BajaNomad - declaring things going in to baja

declaring things going in to baja

Anonymous - 5-11-2005 at 06:27 PM

hi

do i have to declare my camping gear, like gps, sat. phone, and vhf radio going in to baja? does anything have to be declared going in?

thank you

bajajudy - 5-11-2005 at 06:30 PM

Generally, things for personal use are no problem.

David K - 5-11-2005 at 06:34 PM

NO..., personal items for you camping gear need not be declared...

They do not want you to bring in appliances, desk top computers, old clothing you intend to donate to orphans or poor (sad but true), anything that could be resold in Mexico, no guns, ammo, dope, duh!

Only the far right lane is for declaring (or parking to get the tourist permit if you need to), the other lanes have a red/ green light... you pull over to be inspected if you get the red light.

bajalou - 5-11-2005 at 06:35 PM

Those items are all allowed for tourists - If you get the red light, just tell them you're going camping and that should take care of it. They occasionally make a very thorough search (random selection) so don't have any counterband - Ammo you forgot etc.

:biggrin:

wornout - 5-11-2005 at 06:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajalou
.......Ammo you forgot etc.

:biggrin:

Yea, just heard two USA Border Patrol Agents FORGOT about a case of 40mm ammo on the back seat, like Bart would say, YEA, RIGHT :tumble:

military

yankeeirishman - 5-11-2005 at 08:44 PM

Military checkpoints are set up along all routes. Do not freak out when you come upon one of these inspections. They are looking for dope. They will go into your car, look around fast and send you on your way. Very nice guys, polite they are. Give em a cold soda AFTER you pass the inspection. I know. you were asking about the border crossing, but this info will keep you at ease as you travel Baja. Don?t eat the fish tacos down there?them are mine!

bajadave1 - 5-12-2005 at 07:40 AM

"camping gear"???????????? The dish must be hard to sleep on! Dave

David K - 5-12-2005 at 07:54 AM

dish? A satellite phone (or VHF radio) doesn't use a dish.

Dish ?

MrBillM - 5-12-2005 at 09:05 AM

I've gpt a friend who tent camps out of the back of his Toyota Pickup and brings a Satellite TV dish, receiver and TV with him.

David K - 5-12-2005 at 06:34 PM

Why even bother coming to Baja then? Escaping civilization is the treasure there, not bringing it with you! :barf:

No Escape

MrBillM - 5-13-2005 at 10:53 AM

For YOU, perhaps, that is the reason to be where you are. However, the reasons that people go where they do is as varied as there are people. I try not to critique the motives of others unless they interfere with mine.

Many years back, I had a friend at Alfonsina's and while there I met a neighbor (retired teacher) who had the First C-Band Satellite dish there and a small Solar Electric system used solely for the Dish. He still used oil lanterns in his casa. He stated that he did receive a lot of ribbing from his more puritan neighbors about the dish, but all of them were over on his patio at night to watch HBO. Different Strokes.

The only thing I wanted to escape by going to Baja was hordes of people, but that didn't work, although the crowds there are still better than up here. My motivation to settle where I did was to have an ocean at the front door and to go sailing whenever I wished. Having made my living the majority of my adult life working with Communications technology, I EMBRACE it all.

Escaping civilization in Baja

jrbaja - 5-13-2005 at 10:58 AM

:lol:

And yall go to Bahia de Los Angeles. :lol:

If nothing else, yall have wonderful imaginations!

Mr BillM

BajaRob - 5-13-2005 at 04:37 PM

You are right on. We too have the beach as our front yard (8 KM south of you) . We enjoy being connected to the world or not if we chose. Choices are a good thing. Your point is well taken.........Rob

Debra - 5-13-2005 at 04:48 PM

Again JR.....I have to wonder, you live at Rosarita Beach :?:

And you call Bahia a "gringo anclave" :?:

Anyway.....don't know if you are home or not, but, I hope to stop by and see Keri, is it okay if I drop a couple of things with her? (Providing I can stuff them in the "4Runner from Hell")......

Hi Debra

jrbaja - 5-14-2005 at 02:58 PM

I sort of live in Rosarito Beach, sometimes not. But, when we moved there, our community was Mexican. Which is one of the reasons we moved there. And those that know Rosarito, know it is as diversified with it's many communities as there are tacos. It's a little too crowdeeed for me at times but I still really enjoy it there. Especially when it gets hot down here! Better than anything the north has to offer I guess or there wouldn't be so many grijngo enclaves, like Bahia de los Angeles sprouting up down here where they are all concentrated in one area. " Safety"
As far as dropping things off, you would either have to drop them off with Carol or ask Keri if it's ok. Thanks.

