Beginning in June 2009, all U.S. citizens returning to the United States by land or sea must present one of the following documents to gain entry:

• U.S. passport
• U.S. passport card
• enhanced driver's license (only offered in Michigan, New York, Vermont, and Washington)
• NEXUS card
• SENTRI card, or
• FAST card.

A birth certificate or driver's license are no longer acceptable documents for reentering the US (which is why Tijuana has dried up as a weekend tourist destination, since the majority of day-trippers figure getting a passport isn't worth the trouble).  You won't have any trouble getting into Mexico (if traveling by land)- it's reentering the US that would be the problem.

The coordinator may very well be speaking the truth, in that they might bend the rules if they believe you to be a US citizen, but what if they don't?  Are you willing to take the chance of being detained at the border for not adhering to the law a couple of days after major surgery? 

I would point out the information on Mexicali Bariatric Center's own website:

We share with you the actual requirements asked by the U.S. Government through its different agencies (Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection -CBP-, Immigration and Naturalization Dept.). These policies are effective since June 1st, 2009 with no exceptions allowed.

Starting June 1, 2009…
• U.S. government implemented compliance with full requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative phases regarding land and sea. These proposed rules requires U.S. citizens entering the country via a sea or land port of entry to present a passport (booklet), passport card or other travel document counting with the approval of the DHS (Homeland Security).

I guarantee that showing them you have applied for a passport carries absolutely no weight. I agree that your best bet at this point is to pay the extra fee to get an expedited passport.  It will cost you, but you will have peace of mind.

Personally, I think it would be foolish and taking a HUGE chance by traveling to Mexico without a passport.

Best of luck!

I had a VSG with Dr. Kelly in TJ Mexico. Fantastic experience. Message me with any questions.  Linda

I had the lap band done in 2009 things were going o****il last summer when I had a slip. The dr. removed my fluid the slip resolved itself then it happen 3 more times in which the Dr. decided the band is no longer functional. I am now going to have a revision but getting pushed around by the doctors here in the US so I am headed to Mexico to self pay. I have done a lot of research and decided to go with Dr. Fernando Garcia in Tijuana. Can anyone who has had surgery with him please let me know how it went and what type of surgery you had. I obviously and SUPER nervous about going to Mexico for surgery.

Thanks for that..........I'm wondering if anyone has already gone thru without a passport, and if so, what happened.

I'm leaving Mexicali at 7am and flying back to IL from San Diego.  So it will be a long day.

Protein powder, broth?

Thanks.

Liz