# Certificado de menaje



## Sleepy1 (Jun 7, 2021)

I've been sent some items from overseas by my sister, declared as a gift. The agente de importaciones from DHL has requested a 'certificado de menaje de casa para mexicanos si es mexicano' or 'carta temporal menaje de casa si es estranjero'. I'm not sure which category I'd fall in for this purpose as I'm a permanent resident, but I thought the certificado de menaje de casa is only needed for people moving to Mexico who want to import their house contents and things. I've been a resident for 4 years and haven't been out of the country for a couple of years. Are they confused or am I?


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

Take this with a pound of salt.

For starters - I hate dealing with DHL when it comes to anything international. 

We once obtained a menaje from our local US consulate. We came in as permanent residents. We paid some monies at the consulate and we still had to pay some monies at the border. We were never quite sure what that was about. Maybe it was simply for the services of an agent at the border (?). In any event it was only maybe a few hundred dollars US.

As I understand it... a temporary menaje is just that. It will say that you agree to remove the items when you leave Mexico. A permanent menaje - well you are bringing them in permanently. (Good luck enforcing that - but I sure would hate to pull up to a border, have an agent type away at a keyboard and return saying - ok now can you please show me these items you are removing ) Doesn't seem realistic.

These items you have been sent are of significant value (electronics) ? If not I would simply _try_ to tell that to DHL. Those people just seem to look for any angle to squeeze more money out of clients. I once purchased a $25 US gallon of perfectly environmentally safe chemical on ebay for which I paid $25 US shipping. DHL insisted that I was the importer of the item and was required to provide the documentation describing the chemical composition, hazard information etc. Then they said that I was susceptible to daily storage fees until I provided that information.

It took me maybe a month to have ebay get involved and settle the matter.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

My understanding about Menaje de casa's has been proven wrong in the past, but what I thought was that after you convert from RT to RP, you have 6 months to apply for a menaje de casa, at a US consulate. After that, I _think _it's "too late" to get one - you have 6 months after you get the RT, and later you have six months after you get the RP, and those are the only 'windows'.

After 4 years on an RT and changing it to the RP, I looked into it, and got directed to ask at the consulate where I'd orginally started my RT process. They said 'sure we can help you, but you have to come here'. The airfare was going to cost me more than I thought the duty would be, so I didn't follow up.


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## Sleepy1 (Jun 7, 2021)

MangoTango said:


> Take this with a pound of salt.
> 
> For starters - I hate dealing with DHL when it comes to anything international.
> 
> ...


Yes, I hated DHL before too. They like to complicate things. Unfortunately, I didn't choose them this time round.


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## Sleepy1 (Jun 7, 2021)

As it turns out, the whole thing became a nightmare today. DHL rang me. They said used items can't enter Mexico and the shipment has to be returned. My sister had sent old things belonging to our parents. This is why they were requesting the certificado de menaje, I suppose. Plus, they wanted a plane ticket, which I don't have. I suppose that's to verify the 6-month period that eastwind mentioned in his/her comment. I think I need to find a lawyer.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

I think a lawyer would be more expensive than letting them return the items to your sister and trying again using a different carrier. The restriction against used items sounds bogus to me.


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## Sleepy1 (Jun 7, 2021)

eastwind said:


> I think a lawyer would be more expensive than letting them return the items to your sister and trying again using a different carrier. The restriction against used items sounds bogus to me.


True. I'll make some enquiries and see what my options are. I know used clothes are prohibited, but paintings? Bogus, all right.


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## MangoTango (Feb 8, 2020)

Given my very limited recall on menajes...

I _think_ their _real_ function was to provide a way for Mexican employees travelling abroad to move their households and at some point down the road, return to Mexico with those same household goods. Expats seem to have piggy-backed on the initial intentions.

I _think_ it is possible to get more than one menaje if there is a certain time period between them.

I _think_ there are some items which cannot be brought into Mexico used without a menaje - like maybe clothing ?

From my limited experience - yes we presented our menaje to the very kind folks at our local US consulate, they turned around (in real time) and sent it to aduana in Mexico. In fact we spent hours waiting for the approval to be sent on the 'special' letterhead sent from aduana directly to the printer in the consulate. If I were you (and since you say your Spanish is competent) I might approach aduana and see if they can help you. They have offices throughout Mexico.


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## eastwind (Jun 18, 2016)

I know works of art (paintings) _are _on the prohibited list. I read on an importer's web site that anything that isn't truly fine art (e.g. those mass-produced Monet prints you picked up at the museum gift shop) should be listed as 'wall decorations'. An original oil painting, even one done by a family member of no particular skill, is likely to be a problem.

If there's any chance of a visit sometime in the not-too-distant future, either you to see your sister or your sister to come here to see you, paying to check an extra bag full of the used clothing on the plane flight would be far and away the easiest. 

I take it the used clothing is of sentimental value? Otherwise not really worth it. Your bronzed baby shoes? Or your great-grandmother's high-top boots? (My mom kept both of those for me, but I never wanted to bring them here)


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## Sleepy1 (Jun 7, 2021)

MangoTango said:


> Given my very limited recall on menajes...
> 
> I _think_ their _real_ function was to provide a way for Mexican employees travelling abroad to move their households and at some point down the road, return to Mexico with those same household goods. Expats seem to have piggy-backed on the initial intentions.
> 
> ...





MangoTango said:


> Given my very limited recall on menajes...
> 
> I _think_ their _real_ function was to provide a way for Mexican employees travelling abroad to move their households and at some point down the road, return to Mexico with those same household goods. Expats seem to have piggy-backed on the initial intentions.
> 
> ...


That's interesting. TBH, I felt that the DHL aduana agent who called me today was making it up as she went along a bit. She specifically said used items couldn't be imported (she meant without a menaje?) and she also made up something about the items having zero value, despite a value being declared–she gave me a 'whatever' when I corrected her. Why am I dealing with a DHL aduana agent, anyway? Is this compulsory? I'll contact the aduana directly tomorrow. I have dealt with them a few times in the past and they were actually normal humans, and surprisingly helpful.


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