# driving US that was nationalized in Mexico back into US



## ksmxva (Jul 7, 2013)

Hi Everyone,
I haven't seen this issue before so I thought I'd ask for some advice. We have lived in Mexico for six years and will be moving back to the US soon. We drove a Kansas plated vehicle down and then had it nationalized in Mexico so that it now has legal Mexican plates. When we cross back into the US with this vehicle I guess we have two choices. Drive back with the valid Mexican plates on or put the expired Kansas plates back on. Not sure which idea would make the crossing easier or which would make the drive to Virginia easier.

I would think that the mexican plates would have to be on at the Mexican checkpoint because it they weren't, they would want to see the import sticker which of course is no longer there because it was nationalized. If that was the case, it would probably look suspicious if we stopped in between the two checkpoints and changed our plates.

Any advice?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

ksmxva said:


> Hi Everyone,
> I haven't seen this issue before so I thought I'd ask for some advice. We have lived in Mexico for six years and will be moving back to the US soon. We drove a Kansas plated vehicle down and then had it nationalized in Mexico so that it now has legal Mexican plates. When we cross back into the US with this vehicle I guess we have two choices. Drive back with the valid Mexican plates on or put the expired Kansas plates back on. Not sure which idea would make the crossing easier or which would make the drive to Virginia easier.
> 
> I would think that the Mexican plates would have to be on at the Mexican checkpoint because it they weren't, they would want to see the import sticker which of course is no longer there because it was nationalized. If that was the case, it would probably look suspicious if we stopped in between the two checkpoints and changed our plates.
> ...


If I were you I would drive it to Virginia with the legal Mexican plates. Then talk to DMV about getting current Virginia plates. You will have to demonstrate that it was originally in the US. You might want to talk to Virginia about it before you head there.


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## ksmxva (Jul 7, 2013)

Thanks for the reply TundraGreen. We do still have the US title from Kansas and of course all of the documentation from Mexico so there is a good trail for the Virginia DMV to follow.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

I suggest that you drive it to VA, as TundraGreen suggested, with your current and legal Mexican plates and tarjeta de circulacion, plus insurance for the USA.
Then, once in VA, use your Kansas title and previous registrations to get a VA title and registration. 
I would say nothing about the car having been registered in Mexico. It might seriously confuse the issue.
Cars are sometimes in storage when owners are abroad; always a convenient possibility, but with a caveat: You could be required to pay very high insurance premiums, unless you can prove a continuing string of policies; and that would include the Mexican time.
Things to think about, for sure.


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## joaquinx (Jul 3, 2010)

Don't you have to export the car from the US so you can nationalize it in Mexico? If it was exported, then the title is invalid and the car would have to be imported to the US. Tell me I'm wrong.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

You are correct, but few bother to export the car. So ............ it still has US validity on paper.
There is a danger in asking too many questions.


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