Arthur - 5-17-2005 at 02:15 PM

So you can't take a computer. Can you take power tools? -- they could easily be sold, I would think. And if you're setting up a house down there, it would be nice to be able to import a few items of furniture, which would be easily distinguishable from camping gear. Can someone tell me what the thinking is behind restricting such imports, so I can make a good guess myself? Or is there a list somewhere of where they actually draw the line?

bajajudy - 5-17-2005 at 02:22 PM

You can bring a laptop.
And if you have a fm3 you can "one time" import household goods. You have to have a detailed inventory. If you let your fm3 expire you are supposed to take those goods back out of the country.
There is a list on what you can and cant bring but I dont have an url for it.
maybe someone else does

David K - 5-17-2005 at 06:19 PM

Well, Bill... you are right, and I wasn't really mentally including people who live in Baja...

Speaking of modern luxeries, at Gonzaga Bay: It was fun soaking in Doug Bowles' hot tub (at Alfonsina's) the evening BajaMur and I arrived from our ride into Mision Santa Maria with our injuries after the dual crash into the rocks on the steep grade, since named 'The Widow Maker'! :lol:

:tumble Photo of BajaMur and I at the peninsular divide, 10 miles from Santa Ynez (4.5 from the mission)... Punta Final is seen from here...

[Edited on 5-18-2005 by David K]

bringing it in

jerry - 5-18-2005 at 05:53 AM

other then the one time exemption with an fm3 is there a dollar amount that i can bring in to mexico each time i cross the border i do have an fm3??
can i just declare anything above this amount? pay the duty ? these are things i will be bringing for my own use tools water pump and supplys thanks and have a good one

BRINGING IT IN

MICK - 5-18-2005 at 06:39 AM

We have been building a house for the last year. Almost everytime I go down I take some materials that my contractor can't get or take some tools that I need to use. Any materials I take I simply take the reciept. Go to the declare line and pay the fee. At mexicali it takes about five min. you go into the office fill out the form, walk across the street and pay the tax. Come back and push the button for the light. and go. In at least ten times I have always gotten the green light. I think if you pay the tax you get the green light I was wondering if anyone else has ever gotten a red light after showing your recipts and paying? As far as personal tools I've never been asked and if I was I would just say they are still in my truck from a job I was on. I don't know if that would fly but they are usually friendly enough to talk to. I hope this helps. As far as buying in Mexico I do when I can but sometimes you just can't get what you need or it's three times the money. Two different contractors I've talked to tell me they even go to Calexico or El Centro for supplies sometimes.
Mick

Bruce R Leech - 5-18-2005 at 06:47 AM

yes I have gotten the red after paying 3 times. all they do is check to see if there is anything that you did not declare.

Arthur - 5-18-2005 at 08:02 AM

Bruce, I think if you took off those red-tinted shades you'd discover that you didn't have to stop at all. :cool:

What do the duties amount to? Are they just trying to take away any profit that you might be planning to make by importing stuff into Mexico? I'd eventually like to take down a mitre saw and mig welder, but I'm not sure that they would come under the heading of personal tools.

Red Light

MrBillM - 5-18-2005 at 10:48 AM

The few times I have received a Red Light after Declaration in Secondary, the Customs agent has just gone through the motions for the benefit of anyone watching. Once she put her hands inside the camper shell as if looking through items, but she simply waved them around and then told me to leave.

The dollar value limit for importation without a permit is $1500.00. The interpretation of that rule is per vehicle, not person. The limit on computer equipment is $4000, no doubt written when computers were expensive. The duties as of Dec 2004 were 17 % for U.S. and Nafta countries up to 19 % for the Orient and others, down appreciably from a high of 54 % in the early years of Nafta.

exempt amount$$??

jerry - 5-18-2005 at 11:40 AM

so am i reading this right i am not allowed to bring anything into mexico tools or meterals for my personal use ,boat repair, gifts, with out paying the duty on it?? theres not a $$ amount thats exempt like a tourist can can bring in?? have a good one jerry

Generally Speaking.............

MrBillM - 5-18-2005 at 02:12 PM

Power and Hand tools that are not NEW are not counted. I used to carry quite a few power tools back and forth in an open top wooden crate readily visible. When questioned, I simply said I was taking them down to work on my casa and would be bringing them back. I was never required to pay duty on those items and that has been the experience of everyone I know. However, they are very suspicious of any equipment that looks new, in or out of the box. Also, when you have multiples of the same tool.

Technically, as a TOURIST, you should not be bringing in ANY items to work with, except possibly tools to work on your vehicle.

Gift items in large quantities are subject to duty. I've known of many people who have taken down gift items such as clothes, appliances, utensils and have been challenged. As a TOURIST, you are only allowed items for your personal use.