# UPS package question



## cels (Apr 27, 2016)

I had bought a wooden picture frame from Japan and the seller sent it by UPS which was unexpected. Last UPS online tracking status is 'Documentation required for import is incomplete or missing. We are working to obtain this information.' I telephoned UPS and was told that wooden items aren't allowed into Mexico, but I could apply for it to be reviewed through some government department. I told them to just do a return to sender because I didn't spend much and it wasn't worth the bother. That would be fine, I was told. A few hours later, I received an email from a private broker offering their services at some ridiculous cost. I've used DHL before with no problems, but never UPS. I've also had wooden things sent to me before and I've also gone through Customs at the airport with wooden things that were seen when my luggage was checked and nothing was said. Is my cheap frame being held hostage?


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

You probably will have to chalk it up to experience. Technically, you may not import wood and customs is holding it until you ......... well, who knows.


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## mr_manny (Nov 22, 2013)

Shipping into Mexico is not without a bit Patience and Luck 

We have had DHL parcels returned to sender for reasons not disclosed...and have had regular USPS parcels disappear 

Good thing the CC company always my back


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## cels (Apr 27, 2016)

I'm not going to worry too much over it, but the way they're handling it seems a bit strange. I've used DHL when necessary and have had problems with them too which always meant me paying them more money. Sepomex were always problem-free, quick and reliable for me until around Sept. last year. Now, they're really very slow and things can disappear unless sent with tracking.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

This thread makes me wonder... 

I am in the middle of my move. I have a couple wooden boxes that I made as hi-fi speaker stands. I made them from 3/4" plywood, and never put any finish on the stands (it was easier to drape a cloth over them, which protected the bottom of the speaker from the rough stand as well). I've taken the ends off of each one, so it can be seen that they are empty, but am I going to run afoul of this no-wood import rule? Where do they draw the line? Almost all furniture is wood, at least partially. If they do raise an objection at the border, can I just abandon the speaker stands at the border? They're about 2' x 1' x 1' in size. 

If I run out of room in the truck, these stands are one of the first things I plan to leave behind anyway, and I may give up on the whole stereo system and the speakers, but it was an expensive set up when I bought it new 30 years ago.


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## Gatos (Aug 16, 2016)

By truck - do you mean one you will personally be driving ? When we came with our 5 X 8 trailer (and menaje) they asked me to open the trailer and take out two (of the many) boxes, which they did open only to find old clothes. They did not have me unpack the entire trailer.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

It's still a little undecided. I'm loading a 15' Penske rental truck on monday, and going to drive it to Laredo and unload it into a rented storage place. Then I'll fly back to seattle, do my last interview with the consulate, get the visa, turn in my menaje de casa, throw out or donate all the bits left in my house, arrange with a contractor to paint & carpet it, arrange with a realtor to sell it, then fly to Cancun. I'll complete the RT visa (or maybe they're going to give me permanent resident right off since the consulate asked which I wanted), then try to find a way to collect my stuff from Laredo. 

Plan A is to rent a truck & driver and ride with him to Laredo, load the stuff, and bring it across the border myself and back to Cancun. 

Plan B is to call a mexican moving company, arrange to meet them in laredo, fly there, hand over my stuff and my menaje de casa paperwork, and fly back to cancun and hope my stuff eventually shows up in Cancun.

I'll try plan A first, but if no one can recommend a responsible individual with a passport and a truck then I'll have to start calling moving companies.

My question here is assuming it's plan A. If it's plan B, I'll probably throw some stuff out in Laredo to avoid paying by the pound to move it.

If Plan A doesn't work, Plan B is going to cost more than, say $3000, and my house sells quickly, then plan C is I'll use part of the money to buy a vehicle in Mexico that can tow a trailer (I'm thinking of a Jeep Wrangler), buy or rent a trailer, and go get my stuff solo.

Advice appreciated, but this thread was about wood imports. I'm afraid I've become a serial thread hijacker.


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## cels (Apr 27, 2016)

My frame was polished, stained wood. All finished and obviously manufactured and brand new. I'd understand if it had been old and grubby with wormholes.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

eastwind said:


> It's still a little undecided. I'm loading a 15' Penske rental truck on monday, and going to drive it to Laredo and unload it into a rented storage place. Then I'll fly back to seattle, do my last interview with the consulate, get the visa, turn in my menaje de casa, throw out or donate all the bits left in my house, arrange with a contractor to paint & carpet it, arrange with a realtor to sell it, then fly to Cancun. I'll complete the RT visa (or maybe they're going to give me permanent resident right off since the consulate asked which I wanted), then try to find a way to collect my stuff from Laredo.
> 
> Plan A is to rent a truck & driver and ride with him to Laredo, load the stuff, and bring it across the border myself and back to Cancun.
> 
> ...


You might try asking Costco or Home Depot in Cancun about a list of trucks and drivers. I needed something delivered from Costco once, and they gave me the name of a truck and driver. It was an independent guy and his son.


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## Gatos (Aug 16, 2016)

@eastwind

Our sequence of events was somewhat different. We received our approved menaje on the same day we picked up our RP pre-approvals at the consulate. We brought our stuff into Mexico when we came in and then completed the RP process at INM. At the time the INM process was taking 1-2 months. Life would have been difficult for us to have lived without our stuff that long.


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## mr_manny (Nov 22, 2013)

cels said:


> My frame was polished, stained wood. All finished and obviously manufactured and brand new. I'd understand if it had been old and grubby with wormholes.


You could try another shipper?
Who knows, you might get lucky the 2nd/3rd time 




eastwind said:


> Advice appreciated, but this thread was about wood imports. I'm afraid I've become a serial thread hijacker.


As long as everything is listed in your Menaje, I believe you would be fine.

We brought a few wooden furniture pieces, along with a pair of polk audio sda srs 2.3s speakers (which have wooden carcasses) without any issues.

I'ts funny when I think about the number of times we used our stereo system since our move....not once 

I'll fire it up today, I promise :thumb:


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