Description:
This long, narrow island lies off the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, 12.8 kms (eight miles) northeast of Cancún. The island is close to many coral reefs.
Cruisers Highlights:
Good diving and cheap grocery shopping. Cancun underwater museum, created by English sculptor Jason deCaires Taylor is nearby; Cruisers Net VHF. Ch: 13 (hailing channel for cruisers); Isla Mujeres Cruisers Facebook Group.
Entrance Notes and Cautions:
Position:
21° 14.23'N, 86° 44.63'W (port entrance)
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Posted on the main Mexico page by SV Kopeng:
Our clearing in process to Isla Mujeres from Key West has been a diabolical joke. This is not for the faint hearted.
The health inspector/doctor at the Port Captain’s office was very helpful and that part was easy. (Tie your dinghy on the inside of the dock at Marina Bartolomé which is just a short walk through a white metal gate to the Port Captain’s office; don’t tie it on the outside closer to the ferries as they will charge you 100 pesos/hour to leave it there and you’ll need at least 5-6 hours to complete everything. Assuming you are very lucky and can actually complete it.) So the doctor was fine, a decently friendly guy. Any paperwork you find online and print out ahead of time is going to be the wrong paperwork or filled out wrong–just fill it out in front of him the way he tells you and then go make copies of it elsewhere. All he needed was the crew list and the zarpe from the US. If you don’t have a zarpe you need to provide something like a receipt for fuel or from a marina the day you left the USA, and complete a form called the Acta Protesta where you plead for mercy that you didn’t get a zarpe and apologize and say you’ll never do it again. (We went to the Dry Tortugas first to wait for a weather window and got stuck there for a week. The office in Key West didn’t want to issue a zarpe and insisted that we didn’t need one. If this happens to you, be ready with a receipt and a willingness to complete the Acta Protesta or just don’t leave the port office in the US without a zarpe.) Also in general for all these steps, they also want a million copies of everything and take great personal joy in sending you away from offices to go make extra copies elsewhere, despite having their own copy machines visible; the fact that we brought a portable printer made them annoyed because the power trip they get from creating suffering/their ability to kick back and avoid doing their jobs was thwarted.
The next step was the immigration office where despite being told by the health inspector that we didn’t need anything else, they wanted different copies of totally different things and again our ability to stay in their office and print those things out immediately deepened their simmering bureaucratic rage. The immigration officer didn’t stamp a paper that we needed to have stamped (more on that later) but didn’t tell us. On purpose. Knowing we would run into a problem in our next step. He also berated us for filling out the FMM half in blue ink and half in black, despite those being the pens he provided, and when his supervisor told him it didn’t matter it made him very angry. He failed to give us copies of the FMM which also became a problem when we tried to get a TIP.
The third step was back at the Port Captain’s office with the agricultural agent and boat inspection. The agricultural agent lady was very sweet and the agent who dinghied out to the boat wasn’t looking for a bribe or to extort food or alcohol which was a pleasant surprise given what we knew of the way that shakedown typically works. We’re vegetarian and didn’t have much booze at all so maybe there just wasn’t anything worth taking. Also at this step, despite people in the previous step saying you have all the paperwork you need, they will want different paperwork and multiple copies of it. None of these services have any idea of what their sister departments require but they will insist that you’re good to go.
We weren’t able to properly complete this step because the immigration guy hadn’t stamped one of our papers. We had to rush back there and inform him there had been an error and one of our papers, the crew list, was missing a stamp. He said he hadn’t stamped it because the previous guy hadn’t stamped it first and therefore he couldn’t. Instead of alerting us to this apparent discrepancy he’d just sent us on our way to fall on our faces. The hilarious thing is that the stamp the immigration guy said was missing on the crew list was ACTUALLY THERE, it had just been stamped in very light ink. He was extremely mad to have that pointed out to him and angrily stamped everything properly… also in very very light ink. (This will be relevant later.)
