they are staying for longer than one week, pay a 330-peso fee (about $20).
While Mexican airports already follow similar regulations, the new process marks a shift toward a more structured approach for registering foreigners entering Mexico on the ground. Previously, foreigners were allowed to cross the 1,954-mile Mexico-U.S. border essentially without restriction.
Mexican officials say the new measures — and a new, three-story facility for pedestrian traffic at the San Ysidro border crossing — were put in place to bring border crossings into compliance with Mexican law.
"The way that people enter Mexico has been growing very disorganized, and now we are making it organized, that's the big difference," said Carlos de la Fuente, general director of construction and appraisals for Indaabin, the Mexican agency in charge of building federal facilities, according to The San Diego Union-Tribune. It adds that "for the first time, foreigners will be processed in separate lines from Mexican nationals."
