# Finally on the road, but...



## alexdz (Nov 18, 2012)

The day finally came to leave home, and I'm now about halfway to the border. I'm really looking forward to making it to the beach finally--and my timing proved to be propitious since budget cuts started hitting my last job and it looks like I'd have been looking for a job within weeks if I hadn't left!

I did manage one significant glitch in the process--I failed to complete the menaje de casa process successfully. With all the good information I'd found on that process I still managed to screw it up so now I have a car full of boxes with all my stuff and no paper to get it into the country.

So now what? Can I just declare the stuff at customs and pay the duties on it? There are only a few things that they'll be concerned about I think, a couple of computers and a stereo being the biggest things, and they're not expensive so hopefully the bill won't be too heinous. I've considered just hoping for the green lights but I'm afraid that if I get the red I'll just piss them off.

Am I correct in assuming that I can pay at the border and proceed unmolested or is there more to that process as well? This was so much easier when Uncle Sam was handling all the details!


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

I've heard there is a limit of one computer but not sure how strict they are. Maybe laptop and desktop are OK. They just asked me what was in the boxes, I told them and was gone.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

alexdz said:


> The day finally came to leave home, and I'm now about halfway to the border. I'm really looking forward to making it to the beach finally--and my timing proved to be propitious since budget cuts started hitting my last job and it looks like I'd have been looking for a job within weeks if I hadn't left!
> 
> I did manage one significant glitch in the process--I failed to complete the menaje de casa process successfully. With all the good information I'd found on that process I still managed to screw it up so now I have a car full of boxes with all my stuff and no paper to get it into the country.
> 
> ...


I would drive through to the "Something to Declare" lane and talk to them. If you get the red light in the "Nothing to Declare" lane you might be up for an inspection. Then who knows what can happen?


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## Heyduke (Jun 17, 2012)

When I moved to Mexico I had a pickup truck loaded to the top with my stuff. The guy at the Mexican consulate said I didn't need to fill out a list of what I had with me. When I got to the border to declare and they didn't even come and look. I could of had anything. Anyway I was only checked once and they didn't look either. I was told that they only check people who have large trucks full of a household furniture. That was 6 years ago so I don't know if things have changed. If they haven't then you should have no problem.


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## Hound Dog (Jan 18, 2009)

[_QUOTE=Heyduke;1245157]When I moved to Mexico I had a pickup truck loaded to the top with my stuff. The guy at the Mexican consulate said I didn't need to fill out a list of what I had with me. When I got to the border to declare and they didn't even come and look. I could of had anything. Anyway I was only checked once and they didn't look either. I was told that they only check people who have large trucks full of a household furniture. That was 6 years ago so I don't know if things have changed. If they haven't then you should have no problem.[/QUOTE]_

Amusing story, Duke. When we first crossed the border at Nogales in 2001, the border guards could not have cared less about our belongings but we had three huge mastiffs, two Bordeaux and one Neopolitan - the latter a true monster but all weighing in at about 150 lbs. - and the border guards begged us to sell those mastiffs to them so they could train them for fighting. Needless to say, we refused.


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## alexdz (Nov 18, 2012)

Well it sounds like at worst I may have to pay a few bucks'but I probably won't get kicked out immediately! Border tomorrow so I'll know soon enough. Thanks!


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Is the Menaje still in use? I thought it had been discontinued. Did you start the visa process, at home?


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## eagles100 (Jun 28, 2011)

We are in the middle of packing and are preparing our own Menaje de Casa, just in case. Overkill? Maybe, but we'd rather be prepared and in the end, when it's time to unpack, we will know what each box contains. Hubby will be bringing in the goods on a Tourist Visa (SUV + cargo trailer) and will pay the 16% Mexican tax on our used goods, if necessary. After his return trip home, we will be going for our Resident Visas which we are already pre-approved for. Once you have your Visa, you are only allowed one entry so that is the reason for him entering on a Tourist Visa to bring in our goods. He will have a Permanent Visa so he will not be able to bring in a foreign-plated vehicle after receiving that Visa. Once he returns to Canada, we will sell the vehicle and cargo trailer and fly to Mexico with our Visas in hand.

