# Do I need my car title to exit the country?



## bdbels (May 17, 2016)

I have been living in Monterrey, Mexico for six years and two years ago I received permanent residency. I had brought my car into the country and was driving it illegally for the past two years since my FM3 was converted into permanent residency.

I have just purchased a Mexican plated car so I can drive legally and I would like to take my US plated car out of the country. A colleague of mine in Mexico who has a current FM3 would like to buy my my American car. 

I'd like to transfer the title of the car to her beforehand so that I can have it waiting for her in Texas when we drive up to the border together (I will be applying for a returno seguro).

Will I need to have possession of the original title in my name in order to apply for the returno seguro or to take the car out of the country? I hope not because the title transfer in my state takes up to thirty days and I would hate to have the car parked in Texas for that amount of time.

Thanks.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

All they wanted from me was the TIP


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## bdbels (May 17, 2016)

What is the TIP?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Importada Temporal, or *T*emporary *I*mportation *P*ermit. We really shoulc call it, “IT“, I guess.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

bdbels said:


> What is the TIP?


The sticker on your windshield and the paper it was attached to


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

I'm surely not going to try and talk you out of doing a Retorno Seguro because that is the "safe" way, but.....

You have been driving that vehicle 'illegally' for two years. Why not just make it "one more day" and drive it to the border and out!?! Since you are already Permanente, you don't even have to stop on the Mexican side of the border to cancel the long-ago-invalid TIP that was/is on your windshield. No one cares about it now. 

So, sign the title over to her in Monterrey and drive into Texas. BTW, she can't have an FM3 as they haven't been around for several years. So she must have a Residente Temporal in order to bring a US plated car back into Mexico.

I didn't quite understand what the 'title transfer in your State' has to do with her getting a title in her name, but... she WILL have to have a title (or Registration paperwork) in her name before she can bring the vehicle back into Mexico on a TIP. You/she might have a timing issue.

P.S. If you decide to actually get a Retorno Seguro, be aware that that can only be done out of Mexico City these days (the car doesn't have to go there!) and that can sometimes take 3-5 weeks depending on.... Once you have the Safe Return document in your hands, you have 5-6 working days to get the car out of Mexico. Possibly another timing issue.

Good luck.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

RickS said:


> I'm surely not going to try and talk you out of doing a Retorno Seguro because that is the "safe" way, but.....
> You have been driving that vehicle 'illegally' for two years. Why not just make it "one more day" and drive it to the border and out!?!


Just wondering about the checkpoints between Monterrey and Nuevo Laredo, and guessing they must be similar to the ones I usually go through in Sonora, which seem pretty hard to avoid. With a long expired TIP, this fella might need to do an end run around them or, if caught, have something really good to say or some cash handy, given that the consequences could be confiscation. Never had this experience, know almost nothing about northeast Mexico, but curious..


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## michmex (Jul 15, 2012)

RickS said:


> I'm surely not going to try and talk you out of doing a Retorno Seguro because that is the "safe" way, but.....
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I am not sure how you can transfer a title if it is not in your name already since only the owner as specified on it can "pass" the title. The title needs to be put into your name and then you can sell it to her. She will then need to use the title you are transferring and any other required documents to get the car registered in her state of residence. 

If you are making the sale in Texas here is a link from the Texas DMV regarding the required documentation.

http://www.dmv.org/tx-texas/buy-sell/selling-your-car/paper-work-when-selling-a-car.php

Below is the current link for a Retorno Seguro. In Spanish, but it translates fairly well with Google Translate.

Retorno seguro


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## RickS (Aug 6, 2009)

To answer the OP's original question about having to have a title in hand to get the Retorno Seguro, my experience a couple of times doing this is NO, one does not have to present the title to the vehicle to anyone.


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