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elizabeth
Senior Nomad
Posts: 742
Registered: 7-30-2004
Location: Loreto, BCS
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Menaje de Casa
I am in the process of preparing my house for sale...that means giving away, throwing away, and packing stuff. To avoid packing more than once, I am
packing and inventorying everything that I will take to Mexico with me. I have read previous threads and other web sites, but I still have some very
specific questions, and am looking for current information.
Has anyone had their menaje de casa approved in San Francisco, and how did that go? And also any specific problems with inventories at the border?
I have seen sample inventories that just list box number and general content, but have been told by others that items must be specified, e.g., not
just "flatware", but 12 spoons, 12 knives, etc. How specific is specific? If I have a box of books, do I need to list titles, general topics, like
"cook books", etc., or can I just say "books" or "15 books"?
Any shipping companies that you can recommend...I'm not doing the u-haul thing!
Thanks...
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danaeb
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Location: San Diego; El Centenario
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Hi Elizabeth.
Based on all the information that's been posted about each consulate's differing requirements, I would suggest you go to the consulate first or call,
or access their website to determine their specific requirements.
I just went through the menaje process in San Diego, and their requirements regarding the list were very broad. (2 boxes book, 5 boxes clothes, etc),
but I would check with SF BEFORE you start your list.
I had my goods shipped to La Paz by Columbia Exports in San Diego. My movers packed everything and took the load to Columbia, who then did all the
customs stuff and drove it to LP. If you are only shipping used items, the country of origen doesn't matter, but if you're shipping anything new -
make sure the country of origen is NOT China. The duties are about 370%. Yikes.
If you'd like more info, u2u me. Good luck with your move.
--Dana
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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Bajafun777
Super Nomad
Posts: 1103
Registered: 9-13-2006
Location: Rosarito & California
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Mood: Enjoying Life with Wife In Mexico, Easy on The Easy
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Elizabeth, the Gringo Gazette has a company called Import/Export International they claim to handle the paperwork and customs problems on both sides
of the border. They are located in San Diego at 9295 Siempre Viva Rd. Ste A&B, San Diego, Ca. 92154. Their phone number is 619-671-2324 and the
fax number is 619-671-2325. So, maybe call this and get a quote and then call the one that danaeb suggests and get the best deal. I personally have
not done business with any of them but since they are both from San Diego and American companies you could have some kind of recourse if job not well
done . Later---------bajafun777
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cabobaja
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Posts: 363
Registered: 9-19-2006
Location: South \"O\", Elias Calles, BCS
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Import/Export moved me in 1996 to the Eastcape. Did an excellent job!
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Bob and Susan
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Location: Mulege BCS on the BAY
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here is a sample from rolly brook...
http://rollybrook.com/menaje.htm
take a look
here is an honest import broker
he can arrange shipping too...
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CaboRon
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Manaja de Casa
I spoke with the shipping co. that advertizes in the Gringo Gazette: They quoted their minimun load (quarter truck) as 1200US to ship to CSL and a
brocker and packing charge of 1200US. They sound like competent people, however I can't afford these kinds of prices. This means that my rig will
look a little like the Beverly Hillbillies arriving town, and I am preparing my own Manaja de Casa. Step-off for my move to Todos Santos is October
first!!!!!! CaboRon
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elizabeth
Senior Nomad
Posts: 742
Registered: 7-30-2004
Location: Loreto, BCS
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Thanks everyone for the information.
I had checked out rollybrook's site, but his list was of the general type. I did check with the Mexican consulate in San Francisco, and two calls
produced two opinions!!!! Which is why I'm asking here for actual experience!
I think I'll just go for the detailed listing...better to have too much information than too little.
Special thanks for the transportation/broker information.
[Edited on 5-30-2007 by elizabeth]
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Heather
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Posts: 370
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: National City, CA
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I did the move to TJ a few years ago, and it was one of the worst experiences of my life! I had rented a UHaul, loaded all my stuff, and with menaje
de casa in hand proceeded to cross the border. I pulled in at San Ysidro and was told I had to be processed through Otay. They pulled open the gate,
and I cut in the line to get back to the US and try again. (My friends that were following to help with the unloading also made the Uturn back over).
When I got to Otay, I was approached by various men telling me that I needed to hire a "broker" to walk my paperwork through. I went into the
office, and was told the same thing. So, I hired some guy, paid him about $100, and then he and I, in the UHaul entered the line with all the other
traileros (trucks and truck drivers). We then waited our turn, and pushed the red/green customs button, of course we got the red!
That meant another 2-3 hour wait for the truck to be inspected. The customs guy wanted to take everything out of the packed UHaul, but we finally
(don't recall if $$ was exchanged) talked him into just doing a cursory inspection. He had the menaje and was kind of checking things off. The TV
was what he seemed to be most concerned with.
It was a long, tiring day before we finally got to Playas and my new home!!
My advice: don't bring a truck, even the smallest rental was got me in line with all the 18 wheelers!! Have fun, but don't think you can get across
in a minimal amount of time.
