BajaNomad

More questions - one time importation and permanent residency

tmtuttle - 3-7-2021 at 09:54 AM

Doing some research and found out we'll get a one-time importation allowance without duties for household goods with our permanent residency status but in order to take advantage, we'll have to hire the services of a Mexican customs broker to do the import.

My question is, should we take advantage of this to bring some of the items we'll need to build our house? Are there things that are more readily available and cheaper in the US than Mexico? Stuff that comes to mind are things like a propane generator, solar panels, windows, etc.

If I use the customs broker, can I still transport my own household goods or would I have to hire a moving company to get our stuff to the Todos Santos area?

Second question:

I read that as permanent residents, we won't be allowed to import a vehicle into Mexico. Would registering the vehicle in So Dak get us around this problem? I don't want to have to sell my truck and car and then buy a Mexico vehicle...yet.

Thanks again for any info.

surabi - 3-7-2021 at 11:24 AM

As a permanent resident, you are not allowed to have a foreign plated vehicle in Mexico. So no, SD plates aren't relevant to your situation.

AKgringo - 3-7-2021 at 11:44 AM

Does being a permanent resident prohibit you from maintaining another residence in the US?

I am pretty sure that a Mexican citizen can buy, and register a vehicle to an address in the US, so would it be illegal for them to drive that vehicle south of the border?

JC43 - 3-7-2021 at 12:19 PM

First: You do´t need a customs broker entering Mexico w/ the one time household goods allowens.
My friends did it without. But you got to have a list of all items you want to bring into MX incl VIN/Serial numbers of all electric items for MX customs to check.
That you can`t have a US plated vehicle down here ? I know different.
And solution? Why not importing your vehicle and having all ducks in line? Has to be done right at the border. Takes about 3 days. Customs broker required for that. Want to return to the U.S.? Not a problem w/ a MX plate. We do it all the times and thousands of other U.S. Citizens as well.
Bringing building stuff down her is another issue. Wood i.e. is not allowed. Ask customs.They will give you a list of excluded items.
2. Building stuff/ materials are mostly cheaper her as in the U.S.
MOSTLY!



[Edited on 3-7-2021 by JC43]

Alm - 3-7-2021 at 04:10 PM

From what I read, Mexican RP are not allowed to drive US plated car. Doesn't mean that they "can't", a lot of things not quite legal are being done in Baja without consequences.

You may try and import your car. Not every car is allowed to, and you will definitely need a customs agent for this.

Another option would be to go Onappafa route if it still exists, but this is temporary for 5 years, doesn't sit well with Mexican cops, so I would rather import a car.

Or buy a car in Mexico and put Mexican plates on it.

PaulW - 3-7-2021 at 05:23 PM

Quote: Originally posted by AKgringo  
Does being a permanent resident prohibit you from maintaining another residence in the US?

I am pretty sure that a Mexican citizen can buy, and register a vehicle to an address in the US, so would it be illegal for them to drive that vehicle south of the border?

===
NO - Folks do it all the time.
Crossing the border has to do with personal papers not vehicle papers.
Insurance for both sides is available.

PaulW - 3-7-2021 at 05:39 PM

Tuttle,
What goes on in Baja. Not like the rules and definitely not like mainland Mexico. Just go with the flow and react accordingly.
Load your truck up and head south. Use east Mexicali crossing and if they stop you pay the duties. Used stuff has low duties. First trip get your FMM - it is good for 6 months and can be used for your next trips with another full truck. Use a trailer if required.
If you have a ton of household stuff and do not want to bring stuff piecemeal, then get a broker $.
Get solar panels, propane, doors, building material, & windows in Baja where prices and quality is good.
Shop generators when you get to Baja and then drive back to the US and get a good one. Or get the local Baja solar guy to import a good one. High duty on that item. Forget about bringing stuff to build a dwelling. Always cheaper to use the Mexican methods and materials.
Vehicles – bring what you have and insure it for Baja. If you really are going to be permanent register your rigs in S Dakota. Not a problem for thousands of folks in Baja. Works for both kinds of residency permits Permanent and temporary.
Nobody sells their US rigs and buys a Mexican one unless you have to.
Buy a new car/truck In Mexico and it will cost less than the US due to different rules with lower content and goodies.
Tourists are allowed in both Baja and mainland with US tags on their vehicles. You have to pay a permit fee for mainland to prevent you from selling in Mexico. It is called a TIP (temporary import fee and is refundable when you head north)
Most folks from the US buy US appliances for their Mexican home because of low quality available in Baja.

