# Moving Household Goods to Mexico--Updates and Unanswered Questions



## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

Hello folks, 

My husband and I are preparing a move to Mexico and are trying to figure out whether to bring (some of) our stuff with us. I've gotten great info from this site and others, but some rules seem to have changed in the last few years (menaje de casa back after a suspension?). For some of my questions I simply have not found answers! Hopefully you can help me. 

What we'd like to do is buy a cheap, old cargo van, fill it with whatever it can hold (we're especially interested in bringing our nice, comfy latex mattress; the rest is gravy), and drive it across the border ourselves with a menaje de casa to avoid import taxes. We'd also be driving a Honda Civic. 

Is there any reason with the above scenario that we'd need to engage a customs agent or professional mover? Is an agent required any time a menaje de casa is involved? If that's the case, could we move a certain amount of stuff (I've seen the number $3000) without a menaje de casa and without an agent? Or if we were to engage an agent simply to help us with the crossing, what would the approximate cost be and how does one find such a person?

We are concerned with keeping our costs low, but wish to bring the bed because I have back problems and sleeping on that nice mattress really helps (it would be quite expensive to replace in Mexico). I suspect that between that and the other stuff we could fit in a cargo van, it would be worth the cost of moving--but not if it means we have to hire professional movers at a cost of $5000 or...

Any insights would be very welcome! Thanks for your help.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

rachelssm said:


> Hello folks,
> 
> My husband and I are preparing a move to Mexico and are trying to figure out whether to bring (some of) our stuff with us. I've gotten great info from this site and others, but some rules seem to have changed in the last few years (menaje de casa back after a suspension?). For some of my questions I simply have not found answers! Hopefully you can help me.
> 
> ...


I did something like what you are doing a few years ago. I rented a van in Guadalajara, drove it to the US, filled it up, and returned. I didn't have any list of the contents. I crossed the border in Ciudad Juarez about midnight. 3 or 4 bored agents opened the door and looked in a couple of the boxes on top, then let us go. It probably would have been smarter to have a list, but it didn't occur to me. The truck was a 12 passenger van with all the passenger seats removed, not a regular moving van.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

A menaje de casa does not exempt you from import fees ..... it's just a list with estimated used prices. Should not need an agent for anything.

You realize that truck will have to leave Mexico. What kind of Visas are you coming down on


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## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

Thank you so much for these replies! 

About the menaje not exempting one from paying duties, that's another thing I'm seeing conflicting info about. Many forum posts make this claim, but several books I've read plus some websites say differently. From a website by Rolly Brook:

"The menaje de casa is paperwork issued by your area Mexican consulate that allows you to bring your household belonging into México without paying an import duty. The menaje was suspended for several years, but it is now available from your Mexican consulate at the time you apply for a residente temporal or permemamte."

According to one of the books I have, the duty-free permit can be obtained for about $120 US when applying for an FM-3 visa (which we plan to do). The goods must be brought into Mexico no more than 6 months after the first entry. This book was published in 2005. However, the site I quoted above was updated in 2014. 

The other thing I saw on an older post in a similar forum is that vans are okay to drive across as long as they're not "commercial sized." What does that mean?


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

There has been no FM-3 since 2012.........If you decide to buy a truck/cargo van to bring in your goods you better check the maximum size truck allowed into the country......


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## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

Ah, forgive me. I thought that was the same thing as the "Temporary Resident Visa." That's what we're looking at getting.


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## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

I would love to check the maximum van size allowed. Can you give any insight into where I could check this? At the consulate? Or...?


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## pappabeemx (Jun 20, 2016)

*things might have changed*

But when we moved here in 2010 we had a mover do everything. He made a list of everything that he was moving and had a copy for the agents. We were told that each one of us were allowed to bring in a load (no size given) of personal property within the first 6 mos (?) of our moving here with no duty charges. FYI we came on a FM3 visa.

Now I do know that some of the border inspectors are very easy and others will question why we need to bring in a dozen new pencils. 