I think that I listed items like: boxes of books, kitchen material, etc. Electronic stuff is where they wanted serial #'s etc.
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
Registered: 5-4-2007
Location: Todos Santos, BCS
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We had a similar experience to Heather:
I’d like to relate our experience with our menaje. The nightmare started when the Mexican Consul General in Portland, Oregon, refused to give me the
paperwork for an FM3/Work Permit. He told me that FM3 was only for retirees and I can NOT work in Mexico. When I told him I was NOT retiring and that
I was going to work in my Chiropractic profession in Todos Santos, he showed me to the door. When I insisted that I needed the forms he rudely replied
to “try to get them down there!”, and laughed. Language was not a problem because I’m a fluent Spanish speaker (originally from Argentina.)
So I went to Todos Santos and La Paz, and obtained my Working FM3. When I returned to the Consul in Oregon with these documents, he confiscated them
and told me that there is no such thing as a Working FM3 and there must be something wrong with those documents, he had to investigate the forgery...
Two weeks later he returned them and reluctantly signed the menaje papers. I asked which border crossing we should go through, and he replied “any of
them,” and laughed.
We wanted to do everything legal, so we were very detailed making our menaje list. A friend loaned us their double-horse-trailer and the day came to
pack. The trailer was smaller than we thought, and not everything fit in, so some things were left behind. The border menaje customs office is open
only during the day, so we arrived at the Tijuana crossing in the early morning. They wouldn’t let us through. They said menajes HAVE to go through
Otay Mesa. At Otay they made us first hire a customs broker, who charged exorbitant fees to fill out one simple piece of paper. Then they escorted us
to a truck loading dock and they started to unload the trailer. Our belongings were manhandled and thrown around. They threw them out on the filthy
muddy ground. We were not allowed to touch anything and we had to stand far away watching them tearing boxes open, pulling things out of boxes, and
damaging many things. We waited in the hot sun all day in mid-July last year! We didn’t know what was going on and they were extremely uncooperative.
Several officials came throughout the day and raffled through our stuff. They were mostly interested in the electronics. Each wanted to see everything
and checked and double-checked the serial numbers, but also poked in boxes and pulled stuff out.
The big problem arose when they discovered that we did not have some of the things listed. They told us there is a stiff fine for NOT having stuff,
but I could pay them on the spot to overlook the bigger fine. I did. Then they told me I had to pay another 850 pesos for THEM to reload everything
back into the trailer. We were not allowed to be even near our belongings. Now, we had been very careful to pack the trailer at home, putting heavy
things on the bottom over the center axle, and lighter and fragile things on the top. We had done a superb job of packing and arranging things at home
to balance the weight in the trailer. Did these guys do a good job to repack it? Heck no! And I think that on purpose, they put boxes marked “fragile”
on the bottom, heavy things on top, and they just shoved everything carelessly wherever with total disregard to our directions. The end result was the
trailer was totally unbalanced and it was a real hassle to tow for the rest of our trip 1,000 miles to Todos Santos. Of course everything did not fit
back so the Suburban now also was full, adding to the discomfort of the trip.
We did arrive at our new home without further incidents, but at every checkpoint, when they would make us open the back of the horse trailer, we could
see that things were shifting and had bounced around inside there. We can live with all the nicks and dents and scratches and chips on our furniture
and stuff, but I don’t wish this nightmare on anybody.
Some people have been lucky with their menaje. We had problems. I think God was testing us and we never lost our faith. Actually this episode prepared
us to the nightmares we had later with the construction/remodel of my clinic. But we never gave up; we kept telling ourselves that we are supposed to
be here and all the bumps were just tests of our faith, and we made it! If we had to do it all over again, we would have packed a lot less stuff and
not attempt to bring it ourselves, or, alternatively, commandeer a much larger trailer and bring everything we wanted to bring, and have a customs
broker handle the paperwork, which you need to anyway, even if you haul your own stuff. As it turned out, we brought little, much got damaged, and it
cost a bundle. But we’re here, we are healthy and happy, and all that stuff was just that – STUFF.
Good luck with your menaje. Have a detailed list with serial numbers, invoices or receipts with purchase dates 6 months or older, all the official
Mexican stamps and seals, get a customs broker beforehand, do everything legal, declare everything. Have some extra cash in your pocket, just in case.
Cross your fingers. Take some deep breaths. Perhaps if I had offered cash BEFORE they unloaded our trailer…
--Amir
Here is a picture from our overnight stop in Loreto on the way to our final destination: Todos Santos.
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bancoduo
Banned
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Location: el carcel publico mazatlan sin.
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Could they have been looking for the horses?
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
Registered: 5-4-2007
Location: Todos Santos, BCS
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Mood: chiropractic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bancoduo
Could they have been looking for the horses? |
I can laugh now, I'm over the trauma...
 --Amir
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cabobaja
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Posts: 363
Registered: 9-19-2006
Location: South \"O\", Elias Calles, BCS
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Amir,
What is your phone number? I need my bones cracked! I am 18 miles south of you.
Getting back to the thread, if you hire Import/Export they will handle everything and deliver to your door in Baja.
