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psmithsr
Newbie
Posts: 11
Registered: 8-30-2004
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This is the reply I received today:
"You can take your wine into Mexico provided that you pay the taxes
required.
According with the Customs Department, wines made in USA and Canada pay
17% and wines made elsewhere pay 50% of duty.
Jaime A. Mart?n
C?nsul de M?xico
Tel: 415-354-1710
532 Folsom St.
San Francisco, CA. 94105
http://www.sre.gob.mx/sanfrancisco/"
The number I quoted, 32.8%, reportedly applies to anything, and is apparently out of date.
17% sounds good to me.
To answer another question, yes, Charles Shaw wine goes for $2 in California. But it's $3 in Arizona, too. Probably taxes on California wine.
best, paul
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psmithsr
Newbie
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Thanks, BEDMAN!
Great tips.
best, paul
PS> Yes, I knowabout the narrow highways. We drove the entire length of Baja California from Cabo N to Tecate earlier this year. I could not believe
I couldn't find a T shirt with "I drove 1,000 miles of Baja in my RV and survived"on it 
[Edited on 9-27-2004 by psmithsr]
[Edited on 9-27-2004 by psmithsr]
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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I think they sell THOSE shirts in Maui (Yes, I drove to Hana and survived)
Bedman is 'da man' http://vivabaja.com/bedman2 (2002) and http://vivabaja.com/bedman (2001)
Here's Bedman last year at Viva Baja #4 with SallySouth (msal) and Michelle (M).
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Gypsy Jan
Ultra Nomad
Posts: 4275
Registered: 1-27-2004
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Mood: Depends on which way the wind is blowing
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I think that the issue is bringing wine
If you are worried about being inspected by the customs agents, don't bring any more than what has been discussed here.
What you want to do is resupply. Baja has terrific native wines and the supermarkets have a wide selection from the region and Europe.
Stop off in Rosarito at the Calimax or the Comercial Mexicano supermarkets or one or the other small liquor stores (Don Pisto, for example). Cruise
the selection, if you see something interesting, ask the hovering employee/theft cop, "Cuanto cuesta?" He will tell you the price, usually in pesos
(think 11.5 to 1).
Also, Ensenada has several supermercados as you go through town, they have the best selection of low-priced wines.
Other options are the very good wineries in the Guadulupe Valle inland and north of Ensenada...well worth a detour. 
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow mindedness.”
—Mark Twain
\"La vida es dura, el corazon es puro, y cantamos hasta la madrugada.” (Life is hard, the heart is pure and we sing until dawn.)
—Kirsty MacColl, Mambo de la Luna
\"Alea iacta est.\"
—Julius Caesar
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Anonymous
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Since we're planning on staying at Estero Beach RV Resort (about 5 miles S of Ensanada), what about us going straight to there with RV and return sans
RV by cab to Ensenada for Tourist Cards, dinner, etc?
Is Estero Beach technically too far South?
best, paul
"I have attempted to stop and get our visas at the TJ border several times and only succesful once. They always tell me "no parking" and then wave me
on. If that happens you can get your visa in Ensenada. It is a little easier than TJ. As you enter Ensenada there is a sharp left turn just befor the
Harbor. If you go straight (instead of Left) you will make the first left you come to (can't remember the name of the street, maybe David remembers
it?) You'll see signs directing you to the Harbor Masters office, follow them. After you make the left onto this street , about 1/4 mile down on the
right side you will see a store that sells boating parts and supplies. Even though the sign says "Parking for Customers Only" you can park there (I
always go in and buy some motor oil) and on your left (50 yards further up) there is the Visa Office. Fill out the paperwork and then you can walk
(Long walk about 1/2 mile) straight down that same street, pass the traffic light and make a left on the next street, short distance to the corner and
make a right. On your right is a Bank and you can pay there and walk back to the Visa office and pick up your visa. "
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David K
Honored Nomad
Posts: 64855
Registered: 8-30-2002
Location: San Diego County
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Mood: Have Baja Fever
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Estero Beach is within the 'border zone', so you are 'safe' to go there first. However, the Ensenada INM office is not next to a bank (where you must
pay for the FM-Ts), it will be easier if you get them at the border. When you park in the secondary inspection, be firm that you must get your tourist
cards there... today!
Also, I agree with others that you should stay within the legal limit of vino (wine). Baja produces great wines... have fun trying them! I am sure you
will make good friends with Doc at Gecko if you invite him to join you both... He is good people and will fill you with great knowledge of the sea and
land surrounding Bahia de los Angeles.
Have a great trip and adventure... Please report back upon your return or even from the Internet cafes in L.A. Bay.