Here are the headings of our Excel spreadsheet:
Caja # (Box #) 
Descripción
Description
Marca (Brand)
Modelo (Model)
No. de Serie (Serial No)
VALOR (VALUE) ... value is yard sale prices

We have a value for each item, a total for each box and a grand total. I'm pricing it in Canadian $ and when it comes time to actually move, I will add the exchange rate for Mexican Pesos for the Grand Total.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

eagles100 said:


> We are in the middle of packing and are preparing our own Menaje de Casa, just in case. Overkill? Maybe, but we'd rather be prepared and in the end, when it's time to unpack, we will know what each box contains. Hubby will be bringing in the goods on a Tourist Visa (SUV + cargo trailer) and will pay the 16% Mexican tax on our used goods, if necessary. After his return trip home, we will be going for our Resident Visas which we are already pre-approved for. Once you have your Visa, you are only allowed one entry so that is the reason for him entering on a Tourist Visa to bring in our goods. He will have a Permanent Visa so he will not be able to bring in a foreign-plated vehicle after receiving that Visa. Once he returns to Canada, we will sell the vehicle and cargo trailer and fly to Mexico with our Visas in hand.
> 
> Here are the headings of our Excel spreadsheet:
> Caja # (Box #)
> ...


There is a problem entering on a FMM tourist visa when you have the Mexican Consulate´s Resident Permanente preapproved visa attached to your passport. It is illegal. You, by the rules, have to show your passport when entering Mexico and get a FMM but it is only good for 30 days and they give you a TIP also only good for 30 days for your vehicle and trailer, not for 180 days as if you had a FMM tourist card and you have 30 days to present yourself to your local INM office with your passport and the FMM, not the same as a tourist FMM 180 day card, and begin processing your Residente Permanente visa.

After doing that to leave Mexico you have to get a exit and return permiso from INM for $430.00 pesos which is good for 60 days and have it stamped when exiting and stamped when re entering Mexico.

You are not allowed to have two Mexican immigration documents at the same time regardless of what others might tell you. You are obligated by law to show your preapproved document when entering Mexico.


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## eagles100 (Jun 28, 2011)

AlanMexicali said:


> You are not allowed to have two Mexican immigration documents at the same time regardless of what others might tell you. You are obligated by law to show your preapproved document when entering Mexico.


Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. We have been in touch with the Mexican Consulate in Montreal and they indicated which Visa we could get based on the financials we provided them but we haven't processed anything further. We are "pre-approved" in that sense but nothing legal yet so hubby will be able to enter on a Tourist Visa.


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

Longford said:


> Is the Menaje still in use? I thought it had been discontinued.


Checking online, further ... I see a note on Rolly Brook's website that the Menaje, though suspended for several years, is back in use. Maybe that information is accurate, maybe not?

Thanks.

Menaje


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

eagles100 said:


> Sorry, I didn't make myself clear. We have been in touch with the Mexican Consulate in Montreal and they indicated which Visa we could get based on the financials we provided them but we haven't processed anything further. We are "pre-approved" in that sense but nothing legal yet so hubby will be able to enter on a Tourist Visa.


OK. I see where you have been calling the Mexican Consulate´s "preapproved" 6 month Residente Permanente visa a Residente Permanente visa, which it is not. 

If you didn´t enter Mexico in the 6 month timeframe and have your passport stamped it actually would expire and not be worth anything at that time. I wouldn´t be surprised if thousands of people have these expired visas in their passports by now. Thanks for the explanation.


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## eagles100 (Jun 28, 2011)

AlanMexicali said:


> OK. I see where you have been calling the Mexican Consulate´s "preapproved" 6 month Residente Permanente visa a Residente Permanente visa which it is not.


