173 replies to this topic

[Jzzpz]

Hello Ya'll!  I want to know how long the line at the border normally is If I plan on working in SD and live in Tijuana what should I expect. Is the san ysidro border quicker than the Otay border?

Looking forward to your replies. thankyou

[George Costanza]

Welcome to the board. Border wait depends on the time of day. Do you know what time you will be crossing?

[Buen Amigo]

as mentioned above, it all depends on the time of day. and wheather you are crossing by foot, or by car. But i am guessing car right? It all depends. Look into getting a sentri pass. It is worth it...

[GaryN]

Anywhere from 15mins to 2 hrs in San Ysidro and 0 to 90 mins hours in Otay

This is based on my last 20 or so trips across the border on various working days. Don't listen to the radio border wait times they are normally incorrect.

[tjrob]

If you have the aptitude or ambition you might consider a motorcycle.

I have to cross daily for work on a long commute to (south) north county.

I'd face a 4 hour commute w/o my bike.

On average it takes me 45 min each way.

Border cross is always 5 minutes to the front via lane split.

[TJDave]

If you have the aptitude or ambition you might consider a motorcycle.

I have to cross daily for work on a long commute to (south) north county.

I'd face a 4 hour commute w/o my bike.

On average it takes me 45 min each way.

Border cross is always 5 minutes to the front via lane split.

Just make sure you bundle up... it's very cold in the mornings and evenings right now...

I ride to work every morning and it's only about 10 min (I live in SD now, so no cross-border commute)... I still have to thaw out when I get to work, LOL.

[HK70]

I honestly do not understand how people can stand sitting in the line every morning to cross. I have little to no patience so I am so thankful for Sentri

[Keyno]

I honestly do not understand how people can stand sitting in the line everyone morning to cross. I have little to no patience so I am so thankful for Sentri

Is there a way to find out if i'll be approved or not before spending all that money? I did something, some 30yrs ago, a felony*, embezzlement(Gas station), did my 2-3 weeks and fine.

*think it was.

Also i've heard after a certain time, non-violent felonies will be erased.

Wish i knew i could get one, hate that line.

[Buen Amigo]

I honestly do not understand how people can stand sitting in the line everyone morning to cross. I have little to no patience so I am so thankful for Sentri

i know what you mean. I took my truck down to TJ last weekend, and I have not got a sentri pass for it yet. So Monday morning i had to wake up earlier than usual just to beat the traffic at the regular lanes. Not much traffic going on, but the wait seemed like forever. Even though it was only 20 mins. The senti lane moves. even whene there is traffic. Almost every day i see the same cars lined up at the regular lanes. I wonder why they havn't got their sentri card.

[zunigan]

i know what you mean. I took my truck down to TJ last weekend, and I have not got a sentri pass for it yet. So Monday morning i had to wake up earlier than usual just to beat the traffic at the regular lanes. Not much traffic going on, but the wait seemed like forever. Even though it was only 20 mins. The senti lane moves. even whene there is traffic. Almost every day i see the same cars lined up at the regular lanes. I wonder why they havn't got their sentri card.

I am guessing its because they can't. they turned me down because my husband was sent back to Mexico. He left and crossed after we gave up fighting with immigration. They based it on the fact that he had even been in the usa with out the proper papers. I was very mad since I explained I wanted it to cross to see him and did not want to have to wait forever to cross back. I felt they were punishing me for him being in the usa at all. They are very very picky on who they let have one. Oh well.

[eclipse]

Is there a way to find out if i'll be approved or not before spending all that money? I did something, some 30yrs ago, a felony*, embezzlement(Gas station), did my 2-3 weeks and fine.

*think it was.

Also i've heard after a certain time, non-violent felonies will be erased.

Wish i knew i could get one, hate that line.

Keyno, when you first sign up online, you pay something like $20 and they do a basic background check at that point. If they think there's a good chance you'll be approved, that's when they have you come in for an interview. You don't have to pay the rest of the fee until after the interview and you are approved. If you aren't approved, you're only out that initial fee. Just make sure to be honest on the application - if you don't mention the incident, but it turns up on your background check, you'll probably be denied automatically.

[George Costanza]

The sentri is getting harder and harder to get approved. I know guys who had DUIs year ago and were denied because they had DUI convictions.
Another guy had a sentri pass and when they approved new stricter guidelines his sentri was taken away for a misdemeanor that happened 20 years ago.

[Buen Amigo]

I am guessing its because they can't. they turned me down because my husband was sent back to Mexico. He left and crossed after we gave up fighting with immigration. They based it on the fact that he had even been in the usa with out the proper papers. I was very mad since I explained I wanted it to cross to see him and did not want to have to wait forever to cross back. I felt they were punishing me for him being in the usa at all. They are very very picky on who they let have one. Oh well.

That sucks. I was worried i was going to be denied as well because my wife crossed into the U.S. Using false documents and they caught her. So she got a lifetime ban, but they dont tell you this when they catch you. she crossed again in the trunk of a car and made it. We tried to apply for her residency, got to go to the interview in Juarez, and that's where they gave her the lifetime ban. So that is why we are living in TJ. But at the Sentri interview they did not ask me if i was married. I only told BP that i was buying some property, and was going to be crossing often. If they knew the situation of why i was moving to TJ I think they would have denied me as well.

[HK70]

A guy I know has been caught with illegals in his car in SD and trying to cross one over the border. He has lifetime secondary inspection everytime he crosses the border now and will never get a Sentri.

[Buen Amigo]

Wow. that sucks. But it could be worse....Jail

[HK70]

Wow. that sucks. But it could be worse....Jail

He did spend a little time in jail and they took his car.

[Keyno]

He did spend a little time in jail and they took his car.

I was contacted to smuggle some Mexicans across the border in my trunk for some big time money. But, said no, i will go to jail, Americans go to jail, Mexicans just get kicked back. I don't like jail. haha

[HK70]

I was contacted to smuggle some Mexicans across the border in my trunk for some big time money. But, said no, i will go to jail, Americans go to jail, Mexicans just get kicked back. I don't like jail. haha

He tried to smuggle his novia across the border a few years ago and was caught. And most recently was transporting illegals from one house to another in SD and got caught. He gets asked to do this all the time. Not sure where he hangs out to get all these offers.

[wolfrunswithhorses]

Hello Ya'll!  I want to know how long the line at the border normally is If I plan on working in SD and live in Tijuana what should I expect. Is the san ysidro border quicker than the Otay border?

Looking forward to your replies. thankyou

Try this website:  http://www.lalineaen...om/default.aspx

Basic registration is free and while it is a little busy to navigate, once you're logged in you can immediately decide whether the Garita Otay or Garita San Ysidro is the better way to leave Mexico. I just don't know how updated the info is.

[Keyno]

Try this website: http://www.lalineaen...om/default.aspx

Basic registration is free and while it is a little busy to navigate, once you're logged in you can immediately decide whether the Garita Otay or Garita San Ysidro is the better way to leave Mexico. I just don't know how updated the info is.

Wait time is always better at Otay. And i won't pay for live video stream when i can see it on Cablemas channel 95 for San Ysidro.