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Anonymous
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I have every intention of staying legal. As I understand the legal position, 3 litres per person is duty-free, and any additional is subject to duty.
But from what I read of the experience of others, it might not be that easy for me to pay the duty I'm not only ready and willing to do, but want to
do, if I'm waived on by at the border crossing.
best, paul
"Also, I agree with others that you should stay within the legal limit of vino (wine)."
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Dave
Elite Nomad
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Registered: 11-5-2002
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Trust me, in a MoHO you will not be "waived on by".
Something else to consider:
If you stop and declare, you will have the option of returning to the States if you consider the duties assessed to be excessive. But only if YOU
declare.
I read your post about the opinion you received from the consulate. If I were you I would get that in writing.
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Anonymous
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Well we crossed at TJ today. I pulled all the way to the right and parked the RV. We got our tourist cards no problem.
I then went over to customs and told the guy I had 7 cases of wine I wanted to pay duty on. He went to my RV and I showed him the wine. He said
only 3 liters per person. I showed him the entire email from Jaime A. Mart?n. He got on the cell phone for a while.
After 20 minutes or so he apparently turned it over to a young woman. She read the email from Jaime, walked into the RV, took a look around and said
we could leave.
Apparently this is a bit unusual for them to handle.
Did find ATMs at 3rd toll booth on 1-D (A bit confusing. Do they only ask for a PIN when you remove the card?)
Had a little trouble getting to Esteo Beach [somehow lost Hwy 1(!) in Ensenada] but quickly recovered. DataStorm working fine on the beach - see our
location at www.lazydazers.com
All in all - a good day - Buelton, CA to Esteo Beach in one day in an RV.
best, paul
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Dave
Elite Nomad
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Allllllllright! I don't know if it was mass confusion or what, but it worked! BRAVO!
Now, would you please post the email? I know LOTS of folks who want to bring over a ton of 2buckChuck. We could all make copies.
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Bedman
Senior Nomad
Posts: 523
Registered: 9-4-2002
Location: Orange County, CA.
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I don't know why you couldn't and sounds like an excellent plan to me. The Visa office is at the North end of Ensenada and i would venture a guess
that it is approx. 11 to 13 miles away from Estero.
Bedman
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mcgyver
Nomad
Posts: 444
Registered: 8-22-2003
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Someone make sure to tell Germanious to bring his dump truck to this crossing!!!!, I sure wished I had took my building materials through there, I
declared $800 but they found $875 after my allowance and I almost went to jail, they had already called for a driver to take my picup to Mexicali when
they relented. WOW * cases of wine at $2 a bottle, thats $188 and your allowance is only $150, that includes groceries, personal items, film, ddv's
($12 ea) etc,etc, in a motor home they figure you have already used your allowance, you made out like a bandit. I would not count on doing that again!
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Anonymous
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Just to be safe, I was tying to claim 7 cases of wine, which is ALL the wine I had.
Even had they made me pay duty, it was less than US$31
I've posted the message I eceived below.
best, paul
=================
Reply-To:
From: "Jaime Martin"
To:
Cc: "'Consulado General de Mexico'" ,
"Bernardo Mendez"
Subject: RE: Tourist Visa
Date: Mon, 27 Sep 2004 13:20:01 -0700
Organization: Consulado General de Mexico
X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.3416
X-Loop-Detect: 1
You can take your wine into Mexico provided that you pay the taxes
required.
According with the Customs Department, wines made in USA and Canada pay
17% and wines made elsewhere pay 50% of duty.
Jaime A. Mart?n
C?nsul de M?xico
Tel: 415-354-1710
532 Folsom St.
San Francisco, CA. 94105
http://www.sre.gob.mx/sanfrancisco/
-----Original Message-----
From: paul.smith@smarteryp.com [mailto:paul.smith@smarteryp.com]
Sent: Saturday, September 25, 2004 7:29 PM
To: jmartin@consulmexsf.com
Subject: RE: Tourist Visa
Jaime:
I understand I can bring 3 litres of wine per adult into Mexico,
duty-free.
Can I bring more of my favorite wine into Mexico by declaring it and
paying the duty on it, which I've read is 32.8% ?
best, paul
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Anonymous
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BTW, the reason I had 7 cases instead of my usual 5 is that I did not save the receipt for the 5 cases. So I bought two cases, a Chardonnay for "she
who must be obeyed," and a Merlot for me, to be sure I had a receipt for the kind of wine I had on board. In short, be sure to have a receipt.
It also helps to look like dumb old farts (as we do).
best, paul
"Not bad for 2 dumb kids from Ohio"
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