# Laredo Border crossing to the toll road to Monterrey



## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

Counting down the last 20 days till we hop in the car and cross the boarder to our new home in Monterrey. It looks like an easy cross in the morning and hop right on 85 South.

Question is to the veteran crossers: Can someone detail out what each step of the process from crossing the bridge, to Aduana, to Bancercito, till getting on 85 South? I just need general info on what to expect.

I will be entering with an FM3 Visa with the family with a Ford Escape packed with clothes, our cookware, a 49cc Puch Moped/scooter, some kids toys, my hand tools (wrenches, ratchets, ect), a used 42" Samsung LCD TV, misc small electronics, and misc household trinkets that we cant live without. I know I need to declare all of it, just wondering how many times we will be searched or questioned.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Make a list of everything and assign garage sale prices. If the value is over $1000 USD per person, then use the declare line. If not, use the other line and hope for a green light. Have serial numbers and date of purchase for anything electrical.
You'll pass through customs first, then on to Banjercito if you haven't already got your car sticker.
Everything will become obvious when you get there & folks will direct you, if you ask.
At the checkpoint, you will have to show your car permit papers but probably won't be searched again, unless you hit a roadblock looking for drugs or guns; that will be military. Just cooperate and you'll be fine.


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## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

RVGRINGO said:


> Make a list of everything and assign garage sale prices. If the value is over $1000 USD per person, then use the declare line. If not, use the other line and hope for a green light. Have serial numbers and date of purchase for anything electrical.
> You'll pass through customs first, then on to Banjercito if you haven't already got your car sticker.
> Everything will become obvious when you get there & folks will direct you, if you ask.


1000 per person should not be an issue. We have 4 persons in the car and only 2500 worth of goods..thats being generous with the prices as well. I have an Excel grid started with lists in English and Spanish of each item with costs. I will add the serial number and date of purchase....good idea.

The bulk of the clothes and misc items I have been taking down in my suitcases when I have been flying down the last 2 times. I am going back next week to pay the rent again and set up the utilities so I will be bringing a few more duffle bags worth of items.

I took your advice and we are buying our furniture in Mexico instead of paying the 10-12,000 to move my whole house worth of furniture. We are only bringing what we need, and if there is room we are stuffing in what we want.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

A couple questions:
-When you say "have FM3's", were these issued at immigration in Mexico or at consulate before May 2010? After May 2010, consulates can only issue "temporary visas" and collect the fee. You still need go to immigration when you enter in any case. If answer was issued in Mexico than you would have filled out form that leaving and need to fill out FMM that reentering. If is temporary visa from consulate after May 2010 you will need to fill out and pay for FMMs. In the latter case you have 30 days to do the FM3s.
-At some level mopeds become "vehicles", and require licenses and banjercito. I don't know the level but 49cc seems small. If does require banjercito than a 2nd person will need complete as one vehicle each.


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## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

conklinwh said:


> A couple questions:
> -When you say "have FM3's", were these issued at immigration in Mexico or at consulate before May 2010? After May 2010, consulates can only issue "temporary visas" and collect the fee. You still need go to immigration when you enter in any case. If answer was issued in Mexico than you would have filled out form that leaving and need to fill out FMM that reentering. If is temporary visa from consulate after May 2010 you will need to fill out and pay for FMMs. In the latter case you have 30 days to do the FM3s.
> -At some level mopeds become "vehicles", and require licenses and banjercito. I don't know the level but 49cc seems small. If does require banjercito than a 2nd person will need complete as one vehicle each.


Well, my company in Mexico is sponsoring me and our company in the US is working with an agency in Mexico to do the paperwork. It's for me and my US born daughter. I assume that whatever it it I'm sure I will need to do something after I enter. They would be issued in a few weeks then we will leave for Mexico


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I'm not the best expert but my understanding is that under the new system, the no inmigrado (FM3) must be issued in Mexico and you must be there. Your company can pay the fees and walk you through with all the required paperwork. Therefore if you don't presently have the FM3 cards, then your company will either get you a temporary visa in your passports in the US or they will get you the cards in Mexico. If the former, you will need get FMMs at the border immigration before the banjercito sticker. These will be for 30 days and you will need go with your company to immigration to complete the process. If the latter, you will still need get FMMs at the border and initiate the process with your company.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Conklinwh is correct. Be absolutely certain that your company knows the new system. It appears that they may not. You cannot get the new 'credencial' outside of Mexico and you must personally appear at INM to be thumb printed and fill out one last form before it is issued. Online application must be started without delay upon your arrival.
It is possible that your company has not had a new hire in this situation since the new system was implemented on 1 May 2010.