We paid only for the move and no duty for anything. I do know that, at some locations, the inspectors just look and let you go and at others they actually unpack the entire truck. A few things to remember. Anything brand new could cost you duty. You are only supposed to bring in household goods that you have used for some time. Not brand new.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

There is a one-time exemption if you go through a Consulate but if all you are bringing is a mattress and a few odds and ends I wouldn't worry about it. Never heard of a duty-free permit or paying $120


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## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

TundraGreen said:


> I did something like what you are doing a few years ago. I rented a van in Guadalajara, drove it to the US, filled it up, and returned. I didn't have any list of the contents. I crossed the border in Ciudad Juarez about midnight. 3 or 4 bored agents opened the door and looked in a couple of the boxes on top, then let us go. It probably would have been smarter to have a list, but it didn't occur to me. The truck was a 12 passenger van with all the passenger seats removed, not a regular moving van.


Do you happen to remember what the cost was for your rental or what company you used?


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

rachelssm said:


> Do you happen to remember what the cost was for your rental or what company you used?


Sounds like you could be without your mattress for awhile while dealing with INM and waiting for the Visa ..... if you rent a van here. Crossing back and forth without the Visa might present a problem.

Are you sure Costco or other high-end stores wouldn't have an equivalent mattress


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

rachelssm said:


> Do you happen to remember what the cost was for your rental or what company you used?


I used Budget or Thrifty, I think they are the same company. I paid about $1500 pesos/day with complete insurance coverage. I didn't realize until afterwards that I probably had no insurance while I was in the US. The rental was from Mexico and the van had Mexico plates. Fortunately, I did not need it while in the US. I had a flat tire in Mexico on the way home and the rental car reimbursed me for the cost of the repair, about $100 pesos. I also managed to put a slight scrape on the side of the van just before I turned it in. They noticed it, but it was covered by the full insurance with no questions asked.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

Oh boy, does this hit home! My wife and I are in the process of moving the contents of a cluttered house in L.A. to much smaller one in Colima---and itś a war. I'm minimalist with "stuff" (she's not) and always figured that unless possessions are sentimental, much more expensive or unavailable in Mexico, sell 'em at a yard sale and donate what's left over. Meanwhile she's calling the moving companies and there are a number of bureaucratic hoops to jump through with customs which make that option unattractive. We've compromised on just making a couple of trips in the pickup truck over the next few months and taking what we can under terms of the Paisano program.


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## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

Re: getting a Costco replacement, our mattress is natural/organic latex. We got it at a boutique mattress store in the Bay Area for both its paucity of chemicals and comfort. I haven't done thorough research but imagine such a thing is not easily or cheaply acquired in Mexico!


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## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

perropedorro said:


> Oh boy, does this hit home! My wife and I are in the process of moving the contents of a cluttered house in L.A. to much smaller one in Colima---and itś a war. I'm minimalist with "stuff" (she's not) and always figured that unless possessions are sentimental, much more expensive or unavailable in Mexico, sell 'em at a yard sale and donate what's left over. Meanwhile she's calling the moving companies and there are a number of bureaucratic hoops to jump through with customs which make that option unattractive. We've compromised on just making a couple of trips in the pickup truck over the next few months and taking what we can under terms of the Paisano program.


Thank you for letting us know we are not alone in navigating this labyrinth. Multiple trips is a great idea. We are planning to make our first trip in September. Good luck with your moves! I would love to hear how it goes for you.


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

*3/4 and 1 ton truck rules*
As of May, 2016, Banjercito offices began denying permits to drivers of non-RV-titled vehicles with a GVWR of greater than 7,716.7 pounds.

The limit for a personal vehicle permit has been 3.5 metric tons for years. The weight limit used to be based on payload, but as of May, 2016, Banjercito officials began interpreting "weight" as GVWR (weight of vehicle + payload). I heard rumors of this, but I never believe rumors. So I personally went to two different crossings to ask Banjercito officials and got the same answer. That means no three-quarter or one-ton truck can get a permit. Most 5/8 ton Nissan Titans weigh too much (8,000 pounds). A Toyota Tundra generally does not.

