One of Tijuana's greatest advantages is that it is a border city, and if you have the proper documentation, you can easily go to San Diego by car or on foot.
With Christmas celebrations just around the corner, many want to travel to the US to celebrate with their families or enjoy California’s amazing holiday events. That's why here's the definitive guide with everything you need to know to go through the Tijuana-San Diego ports of entry and important info that you should take into account during your trip.
What Are Tijuana's Ports of Entry?
The ports of entry available in Tijuana are:
San Ysidro and Otay Mesa Ports of Entry
These are the busiest border crossings due to their vehicular and pedestrian accesses, perfect for tourists, citizens, and people who cross daily to work and study.
San Ysidro Port of Entry
Otay Mesa Port of Entry
PedWest Port of Entry
Also known as "El Chaparral", this is a pedestrian entry point open from 6 AM to 2 PM from Monday through Sunday. This port of entry is close to Las Americas Premium Outlets: a shopping mall full of discounts and products for all ages that features stores such as Adidas, Bath & Body Works, Disney Stores, Nike, and much more.
Vehicular Lanes
If you’re crossing the Tijuana-San Diego border by car, you should know that there are different kinds of lanes located at all ports of entry, and access to each depends on your documentation.
All Traffic
This lane is for all people with any visa type, even SENTRI or Ready Lane. These lanes tend to have longer wait times compared to others.
Ready Lane
Ready Lanes are dedicated processing lanes for both vehicle passengers and pedestrians traveling with eligible travel cards with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology (“Ready Lane” label is located on the back of the card). To avoid delays, if you're in a vehicle or crossing the border on foot, all people 16 years of age or older should have an eligible card. Click here for more info.

SENTRI
SENTRI is your best bet to cross the border as fast as possible, but to obtain it you must meet certain requirements. You need to have a valid visa, apply for a SENTRI card, pay the appropriate fee, and wait for border agents to approve your application. Be careful, however! Using this lane by mistake without a SENTRI card could have serious consequences such as the suspension of your tourist visa.
Global Entry
Global Entry is a special program created to give authorization to low-risk travelers entering the United States. Just like with SENTRI, an additional procedure that includes the visa, a fee payment, and approval by authorities is required.
To apply for your Global Entry card, you must fill out and send your application online through the Trusted Traveler Program (TTP). This process costs $120 USD. Once it is approved, this program provides access to quicker lines at airports and land and sea border crossings.

I-94 Permit: A Mandatory Requirement for Many Travelers
All tourists that travel more than 25 miles north of the Tijuana-San Diego border must obtain a special I-94 permit priced at $6 USD. Currently, it can be requested online through the CBP One app, at pedestrian ports of entry (San Ysidro and Otay Mesa), and by car at Otay Mesa.
CBP agents have issued recommendations regarding this document:
Regarding obtaining the permit at the Otay Mesa Port of Entry, travelers can request it during their first inspection by notifying the CBP official. Then, travelers will be sent over to a secondary car inspection and walk to the office located inside the port of entry.
It should be noted that the PedWest Port of Entry, also known as "El Chaparral", no longer accepts applications for this permit.
Prohibited and Restricted Items
Every country in the world has its own customs rules and laws, which is why some products are prohibited or restricted when you go through the Tijuana-San Diego ports of entry. As such, CBP has an extensive list of products that cannot be brought in or have specific restrictions. These items are the following:
- Absinthe (alcohol)
- Alcoholic beverages
- Automobiles
- Biological materials
- Ceramic tableware
- Cultural artifacts and cultural property
- Defense articles or items with military or proliferation applications
- Dog and cat fur
- Drug paraphernalia
- Aquatic products (except filets and fish for animal consumption)
- Fish
- Live turtles
- Regulated products of aquatic origin, in bad condition, rotting, or with maggots and insects
- Firearms
- Fish and wildlife
- Food products (raw and prepared)
- Prior notice for food importation
- Fruits and vegetables
- Game and hunting trophies
- Gold
- Haitian animal hide drums
- Drums
- Medications
- Photographic films
- Plants and seeds
- Soil
- Textiles and clothing
- Trademark and copyrighted articles
Click here to learn more about these items.
Requirements to Travel with Pets from Tijuana to San Diego

