BajaNomad - Crossing in San Ysidro with STUFF

Crossing in San Ysidro with STUFF

BajaBlanca - 9-22-2013 at 09:44 AM

I just read this in the Pony Express and thought it was worth a share:

Last Friday I entered Mexico with my pickup truck and 14' trailer at San Yisidro destination Los Barriles. I entered Mexico and was immediately stopped by their customs officer and was told that if I was carrying anything other than normal vacation stuff I had to declare it at Otay Mesa and pay a duty on everything I was carrying. I and about 5 others were escorted back to the US having to clear our customs and drive over to Otay Mesa. Two of the others had pick ups with very little in the back and 1 was a suburban with stuff inside. At Otay Mesa a non-customs hombre assisted in filling out a 10 item declaration form and at the end recommended I declare I had $400 of stuff. He informed me the duty is 16% of the dollar amount you declare. Since I had we'll over $5k worth of merchandise I felt more comfortable declaring $1k and paying the 16% on that amount which I did. Just thought all my fellow readers of the BPE should know this change in Mexican policy and avoid the 2 hour delay. John Paulson
(This is a repeat. Crossed at TJ 9/9/13, with new oven, paid 16% of 1/2 the receipt value. $600+us divided 1/2=$300+ x 16%=we paid $50 something. Cheryl)

tjsue - 9-22-2013 at 10:51 AM

I've been moving small household items and boxes in my minivan, and crossing at San Ysidro, and haven't had to pay anything, nor have I had any problems.

But the movers are coming on Friday, and he essentially said the same thing. If you're carrying a lot of items, they'll turn you away at San Ysidro. He has a 12' trailer that he'll be bringing for the rest of my stuff, and said to fill it up, and that we'll be going through Otay Mesa. He also said that I probably won't have to pay more than $100, because it's all used household belongings.

My mechanic advised me to just pack my van up to the windows, so that's what I've been doing. I've made three trips driving so far, and haven't had a problem.

After I get moved, I'll post what I had to pay.

[Edited on 9-22-2013 by tjsue]

BajaBlanca - 9-22-2013 at 03:49 PM

See, when we have brought used stuff, we have never been taxed. But we were told that San Ysidro is supposed to only be for tourists without goods.....

tjsue - 9-22-2013 at 05:23 PM

I don't have anything that's new. I'll be taking my computer and tv across the border on Thursday, so it'll be interesting to see if they want any money. I'll be packing the computer in boxes, so they probably won't even look at it. They really haven't looked at anything in my van at all. They kind of just poked around and asked me what was in some of the boxes. I said that I was moving to Tijuana, and it was all household belongings and flowerpots. They said ok, and sent me on my way.

[Edited on 9-23-2013 by tjsue]

DENNIS - 9-22-2013 at 05:33 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by tjsue
I don't have anything that's new.

Toilet paper from a Segunda? Ohhhh, my my...... This is a first....or a second.....Gawd forbid, a third.

tjsue - 9-22-2013 at 07:28 PM

Everything is new at some time or another.......

mtgoat666 - 9-22-2013 at 07:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca
I just read this in the Pony Express and thought it was worth a share:

Last Friday I entered Mexico with my pickup truck and 14' trailer at San Yisidro destination Los Barriles. I entered Mexico and was immediately stopped by their customs officer and was told that if I was carrying anything other than normal vacation stuff I had to declare it at Otay Mesa and pay a duty on everything I was carrying. I and about 5 others were escorted back to the US having to clear our customs and drive over to Otay Mesa. Two of the others had pick ups with very little in the back and 1 was a suburban with stuff inside. At Otay Mesa a non-customs hombre assisted in filling out a 10 item declaration form and at the end recommended I declare I had $400 of stuff. He informed me the duty is 16% of the dollar amount you declare. Since I had we'll over $5k worth of merchandise I felt more comfortable declaring $1k and paying the 16% on that amount which I did. Just thought all my fellow readers of the BPE should know this change in Mexican policy and avoid the 2 hour delay. John Paulson
(This is a repeat. Crossed at TJ 9/9/13, with new oven, paid 16% of 1/2 the receipt value. $600+us divided 1/2=$300+ x 16%=we paid $50 something. Cheryl)

"Since I had we'll over $5k worth of merchandise I felt more comfortable declaring $1k and paying the 16% on that amount which I did. "

Glad you stayed "comfortable!" If you lied to government official and presented false documents, why are you confessing your crime online? Seems like equivalent to cheating on your taxes, then going online to boast about it, thinking the IRS employees are all Luddites.

:lol:

tjsue - 9-23-2013 at 05:59 PM

I crossed at San Ysidro today with a minivan load of miscellaneous stuff and a large ice chest with no problems.

Alan - 9-23-2013 at 10:59 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca
See, when we have brought used stuff, we have never been taxed. But we were told that San Ysidro is supposed to only be for tourists without goods.....

I assume there must be a dollar limit for what you can declare at SY. I crossed here last July and declared a new Jeep top, new shocks, and misc boat parts totalling about $1,000 and they let me pay the Aduana right there.

This guy got sent to Otay with his STUFF too

durrelllrobert - 9-24-2013 at 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Alan

Quote:

Originally posted by BajaBlanca
See, when we have brought used stuff, we have never been taxed. But we were told that San Ysidro is supposed to only be for tourists without goods.....

tjsue - 10-1-2013 at 03:19 PM

I crossed six times with a "packed to the gills"minivan, and was never asked to pay, and they hardly looked at my "stuff."

Last Friday (9/27), I crossed with the movers and my furniture. He said that we had to go through Otay, because he was pulling a 12' trailer. I had a few pieces of furniture, a wall mirror, about 15-20 boxes, and a small freezer.

I paid $500 peso on all of that.