If your title or registration does not show the GVWR, but only the weight of your vehicle (GW), you may be able to squeak through. Every state is different. Texas, for instance lists the weight and carrying capacity. Washington state lists the GVWR on the registration and a GVWR "class" on the title.


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## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

chicois8 said:


> *3/4 and 1 ton truck rules*
> As of May, 2016, Banjercito offices began denying permits to drivers of non-RV-titled vehicles with a GVWR of greater than 7,716.7 pounds.
> 
> The limit for a personal vehicle permit has been 3.5 metric tons for years. The weight limit used to be based on payload, but as of May, 2016, Banjercito officials began interpreting "weight" as GVWR (weight of vehicle + payload). I heard rumors of this, but I never believe rumors. So I personally went to two different crossings to ask Banjercito officials and got the same answer. That means no three-quarter or one-ton truck can get a permit. Most 5/8 ton Nissan Titans weigh too much (8,000 pounds). A Toyota Tundra generally does not.
> ...


WOW. This is so helpful! Looks like a U Haul Cargo van is 4,950 pounds empty, so if we get something comparable to that we should be okay, even with the weight our belongings added. Thank you so much.

Oh wait--So when you say GVWR is weight of vehicle + payload, do you mean that Banjercito officials look at actual payload or maximum payload? In the former case we'd be in the clear, but in the latter case, maybe not...


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## MJD13 (Aug 11, 2014)

You've already rec'd a number of good ideas. I just want to chime in that we have taken numerous truckloads of "stuff" to our home in northern Mexico using the Nogales port of entry. If the items are "used", with some exceptions, you can get through without paying any duty...it's been easier since items subject to duty now have a $300 exemption per person. To support an idea already proposed, if it's realistic to do several trips, get your "stuff" to a storage unit close to the border on the USA side and, then, do the several trips. I've also heard that a motor home is a good way to bring down a load of belongings in one fell swoop although that means buying a used MH and getting a 10 year TIP for it...not expensive...and returning the MH to the USA and selling it when done.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

When you mentioned “UHaul“, I hope you were not thinking of renting it for your move to Mexico. You cannot do that. You, the temporary importer, must be the owner of the foreign plated vehicle.
Note that Tundragreen was driving a Mexican plated vehicle, which can move freely between the two countries. A US plated vehicle cannot.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

Note that Tundra Green "rented a van IN GUADALAJARA". Sticky point.

When we moved from CA, we had a large houseful of everything from family heirlooms to our art collection, plus one of those "sleep number" air beds you can't get in Mexico (or couldn't then) which was a treasure for my bad back. One bit of advice on clearing out:
Don't have a garage sale. It's not only humiliating, it's not as profitable as finding an "estate sale" auction house which takes ALL your surplus stuff that's worth anything (the rest goes to the local charity store). It's GONE, down to Aunt Minnie's hand painted ashtray. They get more money for it, too.
The stuff you want to keep goes to the mover. I highly recommend SEYMI. Everything arrived intact. What more can you ask?

As for what to take: We took 9 crates of "stuff". Once we arrived and set up household, there was more than enough adjusting to do and finding "old friends" in the form of a few family heirlooms, a carefully chosen wicker living room and bedroom set and our beloved bed eased the psychological transition. 
Welcome and good luck!


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## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

lagoloo said:


> Note that Tundra Green "rented a van IN GUADALAJARA". Sticky point.





lagoloo said:


> When you mentioned “UHaul“, I hope you were not thinking of renting it for your move to Mexico. You cannot do that. You, the temporary importer, must be the owner of the foreign plated vehicle.
> Note that Tundragreen was driving a Mexican plated vehicle, which can move freely between the two countries. A US plated vehicle cannot.


Yes, thanks for your concern--I do understand that it's generally not possible to rent a van on the US side and we are not considering doing that. I mentioned the U Haul cargo van as a reference point for the weight of a comparable vehicle. 

