BajaNomad

Importation at Otay

RnR - 11-5-2010 at 08:13 AM

Just went through Otay last week with two loads of stuff. Here's how it went:

I was driving an F250 with a 26ft travel trailer and my wife was driving an SUV with an aluminum boat/trailer. Both vehicles were very loaded with items to be imported an other items not intended to be imported but for use while in Mexico. We chose Otay because of the recent reports of several would be importers that tried Tijuana and were turned to Otay. Tecate wasn't one of the choices due to the road construction issues.

Parking at Otay is not an issue. Use the right hand lane for Declarations, straight ahead into a large parking lot. There are 20 to 30 diagonal spaces for single vehicles and back in spaces around and behind the building for trailers. The trailers spaces are tight but very usable. (These are also the spaces that seem to be designated for total unloading and inspections).

The duties and limits for "pequeno importacion": $75 US deductible/free allowance then 16% of the declared value up to $3,000 US, (this limit was recently increased from $1,500 per Aduana's official website). This is per person with a maximum of two persons/importations per vehicle. You must have some other immigration document other than a tourist card.

Prepare a list of the items to be imported along with their receipts or a realistic estimated value if a receipt is not available. I have found that a list prepared in English and Spanish is most helpful.

Find a customs inspector (in an Aduana uniform) in the parking lot or at the little kiosk in the front lot and have him prepare the documents and check the loads. There are also many "assistants" in orange vests that speak good english and seem to act as go betweens to the Aduana officials. One was most helpful and argued/discussed with Aduana on my behalf. (Well worth a small tip) Customs brokers are also available if the "pequeno importacion" doesn't go as planned, (grossly under valued receipts???).

Once the paperwork is prepared, go to one of the two banks in other building in the parking lot. (Bancomer and HSBC) Pay the fees, get the paperwork stamped, press the red/green light at the exit and you are on your way.

Items of Note:

1. The banks only take pesos! No more dollars. I even have a Bancomer account and tried to use my Bancomer debit card at the Bancomer window but only pesos/effectivo. I did not see an ATM. The bank clerk gave directions to one somewhere but I had the pesos and didn't bother.

2. The two trailer registrations/liscense plates and the boat registration/bow numbers were checked.

3. Took about an hour.

This dollar/pesos issue seems to be growing. I was told by a restuarant owner that it is a Federal law that it's pesos only for business (along with a few choice words about the government's "loco" decision). Banks don't want dollars, the airport parking in Cabo won't take dollars, some Pemex's do/some don't, and the further from the border the fewer and fewer are the Casa's de Cambios. Plan on using the ATM's and a US account.

Hope this is helpful. Good Luck.

[Edited on 11-7-2010 by RnR]

DENNIS - 11-5-2010 at 08:24 AM

Clear and concise. There should be a reference forum for these details along with Tourist Permit procedures, Free Zone, and a few other issues which are most popular queries here.
Thanks, RnR.

[actually, if I took the time to look, there may already be a forum for these things. I'll look later]

RnR - 11-5-2010 at 08:33 AM

Thanks, Dennis.

I like the idea of a reference forum. Good idea. My searches sometimes do not turn up past threads that I know exist.

Mike99km - 11-5-2010 at 08:53 AM

Wow! This is the best post regarding importation that I seen anywhere. Thank you. My first load was a learning experience for sure. Was the personal use items serrated from the rest?

DENNIS - 11-5-2010 at 08:58 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by RnR
Thanks, Dennis.

I like the idea of a reference forum. Good idea. My searches sometimes do not turn up past threads that I know exist.



Yeah...I know. Maybe it's just me, but the search function here is really exacting in what it responds to. Anything vague will get nothing. Many times I've searched for threads or posts while supplying pertinant [I thought, anyway] info and got nada.
The member search is pretty much the same. If a member's name starts with a Cap, you have to put it in just like that. I guess because, sometimes, there's so many variations of the same name.

I'm really impressed with Google. If you type in a word spelled wrong, it will just about read your mind to lead you to what you're looking for.
I think Doug should buy Google and get this thing straightened out. :biggrin:

RnR - 11-5-2010 at 10:19 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by Mike99km
Wow! This is the best post regarding importation that I seen anywhere. Thank you. My first load was a learning experience for sure. Was the personal use items serrated from the rest?