After the agricultural lady and the boat inspection, the port captain takes all of your paperwork to process it and will give you a customs paper to take to the bank. This was more administrative hell. Firstly the port captain is a sour crust of a man who gives short, unhelpful answers. Secondly the bank he sent us to (Banjercito, the national bank just down the road) refused to process the customs fee for us, stating that they don’t provide that service despite being listed on the back of the very paper they are supposed to verify as the primary processors of that fee. We literally had to run to HSBC and back (a few blocks each way) to finish paying this fee and to get back to the Port Captain’s office by 1430 when it closes. He directed us to return the next morning.
We were there again first thing to pick up our completed documents to then hop on the ferry to Cancun to complete the TIP. Again, he told us we had everything we needed and we definitely did not. The woman who processes the TIP at the Banjercito in Cancun is notorious for delighting in sensing people away for any reason, and the ferry there is not cheap.
You need all of the documents from the Port Captain with every page stamped. The Port Captain had neglected to stamp one of our pages (what is it with these guys?) which we didn’t catch until it was too late and we were already in the bank. We also discovered that the stamp that the immigration guy had put on our crew list WAS TOO LIGHT TO READ. Remember, this is the guy who initially refused to stamp the crew list because the health inspector’s stamp was too light. Apparently no ink pad in Mexico is sufficient for its intended purpose, or all of these agents are running a pool to bet who can trip up the most cruisers before they’re forced to change out their ink. It’s demonic. Anyway the TIP lady also wanted documentation of our engine serial number (like on a survey) which we would have been happy to provide but the Port Captain said we didn’t need anything else so we didn’t bring it. Also, she wants copies. Will she make them on her copy machine? No. Does she appreciate that we brought our own printer? Also no. Finally she wanted a stamped copy of the FMM, which we could not provide because the immigration official didn’t give us one. She said we could do it online, but the website didn’t work. When we printed off the form and filled it out by hand, she said she couldn’t accept it because immigration hadn’t stamped it. I’m not sure what good it would do even if immigration had stamped it, as they apparently have no stamp ink in the entire office and the very faint stamp that he had eventually and begrudgingly put on our crew list was too light for her to read and she said it wasn’t good enough.
Anyone official you ask about the TIP will give you a different answer. The government website, the health inspector, the boat inspector, the port captain, the bank official–they all provide different numbers. They also will change the number they’ve insisted is correct within the same sentence. As mathematical performance art, it’s incredible to witness. If you can complete this online 10 days before your arrival, just do that. We weren’t able to do it that way because when we left the Keys we thought we were going straight to Isla Mujeres and wouldn’t have enough of the required 10 day pre-arrival window to do it. We then got stuck for ages in the Dry Tortugas, where there’s no cell signal, waiting for weather to blow over. I’ve read that you don’t need a TIP to get a zarpe so we’ll probably just leave Mexico ASAP, skip the TIP, and never return to this shell game of a government process again.
If you’re crazy or masochistic enough to visit here, bring your own damn ink. Check every document you are handed back. Prepare to be outright lied to. If a marina offers to do your paperwork for a fee, just do that–it’s a shakedown but well worth it because the bribes get passed down the chain and everyone is happy. You cannot complete this process quickly, legally, and easily. Pick two of the three.
Finally, I’d like to point out that I have successfully completed paperwork from the USCG to leave from US to Cuban waters, an infamously difficult and lengthy process, in a fairly short and simple time. About 3 days. So when I say that it’s easier to go from the US to Cuba, a country where our government wants to do everything in its power to prevent us from visiting, rather than our closest neighbor and ally Mexico, you will understand the insanity of this process. You’ve been warned.
Posted elsewhere on the site by id8@bellsouth.net:
This is our first time to Isla Mujeres and we decided to do the check in process without an agent. I would say it went pretty smooth. It took us 1.5 days. We landed our dinghy at the dinghy dock outside Bartalome Marina. We had a beer inside or you can pay $250 pesos. The Port Captain office is directly across the street.
A couple things to note about the process and a document that is being circulated online and in the Facebook group.
• They have a specific crew list doc to use, so just fill it there and get copies in town.