We e-mailed the Consulate a bunch of information to know which Visa we would be able to get, when the time is right. My husband will get a Permanente Visa and I a Temporal Visa (I'm poorer than he is LOL) ... but we have not asked them to process the documents because of our plans. Nothing is official, yet.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

Longford said:


> Checking online, further ... I see a note on Rolly Brook's website that the Menaje, though suspended for several years, is back in use. Maybe that information is accurate, maybe not?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Menaje


It is posted on the San Antonio´s Tx. Mexican Consulte´s website and also on Montreal´s Mexican Consulate´s website so yes it is back, at this time.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

eagles100 said:


> We e-mailed the Consulate a bunch of information to know which Visa we would be able to get, when the time is right. My husband will get a Permanente Visa and I a Temporal Visa (I'm poorer than he is LOL) ... but we have not asked them to process the documents because of our plans. Nothing is official, yet.


I presume you have to make an appointment and show up in person to their consulate in Montreal with photos, passports and to be fingerprinted etc.


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## eagles100 (Jun 28, 2011)

AlanMexicali said:


> I presume you have to make an appointment and show up in person to their consulate in Montreal with photos, passports and to be fingerprinted etc.


Yes, we have to make an appointment with the Consulate in Montreal, bring photos, passports, original documents of financials, our applications and other supporting documentation.
I believe fingerprinting is done in Mexico.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

eagles100 said:


> Yes, we have to make an appointment with the Consulate in Montreal, bring photos, passports, original documents of financials, our applications and other supporting documentation.
> I believe fingerprinting is done in Mexico.


I read somewhere that they take fingerprints at consulates also. The whole process is not as complicated as some suspect and fairly easy to find out about on the SEGOB INM website.

You could also have have been granted a 180 FMM tourist card and as a financial dependent spouse once you husband had his Residente Permanente visa in hand have you apply and get a Residente Temporal visa without financial solvency at your local INM office in Mexico under the "Vinculo Familiar" law. Then no need for your to bother with going to Montreal.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

You cannot transition from FMM tourist permit to another visa in Mexico. 
The spouse can get Temporal, then transition in Mexico; probably at the annual renewal time, unless one wants to wait until the 4 years are up. No need to return to Canada that way.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

RVGRINGO said:


> You cannot transition from FMM tourist permit to another visa in Mexico.
> The spouse can get Temporal, then transition in Mexico; probably at the annual renewal time, unless one wants to wait until the 4 years are up. No need to return to Canada that way.


Actually under the "Vinculo Familiar" law you can tramite from a FMM tourist card to Residente Temporal at your local INM office. It is the one exception for first timers.

FHBOY´s wife did it. 

I did it.


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## alexdz (Nov 18, 2012)

Longford said:


> Is the Menaje still in use? I thought it had been discontinued. Did you start the visa process, at home?


According to the DC consulate it still is. There was some confusion because the lady there was trying to tell me I needed a mover and a broker to complete the process, even though I told her I'm only taking what I drive down with. Not sure what that was about but that's why I didn't bother trying to go back.

Crossed the border this morning and went through the "declare" lane. They made me empty the truck then took a cursory look through my boxes--actually he just looked at what was on top-- and charged me 820 pesos. No problem at all.


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## AlanMexicali (Jun 1, 2011)

alexdz said:


> According to the DC consulate it still is. There was some confusion because the lady there was trying to tell me I needed a mover and a broker to complete the process, even though I told her I'm only taking what I drive down with. Not sure what that was about but that's why I didn't bother trying to go back.
> 
> Crossed the border this morning and went through the "declare" lane. They made me empty the truck then took a cursory look through my boxes--actually he just looked at what was on top-- and charged me 820 pesos. No problem at all.


That is good news and in line with what I consider to be business as usual when crossing a truckload of personal used household items where I have been living. Thanks for the update. This should put a few readers mind at ease, I might think. Even if the duty was double it seems fair. Alan


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## Longford (May 25, 2012)

alexdz said:


> Crossed the border this morning and went through the "declare" lane. They made me empty the truck then took a cursory look through my boxes--actually he just looked at what was on top-- and charged me 820 pesos. No problem at all.


Question: Did they give you a receipt for the MX820? Thanks.


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## alexdz (Nov 18, 2012)

Longford said:


> Question: Did they give you a receipt for the MX820? Thanks.


Yes they did. It was a very formal looking thing and the guy told me (I asked) that nobody else down the road would question it. I did in fact get the dreaded red light at the second Aduana station south of Nuevo Laredo. They asked about the load and I showed them the document and they sent me on my way.


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