Arrival at the airport and getting through the customs area

As you get off the plane in Guadalajara, depending on your flight you may disembark directly into the normal airport gate 'chute' and into the airport customs area, or you may disembark onto the tarmac, walk to waiting buses and be bussed to the terminal, or in some cases the plane may taxi close enough to the terminal for you to disembark and walk briefly to the customs luggage area.

You will arrive at the customs area and wait in appropriate lines to present your identification and tourist visa card that you have filled out previously.  The Visa card is usually given when you check in before your flight, or onboard your flight.  Once your visa is stamped, you will proceed to pick up your luggage from one of the carousels.  There are courtesy carts off to the side for your luggage. Once you have retrieved your luggage you will approach the exit doors and customs inspection.  If you have anything to declare you can do so now, and you will be directed to side offices to pay whatever duty or to receive whatever permit might be applicable.  As a general rule of thumb you should not need to declare anything.

At the time of writing you will normally approach the customs officials and you will see what appears to be a stop light.  When you are waved forward to one of the stop lights, press the button on the post.  If you get a green light you are set to leave the customs area and out to the waiting taxis and Casa de las Flores.

If you should get a red light, you will go to the side with a customs agent and they will check your bags.

In the many years of flying in and out of Guadalajara, I have only once or twice got a red light and it has always been a very quick check.

A thought:  I often return to Guadalajara with exotic items like pumpkin pie spices and poultry seasoning etc.  Everything is pretty tightly and intricately packed, so I usually put a couple of large black plastic bags on top of my stuff so if I do have an inspection and do not want to spend the next 20 minutes repacking my luggage, I can just dump a few things in the bags and close up the suitcase.

See Getting A Taxi