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Heather
Nomad
Posts: 370
Registered: 10-31-2002
Location: National City, CA
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I see you can relate Amir!!
How's the weather in Todos Santos? We'll be down in about another month. My step-son is graduating from high school in TS in July, the other one
graduates from the secundaria in Pescadero, which is where they live. My husband and the boys plan to spend some time this summer at Los Cerritos
putting a fence around some property we bought there. We stay in CSL, but go between CSL and La Paz quite a bit while we're there.
I'll know where to go if I need a chiropractor! I'll just look for the horse trailer! H.
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Cypress
Elite Nomad
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amir, That looks a lot like my horse/u-haul trailer.
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
Registered: 5-4-2007
Location: Todos Santos, BCS
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Mood: chiropractic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by cabobaja
Amir,
What is your phone number? I need my bones cracked! I am 18 miles south of you. |
Phone number: 612-158-1895.
Never really liked the expression "bone cracking". I call it an adjustment, or a "tune-up"... However, the Mexicans call it "tronar" which is "to
thunder", but can also be translated as cracking, so I'm getting more used to the term... Hope to straighten you out soon. I'm here now, I live on the
same property as the clinic, in town. Today I got permission from City Hall and the building inspector to put signs up on the highway, they go up next
Saturday. It's easy to get here, will give you instruction when you call... --Amir
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Loretana
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Registered: 5-19-2006
Location: Oregon/Loreto
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Amir,
Good luck to you with your chiropractic clinic.
I met the "gentleman" at the Consulate in Portland when I asked for an application/and or the proper paperwork to get my FM-3.
He is, frankly, a real creep. He told me I could not buy property in Mexico until I had the FM-3 in place. I already own two properties in Loreto.
I appreciate your honest appraisal of the menaje de casa process.......
your advice will be on my mind as I prepare my "stuff" for the road.
"If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration."
-Nikola Tesla
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danaeb
Senior Nomad
Posts: 991
Registered: 11-13-2006
Location: San Diego; El Centenario
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Mood: groovy
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Elizabeth - getting back to the menaje....
I paid $2300 for a quarter semi load from Otay to La Paz two weeks ago. I know it's expensive. Plus, you would have the additional cost of shipping
from SF area to Otay if you go the import/export route. Would I do it again? I'm not sure if the expense was worth it vs what it would have cost me
to furnish new from stores in La Paz. The good thing is - I'm leaving for LP this Friday to setup my FINISHED (yeah!) casita after a year of
construction. So, after all the hassle, money and delays, it's all good.
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
Registered: 5-4-2007
Location: Todos Santos, BCS
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Mood: chiropractic
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Danaeb,
What company did you use? We are still researching how to ship the rest of our stuff (that did not fit in that little horse trailer). Menaje de Casa
is a once-in-a-lifetime thing so we cannot do another menaje, and the things we want to get here cannot be found in any store, in La Paz, or anywhere.
We received an offer today on our house in Eugene, Oregon (after it being only 2 weeks on the market - hurrrrraaaaayyyyyy!), so we have about a month
to get this load ready. My wife will be renting a U-Haul to deliver things to a son who lives in Los Angeles, and then can take our things to San
Diego to the shipper. Any information you, or anybody else reading this post, have, will be greatly appreciated. We already have some references
graciously posted in this thread. The two companies we've seen in the Gringo Gazette are Import/Export International and Aliser.
Thank you, --Amir
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amir
Senior Nomad
Posts: 559
Registered: 5-4-2007
Location: Todos Santos, BCS
Member Is Offline
Mood: chiropractic
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| Quote: | Originally posted by Heather
How's the weather in Todos Santos? ... |
Heather, I'm sending you a separate email about the weather here. This is a thread about menaje, after all... The commercial plug about chiropractic
was unintended...
--Amir
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danaeb
Senior Nomad
Posts: 991
Registered: 11-13-2006
Location: San Diego; El Centenario
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Amir - I used Columbia Exports in Otay Mesa. I had contacted Lopez Page International last year but had problems getting repsonses to phone calls and
emails. Even if you don't use Columbia, their CEO/manager, Arturo Ruffo is the BEST! He spent a lot of time with me on the phone and in emails
answering my questions.
Your position this time is a little unique, since you're not shipping under the menaje but your goods are not new. I seem to remember him telling me
that the standard duties apply even if the goods are used. Again, the country of origin is key: CHINA BAD!!!! An additional cost you'll probably
incur will be the palletizing (is this a word?) of your shipment. The exporters don't pack or crate your goods, they only receive them for shipment,
so if you have fragile things you'll want to make sure they are packed/crated securely for HWY 1 before you get them to your exporter.
Call or email Arturo - he'll give you all the info:
Columbia Export Service Co.
Arturo Ruffo Velarde.CEO.
2225 Avenida Costa Este Suite 1800.
San Diego, CA. EUA. 92154.
Phone: (619) 710-1863 ext. 107.
cesco@columbiaexport.net
The general website is: http://www.columbiaexport.net/
Buena suerte!
--Dana
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake every time you repeat it.
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