BajaNomad

Moving Trailer to San Diego- Border Question

captain4tuna - 7-29-2013 at 06:53 AM

Good morning Nomads......Kids are coming down with large cargo trailer to move personal items from our storage......From Baja Norte to San Diego.....Question is, is there a preferred point of entry? Do we need to do anything with Border and Customs prior to this move? Are they going to open everything? Plastic storage containers and sealed cardboard boxes.....Would be hell to repack everything....

Gracias!

captain4tuna - 7-29-2013 at 08:00 AM

Anyone?

RnR - 7-29-2013 at 08:03 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by captain4tuna
Good morning Nomads......Kids are coming down with large cargo trailer to move personal items from our storage......From Baja Norte to San Diego.....Question is, is there a preferred point of entry? Do we need to do anything with Border and Customs prior to this move? Are they going to open everything? Plastic storage containers and sealed cardboard boxes.....Would be hell to repack everything....

Gracias!


We have come back north with a trailer every year for the last ten years, or so. Sometimes it's been almost empty and other times it's been quite full.

At the border you must (should?) declare what you have in the vehicle and the trailer. We have been sent to secondary EVERY year. Whether we have a bunch of stuff declared or nothing.

We have crossed at all three crossings. Tijuana is the worst. Otay is not much better. Tecate has been okay. The wait for secondary has been over an hour at both TJ and Otay. The wait at Tecate - 2 or 3 minutes.

The actual inspections have been minimal. Open the trailer doors, look inside, done. They have all spent more time looking thru the cooler for food than they have spent looking inside the trailer.

If your declared value is high, have as many family members in the tow vehicle as possible. Even if you just get in the vehicle to cross the border. The declaration exemption value is cumulative for all family members in the vehicle.

DENNIS - 7-29-2013 at 08:07 AM

Quote:
Originally posted by captain4tuna
Good morning Nomads......Kids are coming down with large cargo trailer to move personal items from our storage......From Baja Norte to San Diego.....Question is, is there a preferred point of entry? Do we need to do anything with Border and Customs prior to this move? Are they going to open everything? Plastic storage containers and sealed cardboard boxes.....Would be hell to repack everything....

Gracias!



Well.....it could be a big can of worms, or it could be nothing. I would try to have the containers itemized[containers....not contents] and that might make them happy. Just put a piece of tape on the box and write a vague description of the contents....you know....."Cocaine".....Marijuana.........Hand Grenades......like that. [jes kiddin'. Don't do that]

Hope for the best and be prepared for the worst.

Any crossing will be the same as the others. They all have secondary.
There's nothing you can do in advance with CBP.

captain4tuna - 7-29-2013 at 08:09 AM

Thanks RnR....

captain4tuna - 7-29-2013 at 08:12 AM

Thanks Dennis....I knew you'd post...lol....I've numbered the boxes and written a small summary of contents on a separate pad....

DavidE - 7-29-2013 at 12:37 PM

Bureaucrats love paperwork. Lists, itemized cross references, footnotes, attachments. They live with it on the job. They think it's normal, even mandatory.

DENNIS - 7-29-2013 at 01:28 PM

Quote:
Originally posted by captain4tuna
Thanks Dennis....I knew you'd post...lol....I've numbered the boxes and written a small summary of contents on a separate pad....



Are you moving north?