Making the journey to Alaska or Mexico in an RV, can be an exciting and wonderful experience that you will remember and cherish forever. Preparing for these trips, however, and the do’s and don’ts of getting back and forth across the U.S. borders can be a bit of a challenge, especially if it is your first time crossing the border in an RV.

Canadian Boarder

Mexican Boarder

When Cyndy and I first started RVing full time, we stayed inside the U.S., going from west coast to east coast, visiting friends and relatives along the way. However, after a year or so of traveling the U.S., the urge to cross the border and make the journey to Alaska and Mexico became almost unbearable.
Since neither Cyndy or I had passports we figured getting them would be the best place to start in our preparation for crossing U.S. borders. We went online to U.S. Passport link at the USPS website, followed their instructions, went to the local post office, turned in the forms, paid the fees and received our passports in the mail. The process took about three weeks.
Crossing the Canadian borders was relatively simple. The paperwork needed is just your passport, and if you have pets, an international health certificate including up to date shot records, and of course your vehicle paperwork (registration, insurance, etc).
Crossing into Mexico is a little more involved. Along with the papers needed to cross the northern border, you also need Mexican auto insurance, tourist visa and a fishing license if you plan to do any fishing while in Mexico. A good source for all of this is the Baja Travel Club. Here is a link to there website.Discover Baja Travel Club Cyndy and I used them, the membership is $39 and they were very helpful in getting us all the papers necessary to get back and forth across the Mexican border. The same paperwork is good whether you are going to the Mexican mainland or The Baja Peninsula.
Through trial and error and from talking to others that had crossed the border, we learned these do’s and don’ts.
The Do’s:
As you get close to the the border crossing, some have lanes specifically designated for Motorhomes and Trailers, so be on the lookout for which is the appropriate lane to enter.
As you pull up to the window where the border officer is, turn off your engine. If you don’t they will ask you to(you don’t want to annoy them).
If you are wearing sunglasses take them off, the officer wants to see the whites of your eyes.
Let the officer ask the questions, then give him/her a brief answer. This is no time for friendly conversation, there are others in line waiting to cross, and you don’t want to say something that might get you in trouble.
Have all necessary papers ready when you pull up to the window. This is not the time to be digging through the glove box, or trying to remember where you left important papers.
Usually they will just ask for your passport and pet info, however they might ask for drivers license registrations and vehicle insurance papers so have them handy. Cyndy and I kept our papers in a small binder, so that they were easy to access if needed.
Have a list of items you are carrying that they might ask about, such as alcohol, fruits, veggies and eggs,(fresh eggs or pet food is not allowed into the U.S. from Mexico. So use up the pet food or pitch it and hard boil any eggs you have left, they are ok. The Baja travel club can give you a list of things you can and can’t bring across the border.
Be prepared to tell the Officer where you are traveling from, and where you are traveling to.
Don’ts:
DO NOT TRY TO CARRY FIREARMS OR WEAPONS OF ANY KIND across the border. You could end up in a foreign jail, with your rig and it’s contents confiscated. It’s not worth the risk!
Don’t act confused or unsure. The driver should do the talking, and should give the officer brief and direct answers to his/her questions.
Don’t make conversation, be polite but brief with comments and answers.
If you have to pull off of the road for any reason make sure you do it well in advance of the boarder. Vehicles that stop short of the boarder before proceeding become suspicious.
Here is how a typical conversation coming from Mexico back into the U.S. might go:
Officer: good day sir how are you?
Driver: I am fine (not, I am fine how are you) too much conversation, keep it brief
Officer: I need your passport and papers
Driver: here you go (hand over papers)
Officer: Where are you coming from?
Driver: We left Ensenada this morning
Officer:where are you headed?
Driver: Home to San Diego
Officer: are you carrying any firearms?
Driver: NO!
Officer: do you have any fresh fruits ,vegetables or eggs on board?
Driver: yes, here is a list (hand him the list)
Officer: do you have any alcohol on board that you purchased while you were in Mexico?
Driver: yes here is a list (hand him the list)
Officer: hands back paperwork and lists. Drive safely, have a nice day.
Cyndy and I found that going across from the U.S. to Canada and back, the questioning was about the same.
However, crossing over into Mexico was easy, there was usually no boarder official at the entrance, we just slowed down and drove on through. Where they stop you is at military check points inside the interior, and of course crossing back into the U.S. The interior military check points at first are a little intimidating, because of the young soldiers with rifles, and the fact that along with asking for documentation, they want to look inside your rig, but they are very respectful, and after a few of these stops, it becomes pretty routine.
If you know what to expect, and what to do and not do, crossing the border is no big deal.
Also here are a couple of links to ebooks on the subject of traveling in Mexico that you might find helpful.

Retire in Mexico!

Secrets To Enjoying Mexico!