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Ready Lanes
San Ysidro and Otay Mesa

Ready Lanes in San Ysidro and Otay Mesa 2024

Border crossers now have another faster border crossing option. The northbound lanes, called the Ready Lanes, were opened with the goal of reducing wait times returning to the U.S. from Mexico. All border crossers who use the lane must have an RFID compliant card such as a passport card, SENTRI card, or other card with an RFID chip (Radio Frequency Identification). All passengers in the vehicle must have RFID compliant cards in order to use the lane except those under 16 years of age.

What cards can be used in the Ready Lane?
The following cards may be used in the lane as long as they are RFID compliant:
  • U.S. Passport card
  • SENTRI card, Global Entry, FAST and NEXUS
  • Enhanced driver's license (EDL) - Currently only the following states issue these: Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, and Washington. Prior to 2022 the Canadian provinces of British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec also issued RFID enhanced driver's licenses
  • Green Card aka Permanent Resident card (All green cards issued after May 11, 2010 are RFID enhanced)
  • Border Crossing Card (All border crossing cards issued after Oct 1, 2008 are RFID enhanced)
  • Enhanced Tribal Card
The California Real ID does not contain an RFID and is NOT eligible for use in the Ready Lane.
Have you used the Ready lane already?
Please let us know your experience by emailing us at service(at)bajabound.com.
Thank you for your comments.


Article sources:
Baja Bound field research
Travel.state.gov

About Our Sources
We work hard to maintain the validity and accuracy of the information we provide in our Before You Go guide to traveling into Mexico, and coming back to the United States. We source our information through government websites and the direct relationships we have with community and government leaders both in the United States and Mexico. Our team is based in San Diego and crosses the US/Mexico border often. Additionally we are involved with advocating for a better border crossing experience through our work with the Smart Border Coalition and regional chambers of commerce. Please contact us with questions or corrections.
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