The "personal use" items were the subject of a little negotiation. In general, you can bring enough stuff for the duration of your visit.

My items of discussion were: dog food - three dogs and a wife's insistance that we had to bring a lot of their favorite food; tools - I am building in Baja and am a builder in the US and bring some tools back and forth; kayaks - was I leaving them or not?; aluminum boat - same question; some other items with questions following the same pattern.

I was honest and they took me at my word. These guys are very professional and this is their job and they do it all day, every day - My guess is that they develop a feeling about a person based on attitude, body language, etc. Just like any other enforcement officer.

This was my first time through Otay. I have imported at Tijuana numerous times. After this time, I must say that I prefer Otay. Very professional, very courteous, they know and play by the rules, and ample parking. However, they also appear very thorough so this is probably not the place to try slipping things through.

DENNIS - 11-5-2010 at 10:28 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by RnR

three dogs and a wife


You probably could have added a few wives, but I think you were at the limit with the dogs...FYI. It's my understanding that three at a time is the allowable limit....dogs, that is.


Where are you building?

.

[Edited on 11-5-2010 by DENNIS]

RnR - 11-5-2010 at 10:36 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by DENNIS
Quote:
Originally posted by RnR

three dogs and a wife


You probably could have added a few wives, but I think you were at the limit with the dogs...FYI. It's my understanding that three at a time is the allowable limit....dogs, that is.



Where are you building?

.

[Edited on 11-5-2010 by DENNIS]


I think I heard that somewhere, too.

I'm also at my limit; dogs not wives.

Wait a minute - I hear someone in the background. Oh, being instructed that I'd better reverse that statement!!! :biggrin:

We're building in El Sargento/La Ventana.

[Edited on 11-5-2010 by RnR]

[Edited on 11-5-2010 by RnR]

Pacifico - 11-5-2010 at 01:07 PM

Glad it went well for you! I have imported stuff there and it went relatively easy also. Other than the road construction, Tecate is still my crossing of choice.

[Edited on 11-5-2010 by Pacifico]

bkbend - 11-5-2010 at 02:25 PM

Excellent summary. One thing I picked up on is you needed immigration documentation other than a tourist card. It makes sense but that detail seemed to escape me. I've just recently gotten to a point where I can spend more time than two weeks of vacation and just recently took over a lease/rental with a small structure. It needs some work so I've accumulated a pickup load of stuff -- mostly solar to replace the non-functioning HF setup it had -- and I was going to declare the load this month through Otay.

But, I was not going to begin the FM3 process until spring which is the time of year I'm more likely to be in Mexico and it would make the renewals easier and when I'd have a little more time to spend on the process than right now. Am I SOL to import at this time?

DENNIS - 11-5-2010 at 02:34 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bkbend
Excellent summary. One thing I picked up on is you needed immigration documentation other than a tourist card. It makes sense but that detail seemed to escape me. I've just recently gotten to a point where I can spend more time than two weeks of vacation and just recently took over a lease/rental with a small structure. It needs some work so I've accumulated a pickup load of stuff -- mostly solar to replace the non-functioning HF setup it had -- and I was going to declare the load this month through Otay.

But, I was not going to begin the FM3 process until spring which is the time of year I'm more likely to be in Mexico and it would make the renewals easier and when I'd have a little more time to spend on the process than right now. Am I SOL to import at this time?



You are all over the place in that Gray Zone. Yes...you can import as long as you don't have a store full of stuff. All they want is for you to comply....and some bucks.
Without knowing your manifest, I rest my case.

bkbend - 11-5-2010 at 02:55 PM

Thanks, Dennis. I'm even wearing a gray shirt... The FM3 wasn't my first priority, I'm not staying for more than 180 days in a year (yet), I guess I don't technically own anything, but did want to get one to protect the investment I'm making, such as it is. I'll have under 3K USD panels/controller/batteries/wire/misc elect components for a small system.

On another related note - I got most of this through an in-law at close to wholesale. I have receipts but they will be for well under market value. Is that going to give me grief during the import process?

