If we wanted to take our car to the mainland from La Paz, and return to La Paz, where does one turn in the import sticker? They are to be turned in
'at the border.' The car we would take would not be taken out of Mexico (it's our baja car). Where could we find a definitive answer to this?wilderone - 8-11-2009 at 08:30 AM
You turn it in at the same office where you acquired the sticker.karenintx - 8-11-2009 at 09:12 AM
When we drove our car down from the USA we drove the mainland then crossed the Sea of Cortez via Los Mochis - La Paz. We bought the windshield
sticker after crossing the border of Nogales...same place we had to show our FM-3 and turn-in our INM paperwork. This is what we were told by the
uniformed agents there.
1. They wanted to see when our FM-3 expired. Sticker was issued to expire on the same date.
2. We were told as long as "you keep your FM-3's current then the windshield sticker will be good." We were also told it is best to keep a copy of
your current FM-3's in the glove compartment. I also keep a copy of them in my "Cabo purse" for when we are walking around town.
We did not turn our sticker in as we plan to do traveling on the mainland and the cost of the sticker was only about $30 US...small price to pay and
would never have to go through buying it again.
We also have an American friend that lives in Puebla, Mexico where he is required to have the windshield sticker on his Texas plated truck. Every
year for the last six years he has kept a copy of his current FM-3 in the truck and never has had a problem, if and when he has been questioned.
.
[Edited on 8-11-2009 by karenintx]BMG - 8-11-2009 at 09:29 AM
Quote:
Originally posted by LaRibereņa
Where could we find a definitive answer to this?
I'm not convinced there is a definitive answer. What you
are told, even by officials, is often not correct. While purchasing an import permit recently, we were first told by the official that you could
return the import permit in La Paz if you were taking the ferry over and back. Since we have some friends who recently tried to return a permit in La
Paz, we questioned the official further. He made some calls and finally told us that they could not take them back and needed to be returned at the
border.LaRibereņa - 8-11-2009 at 10:54 AM
That is what I understand, too. That they can only be turned in at the border. Even if it is considered 'open' as long as we have an FM-3 (which we
do), what is to prevent them from charging our credit card because the sticker wasn't turned in? Sounds like a real Catch-22 to me. Does anyone have
any contacts in the government who can resolve this?vandenberg - 8-11-2009 at 02:03 PM
We traveled the mainland and got the sticker in La Paz before boarding the ferry. Were told that we could turn it back in at the place of issuance, La
Paz. Coming back however, the office was closed and we turned it in at the ferry terminal in Santa Rosalia several months later. We live in Loreto.
One thing I remember, don't peel the sticker off yourself, since they have to verify the plates on the vehicle and like to remove it themselves. Never
was told about turning it in at the border. Wouldn't make sense to all the folks living in BCS.
And another thing I just remembered. Since I was already living in Loreto for about 15 years, I only had a Mexican driver's licence, which they would
not accept with the foreign plated (CA) car. Had to use the wife's Ca license to get the sticker. Good thing she kept hers current or our trip would
have been terminated right there.
