Warning:Puerto Vallarta..passport required for money exchange.

[mreader]

We exchanged money in Cabo and Mazatlan w/o our passports (using our DL) with no problem. When we were in PV (downtown on the Malecon) they said the new rules required passports. This was a first in all the years we have been heading to Mexico.

 

Ran into some other tourists who were on land vacations who were in the same "boat" as us;)

 

Just thought I would give everyone a heads up. I probably missed that memo in all my reading:rolleyes:

[cmptrwiz]

Hi Mreader,

 

Thanks for the heads up. What was the exchange rate? Did you use the cambios or banks to exchange? When we were in Europe we had to present passports to exchange money.

 

Wiz

[quincytoo]

I remember about 5 years ago being in PV and needing a passport to exchange USD into pesos.

 

This rule has been on going for quite sometime and as cmptriw noted it is not just PV that you need a passport to exchange money.

 

It would be nice to see a list of all countries that require a passport to exchange money for those cruisers that don't use an ATM machine and their debit card like we do.

[Hlitner]

The easiest (and fastest) way to get Pesos is to simply use an ATM. We have plenty in PV including inside some stores such as Walmart, Sams, Costco, etc. There are also ATMs in the downtown area across the street from the Malecon (there are some bank ATMs) and in the Old Town (southside). We spend about 2 months a year in Mexico and have never exchanged dollars at a bank or cambio since ATMs are cheaper.

 

Hank

[mreader]

Hi Mreader,

 

Thanks for the heads up. What was the exchange rate? Did you use the cambios or banks to exchange? When we were in Europe we had to present passports to exchange money.

 

Wiz

For this cruise, we exchanged money in Cabo and MZT at about 11.7 pesos to the dollar, using the banks, avoided ATM fees. We only used our DL, just like our land vacations over the years. If you are going to exchange in the cambios/banks, I would take your passport in with you.

 

The bank in PV said new rules came into play 2mths ago, requiring a passport. No big deal, just wanted others to know before they head out.

 

Also in MZT check the ATM machines out before using them. They had problems down there with thieves capturing your info. Oregon/Wa. had a few cases of the same thing at a few bank ATM's, it can happen anywhere these days. There has been other CC posts about this.

 

Enjoy all the ports and if you are in MZT and have time, eat at Pancho's. It's in the Golden Zone, on the beach, wonderful spot.

 

Have fun

[cmptrwiz]

Thanks for the reply. We haven't decided of we are going to take pesos with us or get them in Cabo. We arrive on a Sunday and I suppose the banks are closed on Sunday.

 

Wiz

[downsized]

We were in Cabo in September for a week, and found (after standing in a very long line) that we too needed our Passports...unfortunately, they were in the safe in our room.

 

The hotel desk was happy to exchange for us (and to our suprise the exchange was at the current rate,) but then again, they had our Passport information on file.

 

We bought $500 in Pesos from our bank before we left, but our bank gave us a horrible exchange rate, plus an additional fee.

 

Odd just how fast $500 goes, when you are having fun!

 

My advice, carry your passport, just in case.

[quincytoo]

Thanks for the reply. We haven't decided of we are going to take pesos with us or get them in Cabo. We arrive on a Sunday and I suppose the banks are closed on Sunday.

 

Wiz

 

Atm machines will be working and the cambinos should be opened.