TRAVEL INSTRUCTIONS

Please read before making your travel arrangements.

It is your responsibility to purchase airline tickets. Please consult with your coordinator regarding the correct number of nights you will spend in the hotel and hospital prior to making a purchase.

HOW MANY DAYS?

Any time between 11:30 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. – recommended. 

Consider the following when planning your departure:

• Transportation is provided in the morning only. The medical lane to cross the border opens at 8:00 a.m., pick up from the hotel is normally arranged around 7:30 – 8:30 a.m.; depending on the traffic across the border estimated arrival time at the airport is 9:30 a.m.

• If your departure is later in the afternoon, you will spend extra hours at the airport waiting for your flight. If possible, choose departure time closer to 12:00 p.m. for your own convenience.

• If you choose to book an early flight (any flight before 11:30 a.m.) we will arrange your transportation to San Diego the day before your departure. You will be responsible for making your own hotel reservation in San Diego and provide us with a hotel name and address. Your surgery package does not cover the cost of your hotel stay outside Mexico.

Please consider the service below that offers hotel bookings for certain hours of the day (you don`t have to pay for the overnight stay), a good option in case of a late-night departure: https://www.dayuse.com/s/united-states/california/san-diego-county/san-diego 

Passport book or Passport card – preferred options.

Original Birth Certificate (or its certified copy) + regular DL or ID – acceptable option.

If you applied for a passport but it did not arrive on time, please do not worry. Simply bring your passport application receipt with you along with your DL or a regular ID, if at that time you have a copy of your BC, bring it with you as well. A passport application receipt combined with any state-issued ID will be sufficient for the border police officers.

Important! Do I need a visa? The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) enables nationals of certain countries (such as Australia and New Zealand, for example) to travel to the United States for tourism or business purposes for stays of 90 days or less without obtaining a visa. VWP travelers are required to apply for authorization though the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA), are screened at their port of entry into the United States, and are enrolled in the Department of Homeland Security’s US-VISIT program.

It will take less than 30 minutes to complete the form. You will need to provide your passport details, personal information and answer the eligibility criteria questions. It is advised that the application is made at least 72 hours before the person is due to travel to the US. This is because the processing time could be delayed, this has happened before where the system has crashed, and travelers were unable to take their intended flights.

As well as having a valid passport, applicants need to have a valid email address for correspondence regarding the application and a payment card to use for the payment of the application fee. Apply online at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta

You will be able to park at the hotel secure parking lot, a small parking fee applies daily. Hotel and hospital addresses are provided further below. Discuss your arrival day and time with your patient coordinator. Be sure to request a medical pass for faster border crossing on the way back to the US with our hotel facilitators.

HOTEL RECOMMENDATIONS IN SAN DIEGO WITH FREE AIRPORT SHUTTLE SERVICE 

Preferred hotel options:

• Sheraton San Diego Hotel and Marina (right in front of the airport)
• Best Western Yacht Harbor Hotel
• Hilton San Diego Airport/Harbor Island
• Holiday Inn Express Downtown San Diego

Budget hotel options:

• Ramada By Wyndham San Diego Airport
• Holiday Inn San Diego Bayside
• Hampton Inn San Diego
• Downtown Doubletree by Hilton San Diego Downtown

Please note that free airport shuttle service may not be available during late evening hours or very early morning hours, and some hotels have temporarily or permanently suspended this service during COVID-19 pandemic. We advise you to check with the hotel directly or use Uber taxi service (the average cost of transportation from the airport to a hotel in San Diego usually does not exceed $20 USD).