# border crossing requirements



## surfrider (Oct 4, 2011)

What are the requirements for leaving Mexico and returning to the US for a long visit? I have to take my son back to the states and need to be there for six months to one year. So I am taking household items and my dog. What web site do I find information about what I need to do.. Most everything I found is about coming into Mexico not leaving. how difficult is it?


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

surfrider said:


> What are the requirements for leaving Mexico and returning to the US for a long visit? I have to take my son back to the states and need to be there for six months to one year. So I am taking household items and my dog. What web site do I find information about what I need to do.. Most everything I found is about coming into Mexico not leaving. how difficult is it?


I don't understand your inquiry exactly. What is it about returning to the US that you need to know. Assuming you are both US citizens you can just go. The issues are cleaning up or maintaining your residence status in Mexico. That will depend on the nature of your residence in Mexico. If you are here on a tourist permit, you can just turn in your permit and any car permit and just leave.

There used to be restrictions on how long a visa holder can remain outside of Mexico. I haven't heard much about that since they implemented the current Residente Temporal and Permanente Visas. I don't know if they restrict the time out of country for visa holders anymore.


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## surfrider (Oct 4, 2011)

I was not that clear was I - sorry about that..... I was looking at taking things in my truck from my home here in Mexico to the states. 

I think that I have to get some kind of health cert. for the pet but am unsure if the documentation is a special form. I have read that they are not quarantined coming from Mexico to the states but need some kind of pet passport. 

Do I need to show ownership of items that I bring into the us and do i need to pay a fee for them? 

From the web site for CPB it list a bunch of new documentation that is needed but I can not figure out if you can just use one of them listed or do you need all. It talks about the enhanced drivers licenses, a trusted travelers card. 

I thought that I could just show my car license documentation, my passport, my FM3 docs. my dogs vet records of shots, my Mexican drivers license and my passport and I would be covered. Now I am not so sure.


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## TundraGreen (Jul 15, 2010)

surfrider said:


> I was not that clear was I - sorry about that..... I was looking at taking things in my truck from my home here in Mexico to the states.
> 
> I think that I have to get some kind of health cert. for the pet but am unsure if the documentation is a special form. I have read that they are not quarantined coming from Mexico to the states but need some kind of pet passport.
> 
> ...


I don't know about the requirements on bringing pets into the US. 

You will have to declare any goods bought in Mexico, and pay duty on everything over some limit. You don't need proof of ownership, but receipts can help establish the value or prove that they were originally purchased in the US and not subject to duty.

You won't need to show your Mexican visa, they don't care about that. They will just want to see your passport to prove you are a US citizen. The trusted travel card is more for people who are going back and forth a lot. If you are just going north once, it is not worth the time and expense to get it. They also don't care about your Mexican drivers license. You will need that if you get stopped by the highway patrol in the US.

As far as your truck, it is not clear whether it is a US purchased and plated truck or a Mexican purchased and plated truck. Someone else might comment on this. If it is US plated, I think you might just need title and registration. If it is Mexican plated, you probably don't need anything until the plates expire. At that point, you would have to take the truck out of the US, or legally import it, an expensive and difficult procedure involving bringing it into compliance with US safety and environmental laws.

Never having done any of this, I am speculating. Hopefully, others will correct any errors.


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## sparks (Jun 17, 2007)

Any Vet should be able to give you a health certificate for the dog. Think they need to be less than 10 days old or similar.

Household things are not an issue especially if used

You are supposed to check in and out of Mexico correctly with your Visa and car permit


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## Playaboy (Apr 11, 2014)

I just moved a friend from Chapala to Los Angeles. She lived there for 10+ years. We had 2 vehicles, a car and a truck pulling a loaded cargo trailer. We had a dog with us. We crossed at Mariposa, Nogales.

We were allowed to bring in all her personal belongings duty free. We even made a list, similar to the menje de casa. CBP didn't care to see it. They spent 5 minutes poking around the truck and trailer. While they did that we were sent to an office to take care of the animal.

We were told that as long as you lived in Mexico on a permanent basis, upon moving back to the States you are allowed to bring back you personal used goods, no charge. That info is also posted on the CBP web site.

They wanted to see the paperwork for the dog and checked that closely. 

15 minutes and we were on our way.


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## surfrider (Oct 4, 2011)

Thank you that was very helpful...


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