• If you are coming from the USA you must have a departure document from Homeland Security as a Zarpe. You can get one from the customs office at the Key West airport or maybe online too. They gave us a hard time because we listened to all the feedback saying all that is needed is a receipt from your last marina, this is not true. Let’s respect their requirements.
• Start the process at the Port Captains office. They will direct you on what to do at each step. The people are professional, but nice. It’s not a fun experience, but not horrible. Have your documents and copies ahead of time and it will go smoother. There is a lot of waiting for your turn and back and forth to banks, copy shop (have cash) and Immigration office, but it was not hard and we met some other cruisers along the way.
Check out is the same – if you are staying at a marina, you must have a receipt to show you are paid in full to check out.
• The customs officer came out to inspect the boat. He looked in all the cabinets, lockers, settees, and engine compartment. They asked about food and wanted to make sure we didn’t have any more than needed for the passage and that anything on the boat needs to stay on the boat. They asked a lot of questions regarding alcohol – we made sure to dispose of everything before arriving.
• The timing for the Temporary Importation Permit (TIP) is 3 days after arrival. Make an appointment with Elizabeth Flores – call between 1:00 and 1:30 to make the appointment. +52 9988800171. Confirm with her documents needed for the TIP. The new location is at the Cancun Bank Branch located at Avenida Carlos J. Nader, Block 8, Lot 2, Colonia Super Manzana 5, Municipality of Benito Juarez Cancun, Quintanaroo, C.P. 77500. We were told to take the JetWay ferry (Black and Yellow) it will let you off closer to this office than the Blue and yellow ferry.
• Immigration did not give us the little stamped immigration card. This is needed to complete the TIP, so be sure you get it. Was strange that they didn’t want to give it to us, but we explained we needed it for immigration and importation of our vessel. I think they are concerned people will lose it because you cannot get out of the country without it.
• The Customs officer and others were very unhappy with the instructions document being shared online and within the Facebook group because it has wrong information regarding the TIP and it has Mexican logos implying that it is an official document. It is not. Of course all this would be alleviated if they provided the document themselves.
The following 8s not correct;
“daily cruisers’ net VHF Ch. 67 Mon-Sat 0800hrs Eastern Standard Time.”
There is a cruisers net, but it is currently not daily, and held on VHF Ch.13 which is also the hailing channel for cruisers in Isla.
There is also a good Facebook group with loads a info:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1580270735543853/?ref=share
Be aware that INM Isla Mujeres now requests that boats entering or exiting at the island require that an Excel file be completed prior to visiting their office. Send and email with the boat name to islamujeres_qroo@inami.gob.mx to request the file, fill it out and return it to make the process faster.
Posted on behalf of Phil Magistro:
Here’s my take, having come down the coast and talked with agents in Isla Mujeres, Puerto Morelos, and Puerto Adventuras, chatted with other cruisers and read as many blogs and websites as I could find. It is simple, relatively cheap, and very easy to clear in or out of Mexico at a marina in Isla Mujeres. Our total cost for clearing at El Milagro Marina was $170, plus $60 for the TIP. In Puerto Morelos and Puerto Adventuras, we were told that the agents would have to come from Cozumel.
We haven’t stopped in Cozumel, so I can’t say firsthand. I’m told that Xcalac has a Port Capitan but no immigration officer. Furthermore, from discussion with marina staff, it sounds like we may sail south and anchor as we wish AFTER clearing out of Mexico in Puerto Adventuras, as long as we don’t intend to stop in any marinas. To clear out in Puerto Adventuras is reportedly “expensive” due to the cost of officials coming from Cozumel, but I haven’t gotten a number on what “expensive” means. We are looking into sharing the cost with other southbound cruisers on the same timetable.
For southbound cruisers heading from Isla Mujeres to Belize, thereby, the best bet I think is to clear in and out of Mexico in a marina in Isla Mujeres and head south without going to a marina, or clear in, in Isla then clear out in Cozumel before heading south if you intend to stop at marinas along the coast.