RFClark - 3-7-2021 at 06:19 PM

If you are on a 6 month tourist visa you can buy tourist auto insurance, you must drive a vehicle registered in the US. SD is the best choice. Clay County is the place.

tmtuttle - 3-7-2021 at 06:30 PM



[Edited on 3-8-2021 by tmtuttle]

tmtuttle - 3-7-2021 at 06:32 PM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW  
Tuttle,
What goes on in Baja. Not like the rules and definitely not like mainland Mexico. Just go with the flow and react accordingly.
Load your truck up and head south. Use east Mexicali crossing and if they stop you pay the duties. Used stuff has low duties. First trip get your FMM - it is good for 6 months and can be used for your next trips with another full truck. Use a trailer if required.
If you have a ton of household stuff and do not want to bring stuff piecemeal, then get a broker $.
Get solar panels, propane, doors, building material, & windows in Baja where prices and quality is good.
Shop generators when you get to Baja and then drive back to the US and get a good one. Or get the local Baja solar guy to import a good one. High duty on that item. Forget about bringing stuff to build a dwelling. Always cheaper to use the Mexican methods and materials.
Vehicles – bring what you have and insure it for Baja. If you really are going to be permanent register your rigs in S Dakota. Not a problem for thousands of folks in Baja. Works for both kinds of residency permits Permanent and temporary.
Nobody sells their US rigs and buys a Mexican one unless you have to.
Buy a new car/truck In Mexico and it will cost less than the US due to different rules with lower content and goodies.
Tourists are allowed in both Baja and mainland with US tags on their vehicles. You have to pay a permit fee for mainland to prevent you from selling in Mexico. It is called a TIP (temporary import fee and is refundable when you head north)
Most folks from the US buy US appliances for their Mexican home because of low quality available in Baja.


Thanks, man. This is the local knowledge I was after....

Hook - 3-8-2021 at 05:22 AM

Just to clarify, you cannot get a temporary import permit for a US plated vehicle for areas outside the "free zones" (basically all of Baja, part of Sonora and an area in extreme southern Mexico) if you have a permanent resident permit.

This is a permit that allows you to drive in other areas. But there IS a non-refundable part of this permit; the cost of the permit, itself. The refundable part is a bond that you post, dependent on the age of your vehicle, that is supposed to be a disincentive to illegally selling your vehicle in Mexico. It used to be the equivalent of 100, 200 or 400.00 US; the higher amounts for newer cars/trucks. Not sure if it's the same now. The permit and the bond are tied to the expiration date of your FMM. If you dont turn in the permit by the time your FMM expires (and only at a station near the border), you lose the bond and cannot secure another permit until the permit is turned in.

This is why PaulW says "tourists" (FMM or Resident Temporary Permit holders) can get the permit. But Resident Temporary Permit holders are generally on the path to Resident Permanente Permit holders, so their eligibility for this vehicle permit is counting down. Temps used to have to get their TIP renewed each year to prevent the loss of the bond; I dont know if that's still true.

Furthermore, importing a vehicle DOES have restrictions on the age of the vehicle and where it was built. The vehicle used to have to be built in Canada, the US or Mexico; no Asian built or European built vehicle WERE eligible. Dont know if that's changed, but I think I would have heard about it. Except that, I never hear of many people importing vehicles anymore, because it became significantly more expensive about 6-8 years ago. Like thousands of dollars and a royal PITA involving a broker, instead of around a thousand dollars.

In fact, the importation process had become so fraught with illegal importations that there was a moratorium on importations that lasted a couple years. And when it came back, it was expensive.

So, people sometimes simply buy a new or used Mexican plated vehicle that they generally leave down in Mexico and generally go back to the States/Canada in their original vehicle(s). This is much more common over here on the mainland, I would imagine.

I would say all of the rest of PaulW's info is right-on.

PaulW - 3-8-2021 at 08:17 AM

Yes, it is complicated and for sure details matter.
The details change with time so not take as gospel what someone had success with previously.

Alm - 3-12-2021 at 07:27 PM

What Surabi said is correct. It is illegal for PR to drive US plated car in Mexico. Local police won't stop you but Federales may confiscate the car at some time. The law is rarely enforced though.

As to the permanent importing (not TIP), I think only cars and trucks 5-10 years old are allowed. Not older or newer. On the mainland these restrictions are stricter yet. Rules change and they might've changed last year when NAFTA expired (it expired earlier than that, but there was an extension until 2019).

You can't get TIP to mainland when you are RP.

You can't get 6 months tourist FMM when you're immigrating, they may cancel your RP visa if you do. At the border you show your RP visa sticker and request "Canje FMM" - this is not a tourist FMM, it is only valid for 30 days, you have to bring it to the inland INM office within 30 days and start the final stage of immigration paperwork.

