bajameerkat
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Registered: 3-14-2007
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To declare or not to declare (when flying)?
Hello Nomads,
We are flying down to Baja next week and bringing a few electronic gadgets with us. It'll be about a dozen items, totaling about $2,000 (including a
$1,000 laptop). I have receipts for everything.
When we land in SJD, should we declare everything? Or should we take the green/red light lottery?
I did a search on the forums and found this thread:
Household goods
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=23516
But the whole thread was about folks driving over the border. We have driven through Tecate (and literally had to wake up the guy from customs), but
this time we're flying.
One more thing: we just got our FM3s through the Mexican consulate in San Francisco.
Thanks for the wise experience,
BajaMeerkat
http://loreto.ehuna.org
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bajaguy
Elite Nomad
Posts: 9247
Registered: 9-16-2003
Location: Carson City, NV/Ensenada - Baja Country Club
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Mood: must be 5 O'clock somewhere in Baja
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FM-3
How was the experience in San Francisco???
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DavidT
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Registered: 4-9-2005
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I flew to La Paz in November 2003 with $800 of boat parts, no receipts. The first person to push the button was a very attractive young lady. Red
light. So I got in line behind another beautiful young lady, she got the red, I got the green.
That was a business trip and I was acting on the customers request, so no loss to me if caught.
David
Not one shred of evidence supports the notion that life is serious.
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bajameerkat
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 3-14-2007
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajaguy
How was the experience in San Francisco??? |
It was very similar to pacside's from this post:
http://forums.bajanomad.com/viewthread.php?tid=24032
When we showed up for the first time, we were given a list of all of the requirements:
1. Fill out the application
2. Valid passport (not expired)
3. Proof of your income: Last 3 monthly banks statements or an account with at least $12,000 in it (for each person)
4. Letter for no criminal record from the Police Department of the County where you have lived during the last past year
5. 2 passport photos, in color
6. Bring original documents and one copy of each one
We collected everything above and went back the next day. We showed up pretty early, a few minutes before the consulate actually opened.
Just like in San Diego, there were a lot of Mexican nationals waiting in many different types of lines. In our case, we were told to go up to the
second floor and sign-in at the Visa list (for non-Mexican nationals).
When we got to the second floor, there was no Visa list. I asked around (in Spanish) and was told there would soon be a list (I think the guy
responsible for the Visas hadn't yet arrived).
At this point I made a mistake. When the list showed up we were the first in line to sign-in. A pregnant woman was behind us. This shady guy (who
we later learned was from Pakistan), asked the pregnant woman and us if he could go first. He said he had applied for a working visa and was just
here to pick up his passport - it shouldn't take more than 5 minutes he said. We all said ok.
45 minutes later, it was our turn.
Once we got in, I was amazed about how the whole process was easy.
The Mexican official basically went through all of our documents and asked a couple of questions. I think the main thing he wanted was to be sure
whether we had a regular income or the minimum $1000/month per person in some account. We talked for about 5 minutes.
We were then told to go down to the first floor and pay the fees, which were about $130/person. Once we got back with the receipt, he was working on
the pregnant woman's case. We had to wait 10 minutes, and he called us back in.
He then used some high-tech devices to take our pictures (which appeared on his screen) and even scanned our fingerprints, through a computer
accessory/fingerprint-scanner.
We were then told to leave our passports and come back three days later.
When we came back (3 days later), we had to go through the same sign-in using the Visa list again. The same Mexican official called us in and
everything was ready: FM3 booklets and FM3 visa on our passports.
The official did tell us we had 90 days to use the Visa and that we had to register it where we'd be living. He said he couldn't give us any details
on how long it would take to register the FM3s - he only knew his duties in San Francisco and never worked in an immigration office in Mexico.
All and all not a bad experience, excluding the shady Pakistani liar, but that was my fault.
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bajameerkat
Newbie
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I gave the long answer above which was a bit off topic. I'm still curious about my original question.
I guess the question I'm asking is whether there's a difference in the tax rate if I declare or if I don't declare and get caught.
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BajaBruno
Super Nomad
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Location: Back in CA
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Mood: Happy
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I have not found Mexican customs officials to be concerned about laptops unless you have two of them for one person--then they think you may be
selling one. I would not declare it.
As for the other electronics, if they are small and seem like things that a traveler would carry for a four or six week stay (say, CD's, game
controller, camera, and the like) then I wouldn't declare those, either.
I commonly enter with a laptop and thousands of dollars in fishing gear and they never bat an eye. Of course, I leave with it all, too, but they
don't know that.
That being said, if I did declare them, I would hide the receipts and make phony versions saying that you bought the stuff used from Sam Higgins,
at half to one third value. Anyone who declares stuff at full retail value (unless it's brand new in an unopened box) isn't playing the game
correctly.
[Edited on 4-23-2007 by BajaBruno]
[Edited on 4-23-2007 by BajaBruno]
Christopher Bruno, Elk Grove, CA.
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Dave
Elite Nomad
Posts: 6005
Registered: 11-5-2002
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| Quote: | Originally posted by bajameerkat
(including a $1,000 laptop). |
Can't speak for the other stuff but you don't need to declare the laptop. (As long as it's not in a box.) 
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rhintransit
Super Nomad
Posts: 1588
Registered: 9-4-2006
Location: Loreto
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one laptop is fine, plus associated equipment. camera, printer, card reader, wifi extenders, modems, etc etc. read the customs form, or go to the
official website. be prepared with what you are allowed. you may be completely legit.
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bajameerkat
Newbie
Posts: 18
Registered: 3-14-2007
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Thanks, that's good info. Most of the stuff is standard: the laptop, a printer, a wifi router, a camera, a camcorder, etc...
The one thing that will stand out is a HughesNet satellite dish + modem. Should I declare that?
What I was thinking is that if I do declare the dish, then I might as well declare the rest (I will check the customs form to see exactly what to
declare). Otherwise if I get the red (and the dish might just make me get the red), how would I explain what I didn't declare?
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Marie-Rose
Senior Nomad
Posts: 894
Registered: 10-2-2003
Location: Victoria, B.C. and Todos Santos
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Mood: Worried...
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We arrived at SJD airport with a new propane bar-b-que, in it's original box...I pressed the red light. They opened the box and asked if it was new.
I said yes, I was bringing it for a Mexican friend who lived in Pescadero... They
asked how much it was worth and I said about $100  They sent me on my way with
no more questions! We have come thru with all sorts of plumbing and electrical fixtures without any problem. Good luck!
Remember, when in Mexico, yes may be no and no may be
maybe!
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