Starting on August 1, 2024, new requirements to bring in your dogs to the United States were put into effect. Owners (depending on their country of origin) must prove that their pet is vaccinated against rabies, free of sickness, at least 6 months of age, and have an ISO-compatible ID microchip.
Besides these aforementioned requirements, you must also fill out the "Dog's Import Form", which can be obtained here.
For pets coming from Mexico, since it is a rabies low-risk country, you will only need the Dog Import Form and the microchip.
CBP, however, doesn't have the resources to verify dogs with microchips. But if the agent thinks that the dog is not in good health conditions, they could force travelers to present proof of this ID device.
How to Know When Is the Best Time to Go through the Tijuana-San Diego Ports of Entry
US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has a valuable program on their website called "Border Wait Times". This tool allows travelers to learn the wait times for both vehicular and pedestrian ports of entry.
You will be shown a graphic that shows the average wait time alongside the current one, giving you the chance to compare them to see if times are better or worse on a particular day.
What and How Much Can You Bring to Tijuana?
When you come back from your trip to the US, don’t forget to take into account the Mexican laws in force at the time, including border tax exemptions and prohibited items.
Border Tax Exemptions During the Holiday Season
The official Héroes Paisanos 2024 Winter Operation was launched on November 28 at the National Institute of Migration (INM) facilities in the El Chaparral Port of Entry.
This program increases the border tax exemption limits for residents of border regions and visitors entering Mexico.
Border residents entering Mexico by land can bring in merchandise worth up to $300 USD duty-free. To learn more, click here.
Products Prohibited from Being Brought into Mexico from the United States:
- Balanced feed for any species (except cats and dogs).
- Balanced feed for cats and dogs with beef, sheep, and goat meat (Provided that the country of origin has no phytosanitary requirements sheet from the module for consultation for MCRZI importation).
- Fresh meat from any species.
- Containers with animals, animal remains (blood, feathers, bones, waste, etc.)
- Any regulated animal species (except cats and dogs).
- Clothing with animal bones, skin, or feathers, handicrafts with horns or carved or polished bones, when showing blood or any other disease- and pest-spreading materials. Entry is allowed when the aforementioned materials are absent and it is proven that the product does not pose any sanitary risk.
- Bullfighter, horsemanship, and bull mating clothing and accessories when showing blood or animal tissue remains; entry is allowed when they are completely clean and disinfected and prior preventive treatment has been shown at the time of entry.
- Homemade and handcrafted products are not allowed.
- Pastured poultry.
- Pig and pork products and by-products originating in countries with African swine fever virus including: ham, sausages, bacon, chicharron, sweets with pork, raw pork, dried meat, smoked pork chops, pre-cooked cold cuts, pasta with pork, BBQ ribs, pork flours, pork lard, instant soup with pork, pasta with bacon bits, salami, bologna, ham sandwich, chorizo, etc.
- Rawhide products.
- Pharmaceutical, chemical, and biological products meant for animal use or consumption, including those with therapeutic or research purposes.
- Fresh cheese.
- Sandwiches, snacks, tortas, burgers, pizzas, etc. with meat and dairy content without suitable packaging or sanitary seal from the proper authorities.
- Hunting trophies (mounted, fresh, salted, etc.).
- Pots or items with contents of plant, animal, or unknown origin.
- Soil
- Pots or items with contents of plant or unknown origin
- Propagative material (seeds, bulbs, slips, shoots, cuttings, etc.)
- Flowers, plants, in vitro seedlings, fresh vegetables and fruits
- Grains (maize, beans, rice, quinoa, wheat, sesame, sunflowers, beans, lentils, etc.)
- Coffee and green tobacco
- Fresh chestnuts
- Live, raw, and dry crustaceans
- Aquatic products (except filets and fish for animal consumption)
- Fish
- Live turtles
- Regulated products of aquatic origin, in bad condition, rotting, or with maggots and insects

Remember: traveling requires lots of planning and organizing, which is why all the regulations in the United States and Mexico must be taken into account to avoid delays and have the best experience possible!
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