It is possible to get to Lake Chapala by riding a bus or driving your car. However, if you are from another country the best form transportation you can take to Lake Chapala is the plane. International flights do not land directly in Lake Chapala. Instead, these flights land on the nearest international airport known as the Miguel Hidalgo International Airport located in Guadalajara.
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Like in any other flights, you deplane from the plane you are on and enter the terminal. The deplaning process may vary depending on the flight you took. Once you are inside the terminal, you must prepare the necessary documents for inspection and stamping. These documents can include visitor and resident visas, FM-T forms, passport, birth certificate, and an identification card. Once the immigration official clears you, a copy of your visa and other necessary papers will be given to you while the immigration department retains another copy. Always safeguard your FM-T form because any time during the trip you might need to present this form when making transactions. Moreover, you will need to surrender this form at the check-in counter when you leave Mexico.
On the other hand, if you the number of days you are given is not enough then you can apply for an extension at the immigration office located at Guadalajara or at the Municipal Building located at the San Antonio Tlayacapan, between Chapala and Ajijic around noon on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
After getting past the immigration official, you can now claim your baggage from the luggage carousel. You can use the free pushcarts to load your luggage and get it to the Customs area. The Customs or Aduana will check your customs declaration form and other necessary documents. Light signals will tell you whether you can leave the airport or not.
Do not forget to leave the pushcarts inside the customs area. If your luggage is too much for you to handle then there are baggage porters available and ready to help you with your luggage. These baggage porters can take you to the parking lot, the taxi stand, or the desk for rental cars.
You can take any of these forms of transportation to get to your hotel or the place you are staying.
When in Lake Chapala, do not forget to bring along some cash. Credits cards may be accepted but not all establishments in Lake Chapala accept credit cards therefore cash may come in handy.
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