Updated border crossing info: Vehicles

[telcoman]

I have updated my web page on border crossings with what information I have. I have been dealing with Banercito over vehicle permits and it is like pulling teeth.

Anyway here it is: If anyone can add or correct anything it would be appreciated.

PART 1

Vehicle requirements:

Permits can now be obtained on line. See instruccionesIITV

Early reports indicate this process is working well.

Click to Download Fuel price Convertor Canada-US-Mexico (MS Excel format)



You require a passport, a credit card, drivers license & all your vehicle registration. If the vehicle is leased, you require the lease agreement plus a legally notarized permission to take the vehicle into Mexico, even if you own the company. It is best to have this in Spanish. Make 2 copies of everything before leaving home, it will speed things up. There is usually a copy machine at the border. You will need copies of your tourist card, but it will speed things up if that is all you need. At the border you will have to purchase tourist cards & a vehicle permit. Allow about $100 for everything, other than your vehicle deposit which I describe later on. Try to have $100 US worth of Mexican Peso's, for incidentals, until you can find an ATM.

Note: Under new rules as of Spring 2011, you will have to pay a deposit of $200-$400 depending on vehicle year (<2000 $200, 2001-2006 $300, 2007 & newer $400). This is to ensure the vehicle is returned to the US. The money will be returned or credited back to your credit card when you leave the country. You have to use either Visa, MC or US Cash. I have seen reports of problems getting the credit card credited on exit, I recommend using cash. You will be refunded cash on the spot upon exit.

It can take up to 4 hours to clear the border, but an hour is more usual. Please note that at some crossings you have to do all this, maybe 20 km south of the border, rather than at the border itself. Vehicle permits are not required for Baja or for the northern part of Sonora State. You still need a tourist card. Even so, make sure you have all the legal documents for your vehicle.

Vehicle permits are good for 6 months, although you can get a 10 year one for some RV's (Class A's & C's & some Class B's, plus 5th Wheels & Trailers (but not the tow vehicle). This may not be a good idea, unless you plan to leave the vehicle in Mexico for a few years and not bring it back into the US. It can cause you a lot of grief if you write the vehicle off or sell it sometime during those 10 years. However, it does allow you to leave the RV in Mexico & fly home. If you do write off a vehicle in Mexico, get the hunk of windshield with the sticker attached , plus ensure the police & insurance reports show the vehicle VIN number. Unless you turn these in at the border, you will not be permitted to take another vehicle into Mexico at a later date. If you do have an accident, phone your insurance provider immediately and do not admit blame. They will provide a lawyer. You may or may not need a separate permits for motorcycles & ATV's. It depends on the engine size. If you have a scooter, the word for that is "motoneta".

Up to 3 items can be added to a vehicle permit, including trailers, scooters, ATV's (Maybe a Truck Camper) but see the "Gray Area's" section below.

So, photocopy the following

1) Your passport front page

2) Any vehicle registrations

3) Your birth certificate

4) Photocopies of your drivers license (or licenses if more than one vehicle) - front & back

5) Photocopies of your credit card

6) Copies of notarized permission to take any leased or company vehicle into Mexico.

You may or may not need all of those. You will have to get photocopies of your Mexican visa at the border itself.

It is very important to get a receipt for your vehicle permit when you cross back into the US, no matter what crossing you use. Failure to return the sticker will prevent you from entering Mexico in future and even if you have returned it, their record keeping system is far from perfect, so you should retain a receipt. You cannot return it at all border crossings. You can no longer return at Tecate, for example.

Crossing back into the USA can be a 2 or 3 hour experience. You may not bring any Pork or Chicken products across and some vegetables are not allowed, specifically potatoes & avocado's. If your remove the pit from the avocado's & cook the potatoes, they are OK. Most fruits are prohibited.

Please note your vehicle may be searched by US border control on the US side and again by Mexican border patrol on the Mexican side. They are looking for guns going south & drugs going north. Both governments stepped this up in 2010.