In case people are interested, here's our working plan as of now. I'll update on our successes and complications! 

1) Research further what weight information appears on California van titles and whether we might "squeak through" with a cargo/15-pass van or not. If so, look into getting the TIP in advance of the border, either online or possibly at one of the three embassies in California that are reported to issue them. 

2) Pending the further research in step one, we'll buy (not rent) a used cargo van, load up our mattress and whatever else we want to bring and drive to our new home (we're scouting beforehand), probably through the Nueva Laredo crossing. As we don't know yet how long we'll want to live in Mexico, we plan to sublet our California home for at least nine months and leave whatever we don't want to bring there for the time being. No estate sale yet! We also don't have much stuff, just a small one-bedroom apartment's worth. 

3) We'll be sure to take the van back to the US before our TIP expires, and we'll probably sell it there. 

4) If the above plan doesn't work out we may look into renting a van on the Mexico side or engaging a moving company. However, the information I've seen about moving companies says that you can't do anything with them for less than $5000 USD. If anyone has information that contradicts this, I'd be interested in hearing it! We are not interested in spending that much for the small amount of stuff we're moving. 

Thanks again for all the advice!


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

If you are coming to get your first Visas ..... your CANJE FMM is only good for 30 days. That means your TIP is probably only for 30 days. Double check. I've never heard anyone say that but the TIP is tied to your FMM or Visa


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## chicois8 (Aug 8, 2009)

" I've never heard anyone say that but the TIP is tied to your FMM or Visa"

I have said that in the past, 
the TIP had my FMM number printed on the front of it along with the other information ..


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## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

Hmm, can you elaborate on this 30 day issue? I thought TIP could be easily arranged to correspond to the duration of a temporary resident visa?


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

When you come for your first Visa you have to get started with INM within 30 days. You usually get an FMM marked CANJE (change) and it's good for the 30 days to start your Visa. 

You should not get a 180 FMM ... but I don't know the consequences

You won't have a Visa when you cross the border


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## ojosazules11 (Nov 3, 2013)

sparks said:


> When you come for your first Visa you have to get started with INM within 30 days. You usually get an FMM marked CANJE (change) and it's good for the 30 days to start your Visa.
> 
> You should not get a 180 FMM ... but I don't know the consequences
> 
> You won't have a Visa when you cross the border


I've not actually entered with a TIP, but I certainly have read (pretty sure on this forum, maybe elsewhere) that since the TIP is linked to the entry document (FMM), when that is extended through Immigration, the TIP is also automatically extended to match the length of the Immigration document. So when you go to Immigration to process your Temporary Residency, if you are given the TR for 1 year, the TIP validity is automatically extended to 1 year. 

I have also seen multiple warnings that once you gave entered a vehicle with a TIP, you cannot leave Mexico for any reason or any length of time without that vehicle, even if you just want to e.g. take a quick flight or bus trip NOB. if you enter Mexico with a vehicle/TIP the next time you exit Mexico must be with that vehicle, turning in the TIP on your way out. 

Do I understand these 2 points correctly?


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

The TIP is with Aduana and the VISA is with INM ..... I would not assume anything is automatic between the two