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## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

RVGRINGO said:


> Conklinwh is correct. Be absolutely certain that your company knows the new system. It appears that they may not. You cannot get the new 'credencial' outside of Mexico and you must personally appear at INM to be thumb printed and fill out one last form before it is issued. Online application must be started without delay upon your arrival.
> It is possible that your company has not had a new hire in this situation since the new system was implemented on 1 May 2010.


they are working with a Mexican agency that handles relocations for Expats in Mexico. I'm sure they know exactly what they are doing. I may be mistaken on what I will actually receive before entry, however. I've been a little preoccupied with the other aspects of the move to dig deeper. All I know is that they have requested and received copies of our passports and birth certificates, a letter from the Mexican company and a letter notarized from the Apostile in the US. I have a meeting next week to review what I will need to do once I enter Mexico. It has been since 2005 since my company has had to transfer anyone to Mexico from the US.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

Regarding your question of how the Laredo crossing works, here are two web pages I found that explain the layout of the crossing in detail. I found these when I was thinking of crossing at Laredo. 

Mexico: border crossing, aaa triptiks, mexican auto insurance
http://www.cavetexas.org/mexico/PDF/Crossing at Laredo.pdf

We have yet to cross at Laredo, we always go through Colombia. From the Colombia Bridge turnoff of I35 it is 5 miles shorter to Colombia than to Laredo. The crossing is faster. Once you cross, you do have to return east to catch Mex 85 South. From Colombia to the point where you rejoin 85 it is 20 miles farther than from Laredo to that same junction. So, in total you drive 15 extra miles but save time at the crossing since there is rarely even a line.

Downsides to Colombia crossing:
1. The extra 15 miles.
2. The building for visas/car permits is not marked well. It's such a small crossing that it's not too hard to locate, though.
3. The stretch of highway from Colombia to Mex 85 is a favorite hangout for crooked cops looking to squeeze a bribe out of you. (they got me once... if you go, watch your speed!)
4. Tons (literally) of truck traffic on that road.
5. It's only open from 8 am to midnight.
6. The road on the Texas side requires a Tex-tag as they don't have a toll booth to take cash.


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## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

thanks for the info! great help. Seems Laredo will be easier for us. We dont mind waiting in line. we plan to be in Laredo on Thursday night and cross in the morning. We are working in 4 hours for the crossing and Bancercito to our already loose travel schedule.


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## circle110 (Jul 20, 2009)

If you cross early I doubt you'll need anywhere near 4 hours to cross and do all the permits.

We always come from a stopover at my brother's house, which is 3 hours minimum from the border. We'd need to leave before 4:00 am to hit Laredo at 7:00 am and we just can't get going that early!

We probably should try Laredo at least once even if we arrive after 8:30.


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## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

Update:
- I was in Monterrey last week and had a meeting with the attorney that is helping with the process. He claims that we are waiting for the confirmation letter from the Mexico immigration office (we submitted all of the information, letters, ect required from the Mexican company that I will be working for). Once I have the letter from Mexico immigration, I will then need to go to the consulate in Raleigh to apply for the visa, however they will only put a sticker in my passport. I will then need to enter Mexico under a tourist Visa but show immigration at the border my passport with the FM3 intent sticker. The letter he claims we are waiting for is a permission or acceptance letter from Mexico.

I have been reading more on the process this weekend and I am still confused if I need to apply online once I arrive to Mexico. I think most of that was already, or will be already done after I visit the Consulate in Raleigh, right?

I have sent the attorney some more questions that I have about the process so he can confirm for me one last time.


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## conklinwh (Dec 19, 2009)

I did the Raleigh visa approach in December. By the way, the visa office is on 6 Forks near Wake Forest while consulate is on Yonkers just off Capital. We took all our paperwork to the visa office. They sent off to Mexico City and we received our passports back with the visa at the consulate that afternoon. The latter is because you need official consulate receipt for the processing fee part. This allowed us to bypass the bank payment in Mexico. We showed this at the border and paid for FMMs and then went to Banjercito for the car permit. 
I'm not sure about Monterrey but in San Miguel, we did not need to go online. We had a "packager" put together the necessary paperwork and had it accepted. A week later we went back to be fingerprinted and picked up our cards.


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## RVGRINGO (May 16, 2007)

Your 'packager' did the online part for you.


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## conorkilleen (Apr 28, 2010)

The guy from the Buro de Servicios Migratorios will be doing it for me as well. I really have not had to do too much in the whole process other than give information, passport copies, Birth certificates, and some other misc info. Its been fairly smooth so far.


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