Continued in Part 2

[telcoman]

PART 2

Here are some documentation examples (some areas painted out for privacy):

Vehicle permit:



Vehicle Insurance:



Exit receipt:



IMPORTANT: I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to return this permit before you cross back. If you do not, you will not only forfeit the $200-$400 bond you placed on your credit card, you may also be unable to ever bring another vehicle into Mexico again. If you write off your vehicle in Mexico, or have the windshield replaced, ensure you keep the glass with the permit on it and have a police report showing the VIN number of the vehicle. In the case of a windshield, it is not so important since you will have the original vehicle &, its VIN number shows on the sticker. You need all of that sticker, however, even if it is pieces. As a precaution I always take a copy of the sticker before applying it to the windshield on the way down. If the original is unrecoverable, at least that may suffice. Maybe.

Gray areas:

Unfortunately there are some gray area with regards to vehicle permits. I have been unable to get a straight answer from Banercito on any of these issues, and believe me, I have tried. They are:

Truck Campers

Motorcycles & ATV's

Cargo Trailers

Can you leave a vehicle in Mexico while you fly home, for eg over Christmas?

Truck Campers: These seem to fall between the cracks when it comes to RV rules. You cannot seem to get a 10 year RV permit for them. In some States & Provinces they are not even registered, so presenting paperwork would be a problem. I suspect a 10 year permit may be able to be obtained if the Camper is registered. In my case I have never had a permit or had it added to my truck permit. They appear to consider it part of the truck. What worries me is if I am in an accident or it is stolen. I would try to obtain some sort of documentation with its VIN number to prove you own it. Insurance certificate and/or Bill of Sale.

Motorcycles: From what I can determine you can bring in a motorcycle under 150 cc (it may actually be 250 cc, another thing I cannot get a straight answer on) without a separate permit. They have added my 50 cc scooter to my truck permit each year. The rule actually states it should be unlicensed, so my advice is remove the plate when entering or leaving Mexico & put it back on when in Mexico. Make sure you do show them the registration when you enter, however.

ATV's: In theory to bring an ATV in you must have a passenger with you. One gas powered vehicle per passenger, although as with scooters this appears to be flexible.

Cargo Trailers: These can be added to the towing vehicle permit. You may have trouble if they have no VIN number such as in the case of a homemade trailer.

Temporary trips home: From what I can tell (And I have had contradictory info on this one as well), you can definitely leave an RV with a 10 year permit in Mexico & fly home, you cannot leave a vehicle with a 180 day permit in Mexico & fly home. Lots of people have done it, but now they are supposedly tying Passport numbers to vehicle permits, you could find yourself in trouble. In my case my wife does fly home. I make sure the vehicle permit is in my name, not hers.

Vehicle Insurance:

You must have Mexican insurance. Expect to pay about $60 - $75 US for each $10,000 of value (RV & truck). This is for a 6 month policy, the most economical. You can purchase insurance before crossing. AJO, Mexpro, Don Smith, Baja Bound, Sanborns, Motor Mexico. Lewis & Lewis, Sanborns or San Xavier are a few that are recommended. Shop around & compare coverage & price, but it is best to use one that others have recommended and you know are OK. Do not underinsure yourself. In many cases you can get a rebate from your insurer for the time spent in Mexico. Ask them what proof they require that your vehicle was below the border. This will likely give you a couple of hundred back. If not, consider cancelling your North American insurance for the day after you cross & re-instating the day before you return. (more info on this below). Another trick to save money is to consider placing storage insurance on any vehicles you leave at home.

You may buy insurance for various periods from 1 day & up. At some point it becomes more economical to buy a 6 month policy. In most cases, one policy can cover your truck, RV and other vehicles like scooters or ATV's & trailers.

You can often buy insurance where you obtain your vehicle permit. Unfortunately this is often 20 km into Mexico, and Murphy's law increases your chance of having an accident in those 20 km. Remember an accident in Mexico is a felony, not misdemeanor. Buy your insurance before crossing the border.

If you have an accident, immediately phone the number given to you by the insurance provider. Do not admit blame, let them handle it. This is a good reason to have a cell phone. Even if its an American or Canadian cell phone & the call is expensive. The police will very likely impound the vehicle until things are settled. In Mexico you are guilty till proven innocent. The insurance company will take care of legal aspects & provide an interpreter. It is not as bad as it sounds, your Mexican insurance provider is used to being able to deal with it.

Here is another article on the subject by Jim Labelle.