Thanks for any advice!

DENNIS - 11-5-2010 at 03:33 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by bkbend
On another related note - I got most of this through an in-law at close to wholesale. I have receipts but they will be for well under market value. Is that going to give me grief during the import process?




No problem with the receipts as long as they arn't written on a c-cktail napkin.
Is this stuff new or used? If it's used, your window of creativity is wide open for receipts.
If it's new, make it look used with new receipts made on your computer and take it out of the boxes.

They have serious problems with merchandise if the stuff is new and made in China. It's a trade dispute, probably to protect and enhance the Maquiladora industry in Mexico.

Anyway....be creative, honest and humble and life wll be good. :biggrin:

krafty - 11-5-2010 at 03:42 PM

does paying for a turista visa require pesos as well? no dollars? thx

mcfez - 11-5-2010 at 04:49 PM

Hey Thanks RNR....this sort of thing helps many of us.

DENNIS ....yeah on the ref idea. Very good thought.

DENNIS - 11-5-2010 at 04:57 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by mcfez
DENNIS ....yeah on the ref idea. Very good thought.



Thank you, Yankee. Always nice to have support. Maybe Doug will see this.

RnR - 11-6-2010 at 06:02 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bkbend
.... you needed immigration documentation other than a tourist card.


I was told this by a customs official at Tijuana about seven years ago on my first importation when I only had a tourist card. He spoke english and said that a tourist should have no reason to be importing stuff and that if I was living here that I needed to get some other document. He processed the importation, I paid my fees, and then got an FM-3 that season.

Your plan exactly. Good Luck.

Remember, with $3,000 of stuff, you will need two people to import all of it.

Just had another friend turned away from TJ three days ago and sent to Otay for importation.

Bob and Susan - 11-6-2010 at 06:30 AM

why do you need 2 people for $3000?

just use a broker at otay
they are RIGHT there
in the parking lot

the fm3 or fm2 is only for the discount
anyone can pay the fees and import

importation is about declaring at the border
and being "legal"

gnukid - 11-6-2010 at 09:21 AM

To be clear, Otay Mesa is a commercial port while TJ is not, the practices and policies are slightly different depending on your background and intent.

bkbend - 11-6-2010 at 09:43 AM

RnR and B&S thanks for the replies. My reading of the customs declaration form leads me to believe each person can import $3000 without use of a broker. There will be two of us and I should be under $3000 total (unless my wife goes shopping again) so I think I'm OK there. I'll probably give it a shot without the broker but open to reconsideration at the first sign of any headaches.

I think it's important to follow the rules and be legal because I'm a guest and also for my own piece of mind. I'm just at that awkward point between becoming a resident and being there to start the FM3 process. I need to get some lights and water pump running so I can start living there long enough to deal with that adventure.

DENNIS - 11-6-2010 at 09:45 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bkbend
My reading of the customs declaration form leads me to believe each person can import $3000 without use of a broker.



Is that dollars or pesos? If it's info from Mexico, I would assume it's pesos.

bkbend - 11-6-2010 at 10:35 AM

"... may import ... without hiring a customs broker, paying the general tax ... provided that the value of merchandises, excluding duty-free allowance, doesn't exceed 3,000 USD or the equivalent in MXN currencv..." from the instructions on the English version of the declaration form at http://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico

However, I'm also aware that what hits the ground may not resemble what's in print so I'll try and stay flexible and roll with the punches. There is a disclaimer on the form to look for changes in information when visiting the customs desk.

RnR - 11-7-2010 at 07:32 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by bkbend
"... may import ... without hiring a customs broker, paying the general tax ... provided that the value of merchandises, excluding duty-free allowance, doesn't exceed 3,000 USD or the equivalent in MXN currencv..." from the instructions on the English version of the declaration form at http://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico



Looks like the "pequeno" importation limit per person in my post needs to be increased from $1,500 to $3,000 US. This exact paragraph from the Aduana website said $1,500 US two years ago. I still have a printed version of it in my reference folders!

The website that BKBEND referenced, http://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico, has been clarified and improved immensely over the years. Check it out. The English option has a lot of good info or use Google Translate on the official Mexican pages.