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

First: The FMM is Forma Migratoria Multiple, and can be used for several purposes, including a tourist permit for 180 days, or the 30 day “canje“. In either case, the Importada Temporal (TIP-Temporary importation permit for a vehicle) MUST be proactivley dealt with at ANY change in immigration status. You will have 15 days to do that with Aduana, NOT with INM (immigration). You will do that when you get finally receive your residence visa card, and again whenever you renew that visa or change from a Residente Temporal to Residente Permanente, etc. Nothing is automatic. Note that reading websites and other sources may lead you astray, as many things changed in 2012, and some details are even more recent.
Frankly, I think the van idea should be seriously re-considered. A large van just will not fit the small streets and limited parking situations generally found in Mexico. I seems foolish to buy one just to move a mattress and a few household goods. Mexico makes very fine mattresses and I sure wish I had any one of my Mexican Selther, Wendy, or HomeStyle mattresses here in the USA. When we recently moved to Tucson & bought new here, we found them to be terrible in comparison. We returned one Serta to Sears when it collapsed in just a month or two. They argued, but finally gave in and replaced it with a better one, which still is not as good as our Selther double pillow-top, made in Mexico City, and which we slept on for over a decade before moving.
Consider just coming down for your “exploration visit“ with whatever vehicle you own, and on a tourist permit. Then, if you plan to stay as residents, drive back, dispose of your stuff and vehicle and fly or bus back to Mexico with your residence approvals. Once in residence, with visas, buy a proper vehicle for Mexico, in Mexico, and go get your stuff in the USA. If you need to use a rental UHaul to take it to a border town storage unit, you can do that and pick it up in small loads at your convenience from Mexico, with your Mexican vehicle, or with a rented Mexican van for the purpose. Everything you need can be found in Mexico. Moving stuff is expensive. Taking “coals to Newcastle“ is not a good idea.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

To add to RV's good advice: A dozen years ago when we moved here, the standard advice book suggested that you bring anything down that "has a cord on it". Perhaps once true, but now it's hard to name an item that can't be found at places like Home Depot, Costco and the many specialty stores.


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## perropedorro (Mar 19, 2016)

RVGRINGO said:


> Mexico makes very fine mattresses and I sure wish I had any one of my Mexican Selther, Wendy, or HomeStyle mattresses here in the USA. When we recently moved to Tucson & bought new here, we found them to be terrible in comparison. We returned one Serta to Sears when it collapsed in just a month or two. They argued, but finally gave in and replaced it with a better one, which still is not as good as our Selther double pillow-top, made in Mexico City, and which we slept on for over a decade before moving.


Yes, Mexico has some good mattresses available, can even get one of the common American high-end brands at Costco. What needs to be kept in mind is that standard Mexican bed sizes are different than U.S. sizes. Mexican vs American Mattress Size Comparison (Informational link, I've no personal interest in this business, never even been there). Single and Full/Matrimonial are close enough to be equivalent, but the larger sizes aren't. Being well over 6 feet tall, I made the mistake of ordering a Queen mattress in Mexico, figuring it would be the same size--and further misled by the fact they don't even bother to translate the term. It's _Queen_, not "Reina", even in Guadalajara, but it is over 5 inches shorter than a U.S. queen. At the very least, should you import a mattress larger than a matrimonial, bring a supply of sheets with you.


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## lagoloo (Apr 12, 2011)

Very good point. If you have a king, you'll end up importing sheets. As I did.
Which reminds me........most sheets available here are definitely NOT high count Egyptian cotton. Far from it. So.....bring your own if you're bringing the bed.


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## pappabeemx (Jun 20, 2016)

I may be nuts but I value my time more that a few dollars. Before moving down here in 2010 I ran a spreadsheet on having a mover do the packing, loading and moving and unpacking and the cost of doing it all myself.

Other than the actual costs of gas for my car and meals that were constant on both sides. The mover was actually less costly. True I made my cost at $20.00 per hour but that's not that high.

In the end everything got down and unbroken. They unpacked all and even came back in two days to pickup the packing mtls. 

The only problem was that the weekend that they were to cross the boarder and move onto Ajijic was the same weekend that the government decided to halt all trucks and do a complete inspection for guns. My furniture was held up for a week waiting for them to finish the inspections.

It gave me a week to sit in a hotel and rest prior to having to start putting things where the lady wanted them.


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## rachelssm (Jul 12, 2012)

pappabeemx said:


> I may be nuts but I value my time more that a few dollars. Before moving down here in 2010 I ran a spreadsheet on having a mover do the packing, loading and moving and unpacking and the cost of doing it all myself.
> 
> Other than the actual costs of gas for my car and meals that were constant on both sides. The mover was actually less costly. True I made my cost at $20.00 per hour but that's not that high.
> 
> ...


And what mover did you use?


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## pappabeemx (Jun 20, 2016)

Lake Chapala Moving Winston is the owner


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