[Edited on 3-13-2021 by Alm]

gnukid - 3-12-2021 at 09:02 PM

PR may not drive US plated car in jurisdiction of Mexico, but, Baja is in the Frontereza which not jurisdiction Mexico.

Different laws apply for many things by regions, taxes, transit circulation, etc.

In the Frontereza people cross the border often, Mexican Nationals who are permanent residents, Candians and USA Nationals who are Mexican Permanent Residents.

It would not be possible to disallow each resident to not pass the border in their home based vehicle, stop at the border and park and exchange vehicles, of course.

People are allowed to cross the North American Continent, and beyond, with a vehicle that is legal in their home country and proceed to another home.

Mexico has issues with importations, like other countries, in order to help its auto market, there is restrictions to importation, meaning cars that don't meet certain requirements cn not be imported and nationalized.

So, those legal foreigners who are permanent residents are given equitable treatment, if they were legal, cars is up to date with plates, reg, license, lights, for circulation etc, they may continue.

This applies to the entire region of the Frontereza, which includes Baja California, Baja California Sur and Northerne Mexico down to Sonora.

At that point, there are requirements for Citizens and Permanent Residents to drive a Mexican Plated vehicle with Mexican License. Some may continue to drive chocolates or not current plated vehicles but you may not circulate legally.

There is a reason there has never been a PR cited in the Frontereza for US plated vehicle, nor had their legal vehicle cited, for circulation, it's because there is no restriction by Aduana to do so.

Look up Sat Gob Aduana Foreign plated vehicle circulation by Permanent Residents, at no point, does it state that Permanent Residents are restricted from driving their foreign plated vehicle in the Frontereza.

Now, you may find unique cases where someone was theatened for having a non legally plated vehicle in a Federal facility, those officers arrive from other regions and act strict and will threaten people, especially those with cars that are illegal, not plated, chocolates. But never ever in the last 20 years or more has any PR every had a legal vehicle confiscated for driving their legal "home plated" vehicle in Baja.

There are those cranks, who push this idea, but using common sense, what would happen if every legal resident of those three countries traveling across the USA Mexico border with their legally owned and plated and registered vehicle was not allowed to proceed and had to "change" their vehicle or change their driver at the border to another vehicle?

Find a current law written to restrict these legal residents IN THE FRONTEREZA to make your point or drop it? No Aduana law exists to restrict permanent Residents from driving their legal vehicles across the border in the Frontereza because none exists.

You can't simply say well I heard it before from an old policeman from DF and also John at the bar says so, and he told me so.

https://www.sat.gob.mx/aplicacion/45980/portal-aduanas


[Edited on 3-13-2021 by gnukid]

Don Pisto - 3-13-2021 at 09:41 AM

Quote: Originally posted by gnukid  
PR may not drive US plated car in jurisdiction of Mexico, but, Baja is in the Frontereza which not jurisdiction Mexico.

Different laws apply for many things by regions, taxes, transit circulation, etc.

In the Frontereza people cross the border often, Mexican Nationals who are permanent residents, Candians and USA Nationals who are Mexican Permanent Residents.

It would not be possible to disallow each resident to not pass the border in their home based vehicle, stop at the border and park and exchange vehicles, of course.

People are allowed to cross the North American Continent, and beyond, with a vehicle that is legal in their home country and proceed to another home.

Mexico has issues with importations, like other countries, in order to help its auto market, there is restrictions to importation, meaning cars that don't meet certain requirements cn not be imported and nationalized.

So, those legal foreigners who are permanent residents are given equitable treatment, if they were legal, cars is up to date with plates, reg, license, lights, for circulation etc, they may continue.

This applies to the entire region of the Frontereza, which includes Baja California, Baja California Sur and Northerne Mexico down to Sonora.

At that point, there are requirements for Citizens and Permanent Residents to drive a Mexican Plated vehicle with Mexican License. Some may continue to drive chocolates or not current plated vehicles but you may not circulate legally.

There is a reason there has never been a PR cited in the Frontereza for US plated vehicle, nor had their legal vehicle cited, for circulation, it's because there is no restriction by Aduana to do so.

Look up Sat Gob Aduana Foreign plated vehicle circulation by Permanent Residents, at no point, does it state that Permanent Residents are restricted from driving their foreign plated vehicle in the Frontereza.

Now, you may find unique cases where someone was theatened for having a non legally plated vehicle in a Federal facility, those officers arrive from other regions and act strict and will threaten people, especially those with cars that are illegal, not plated, chocolates. But never ever in the last 20 years or more has any PR every had a legal vehicle confiscated for driving their legal "home plated" vehicle in Baja.

There are those cranks, who push this idea, but using common sense, what would happen if every legal resident of those three countries traveling across the USA Mexico border with their legally owned and plated and registered vehicle was not allowed to proceed and had to "change" their vehicle or change their driver at the border to another vehicle?