Check with your insurance company . You may be able to get a rebate for your insurance for the period you are in Mexico. For example, ICBC in British Columbia does this. Check with them to see what documentation & proof you will require for a rebate. If you are down for 4 or more months, chances are it will neutralize the cost of your Mexican insurance. Make sure campground receipts show your plate number & keep entry & exit receipts plus toll road receipts. Some US insurance companies also provide collision coverage in Mexico & you may only have to buy liability coverage. If your RV is separate from your vehicle, like a Truck camper or trailer, also check with the company insuring that.

[RVGRINGO]

I don't know of anyone who has successfully taken a piece of windshield with the sticker to the border as proof that the vehicle has been totally destroyed. You are required to take the vehicle out of Mexico. Period. You'll even have to pay up if it is stolen.
Getting around these rules is infrequently possible and usually takes deep pockets and years of time. So, if you 'lose' your vehicle in Mexico, don't plan on ever bringing in another one in the same name. Married folks simply bring the next vehicle registered to the other spouse. Single folks are SOL.

[telcoman]

That is a rather sobering thought. I have heard of one person who was successful after destroying a vehicle, but they did have a police report with the VIN number and a hunk of the sticker.

[RVGRINGO]

Mexico really wants to see the entire vehicle removed from the country. Remember, Mexico makes vehicles and parts and wants to protect those businesses, as well as eliminate older polluting vehicles.

[Mexicodrifter]

The biggest problem seems to be for those of us who have an FM2, FM3 and are entering the republic. The Money taken will never be returned because the permit is for 6 months whic most of us would exceed. If, after living in Mexico for say 2 fyears one wiches to travel to the states the cash would not be returned because the sticker would be expired.
I talked at length witht eh Banercito aobut this and they assured me that that would be the case. The Aduana was of no help at all.
But, there may be a place to write to in each state that will extend the sticker time. The Aduana will know this address.
Even though a person of FM2 or FM3 status has the right to own and operate a vihicle in Mexico without further paperwork than a stick and his current immigrationd card, the new law does not yet adress the problem.

[RVGRINGO]

Sorry, Mexicodrifter, but those of us with visas and 'importadas temporales' issued since the new deposit rules, may extend and protect our deposits indefinitely. It is done by writing to Aduana in Mexico city, with a copy of one's renewed visa card, within 15 days of such renewal.
There may be a specific form to use and, here at Chapala, one of our occasional posters, Intercasa, can provide assistance, if needed.

[AlwaysSilver]

Thanks RVGringo for the update. I have left a vehicle in Q'roo and will return within a month. My agent in Mexico indicates that I can renew every 6 months by going up to Cancun, use my FM2, paperwork on the car including insurance statement and original title, and renew very simply.

I will find out if this actually works at the end of Feb 2012 when I go to renew.

I did leave a US$300 deposit when I originally imported the car and don't want to lose this, so I am being careful.

[RVGRINGO]

This is all new and a real nuisance. I can see a lot of money vanishing into the coffers because of forgetfulness and/or slow mail, etc.
There is also the 'confusion factor'.
Things are getting tighter, as well as more expensive; perhaps in retaliation against US policies toward Mexicans. I guess we can't blame them, but it does make life just a bit more complicated than it had been. We're going to solve the problem by taking our US plated car back to the USA and selling it to CarMax; then, we'll be able to change to permanent residents (inmigrado) and not have to deal with 'officialdom' any more.

[AlwaysSilver]

Originally Posted by RVGRINGO

This is all new and a real nuisance. I can see a lot of money vanishing into the coffers because of forgetfulness and/or slow mail, etc.
There is also the 'confusion factor'.
Things are getting tighter, as well as more expensive; perhaps in retaliation against US policies toward Mexicans. I guess we can't blame them, but it does make life just a bit more complicated than it had been. We're going to solve the problem by taking our US plated car back to the USA and selling it to CarMax; then, we'll be able to change to permanent residents (inmigrado) and not have to deal with 'officialdom' any more.

Will update the outcome of my February 2012 adventure when completed. If anyone can confirm the Cancun renewal, it will be appreciated.

Good thing seems that if I stay in Q'roo, even after an expiration of my sticker, I should not be hassled. Different story I am told if I leave the state...then Federal Policia may get a little bent out of shape. Not planning on "testing the waters"