declare -- or don't fly

Today's essay is a short travel tip.

The tip is short; the travel can be long as long as you choose.

For several months, Mexico has required all international passengers to complete a Health Declaration Form when leaving and entering the country. It started out as a paper form that created long processing lines while passengers dug through their purses and wallets for required information. To short-cut that process, some good souls put a copy of the form on-line to help people speed up their entrance into and exit out of Mexico.

But bureaucracy always has its way, like water leaks in ceilings during rainstorms. The Mexican agency in charge of the form markedly changed its content. People arriving at the airport with the old form were told to fill out the new form because the old form had been superseded. Anyone who has dealt with Mexican Immigration in other contexts knows that arguing will not get anyone anywhere. The correct answer is: "Thank you."

About two months ago, the process changed again for the better. I showed up at the Manzanillo airport with a fully-completed pirated version of the new form. The young lady at the clearance table told me the process had changed once again. I now needed to complete the form on my smartphone.

Now, I am a big advocate of change -- especially when it leads to more efficiency. This change did not. Or, at least, not initially for me. I am one of those old guys who has trouble opening QR code-based menus on my telephone. I could starve before I could access what the restaurant sold.

Filling out the paper form usually took me about 45 seconds because I was accustomed to the information requested. The smartphone option was not so intuitive. But only because I had not previously used it.

Since then, the form has become so familiar that I can complete it in about thirty seconds -- both leaving and entering Mexico.

Here is the routine. No earlier than 12 hours before your flight is scheduled to leave Mexico or to arrive in Mexico from a foreign airport, you can complete the form by opening México Vuela Seguro  (https://www.vuelaseguro.com/home) and creating an account. (I suggest saving the address on your smartphone.) You then answer the same -- or similar -- questions that appear on the old and revised paper forms.

When you have answered all of the questions (within the 12-hour limitation), the site will provide you with a QR code that can be scanned at the processing table. I usually print mine off in color to make it easier for the processor.

The system is quite efficient, and Mexico deserves credit for making what had become an administrative bottleneck into a fast-track program. The most difficult part was learning the system. 

My suggestion is to practice with the on-line form at home. The first time will take more than 30 seconds. Just take your time and print out the code when you are done.

When you are directed past the lines of people filling out paper forms, you can momentarily feel like one of those smart young things who can actually open restaurant menus on their telephones. It will also speed you along on your journey.

Buen viaje.