Find a current law written to restrict these legal residents IN THE FRONTEREZA to make your point or drop it? No Aduana law exists to restrict permanent Residents from driving their legal vehicles across the border in the Frontereza because none exists.

You can't simply say well I heard it before from an old policeman from DF and also John at the bar says so, and he told me so.

https://www.sat.gob.mx/aplicacion/45980/portal-aduanas


[Edited on 3-13-2021 by gnukid]



good stuff, gracias:D

Hook - 3-13-2021 at 03:46 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Alm  


As to the permanent importing (not TIP), I think only cars and trucks 5-10 years old are allowed. Not older or newer. On the mainland these restrictions are stricter yet. Rules change and they might've changed last year when NAFTA expired (it expired earlier than that, but there was an extension until 2019).


[Edited on 3-13-2021 by Alm]


According to the SAT website, only vehicles that are eight to nine years old, and manufactured in the US, Canada or Mexico, can be permanently imported. The reason for the 8-9 is because the vehicle must have been manufactured from November 1 of one year to October 31 of the following year. So, it is a very narrow window.

Seem to recall people who did it over here in the last couple years end up paying around 3k dollars, when you factor in hiring an importer and the importation fees that the gubmit gets.

But, no, a TIP nor a permanent importation is still not required in all of Baja, northwestern Sonora and parts of States that border Guatemala.

Alm - 3-13-2021 at 06:12 PM

Quote: Originally posted by gnukid  
PR may not drive US plated car in jurisdiction of Mexico, but, Baja is in the Frontereza which not jurisdiction Mexico.

Are you sure that Baja is not a jurisdiction of Mexico? :)
Quote:

People are allowed to cross the North American Continent, and beyond, with a vehicle that is legal in their home country and proceed to another home.

It depends on what people and becomes more complicated yet when a "home" is involved. US citizens and PR who are in possession of Canadian PR status, for example, may only bring US plated car to Canada until they "establish a residence" in Canada. They must tell some US address, i.e. that they still live in the US. Otherwise they would have to import it. What's more, minimum 3rd party liability in Canada is $200,000 which is higher than in most US states, so they must maintain 2 insurances or buy a Canadian insurance every time they cross the border.

I suspect that a reciprocal rule exists in the US, - a green card holder must import his car if he established a residence.

With visitors and people working in Canada or US it's different again, they are allowed to keep their vehicle there for 1 year, after that they have to import it.

I'm pretty sure that in other countries of North America there are some rules different from those mentioned above.
Quote:

Look up Sat Gob Aduana Foreign plated vehicle circulation by Permanent Residents, at no point, does it state that Permanent Residents are restricted from driving their foreign plated vehicle in the Frontereza.

Does SAT state that there is an exemption for permanent residents in Fronteriza?

[Edited on 3-14-2021 by Alm]

Alm - 3-13-2021 at 06:17 PM

Quote: Originally posted by Hook  

According to the SAT website, only vehicles that are eight to nine years old, and manufactured in the US, Canada or Mexico, can be permanently imported.

From what I read, it's 8-9 years for the rest of Mexico but not for Baja where it is 5-10 years.

tmtuttle - 3-29-2021 at 03:24 PM

Quote: Originally posted by PaulW  
Tuttle,
What goes on in Baja. Not like the rules and definitely not like mainland Mexico. Just go with the flow and react accordingly.
Load your truck up and head south. Use east Mexicali crossing and if they stop you pay the duties. Used stuff has low duties. First trip get your FMM - it is good for 6 months and can be used for your next trips with another full truck. Use a trailer if required.
If you have a ton of household stuff and do not want to bring stuff piecemeal, then get a broker $.
Get solar panels, propane, doors, building material, & windows in Baja where prices and quality is good.
Shop generators when you get to Baja and then drive back to the US and get a good one. Or get the local Baja solar guy to import a good one. High duty on that item. Forget about bringing stuff to build a dwelling. Always cheaper to use the Mexican methods and materials.
Vehicles – bring what you have and insure it for Baja. If you really are going to be permanent register your rigs in S Dakota. Not a problem for thousands of folks in Baja. Works for both kinds of residency permits Permanent and temporary.
Nobody sells their US rigs and buys a Mexican one unless you have to.
Buy a new car/truck In Mexico and it will cost less than the US due to different rules with lower content and goodies.
Tourists are allowed in both Baja and mainland with US tags on their vehicles. You have to pay a permit fee for mainland to prevent you from selling in Mexico. It is called a TIP (temporary import fee and is refundable when you head north)
Most folks from the US buy US appliances for their Mexican home because of low quality available in Baja.


Thanks, man. This is the local knowledge I was after....