Sincerely,
Phil Magistro
Reported by SV Scraatch
Scraatch, 56ft Sundeer, with two on board arrived at Isla Mujeres ( off Cancun ) from Belize for the slowest and most paper-intensive check in met anywhere worldwide in 12 years cruising.
The Port captains office and Immigration office are close together opposite the main ferry terminal. Both speak some English but we found the port captains office totally unhelpful and monosyllabic while immigration was cheerful and helpful. There is a small dinghy dock across from Port captain, 1st one south of ferry dock.
The procedure is as follows:- prices in Peso, Mx, at about 20 to US dollar. At every stage, all your photocopies will be stamped by each department.
1. Take to Port captain IN DATE originals and 5 photocopies of Zarpe, Crew list, Ships registration and each passport. (Photocopy shop 2 blocks along and 1 back )
2. Be sent to the hospital to find, or better ask for attendance at the office of, ‘international Sanitorio’ for crew medical clearance. Mx150 for taxi or Mx50 tip for attendance.
3. Go to immigration office – go to the bank to pay Mx585 per person – return to immigration. Collect and keep receipts. 6-month visa given.
4. Return to port captains office for agricultural clearance, an official in attendance mornings.
5. Ask for customs attendance, probably from Cancun by ferry, wait. Visiting clearance for up to 10 days. Longer is a different procedure for temporary import that has to be done in Cancun.
6. Start Port captain clearance – go to a bank to pay Mx980, keep receipts – return and wait. Eventually, after Port captains signature you are done.
Total 4 hours 1st day and 6 hours 2nd day and about $120 total.
Just as well that we cruisers have time on hand…
Check out is simpler with only 2 sets of photocopies for immigration and Port captain.
Note, items mentioned or on papers but not physically checked …..
Agriculture .. full fumigation needed if arriving from the south… next time.
Health… No discharge of grey or black water in Mexican waters.
Other… $50 fishing permit needed for any fishing in Mexican waters. From Cancun?
Customs …. can only clear for 10 days…
Customs …. in theory, you need a photo of ships VIN number, not the registration. Older boats may not have one……
Temporary Import for more than 10 days is a different department and process.
Brian Simm
Another report
On the same day, a new American arrival reported that his anchor rope, no chain, was cut in the night and 30ft boat ended up on the beach. No confirmation of cut or breakage of rope. $400 to be towed off the beach, no other harm done.
Reported by SY Sea Bear:
We sailed from Cuba to Islas Mujeres, Mexico arriving on Monday, May 29th with no pre-arrival registration. We went to a lovely tiny marina, El Milagro, where all boats have a dock space, free water, and cheap electricity for $1/ft. The atmosphere is great here, very relaxed and welcoming.
If you stay here, the agent fee is only $50USD (instead of $75).
It was very easy, and straight forward. All the required officials came to the marina, and no one needed to come aboard – the inspection was done from the end of the dock. We were checked in and had all of our paperwork back within 24 hours.
Our friends who sailed with us decided to do it themselves. While they saved the $50, it took them 5 days and numerous visits to various offices to accomplish the same thing. For us, this was $50 well spent.
Posted on behalf of Ken Simon:
I followed the link for “Boating in Mexico” on noonsite, which has very detailed instructions for getting an entry permit online. I followed all of these instructions: made the payment online, and sent my documents with my receipt to the listed email address for the customs authorities in Cancun, which is the nearest customs office for where I want to go, Isla Mujeres. I sent my email in both Spanish and English, twice in the last week. It came back with an automatic message, in Spanish, which said the mailbox is full.
I then emailed the manager, Brad Wareing, of the marina where I will be staying on Isla Mujeres, Marina Paraiso. He said he had never heard of this online procedure, although his marina is one of three places on Isla Mujeres for officially clearing into customs. I then emailed the Mexican consulate nearest me in Michigan; no reply.
I think others should be warned that there is a problem with this online procedure, at least for Cancun. I very much doubt now whether the customs people on Isla Mujeres will honour my receipt for 996 pesos when I arrive there.