blankletmusic

When applying at a consulate as a couple is the coapplicant's financial requirement reduced?

3 hours ago, RickS said:

The 'short' version is:  one goes online and fills out a couple of forms and sends their current title, a copy of your driver's license and a check to Clay County.  In about a week... if one is in the US... you'll get the plates and registration directly from Clay County. They are FAST. The title which must come from the State... and they are not as quick... was taking 4-6 weeks for the last several years.   

Then annually Clay County will send out a notice for renewal and a new 'year' sticker which one can pay by mail or online credit card. This is what makes the service nice since other states will not let you 1) have a title/plates if you don't live in their state, and 2) renew said by mail. 

Thanks again Rick for the information. One question though- how do you get the annual renewals if you've departed the US and no longer have an address for them to mail it ?  I'm leaning towards living in BCS (likely La Paz) if everything works out. I'd be buying a car in the Albuquerque area, registering it in NM and driving it down to Baja Sul.

Would one simply take their newly acquired SD plates, title and registration along with them and swap the plates once your NM registration expires  a year later? And then do annual online renewals?

3 hours ago, ibarra said:

Here are several articles that you might find beneficial:

https://www.expatden.com/mexico/imss-health-insurance/

https://www.expatden.com/mexico/health-insurance-in-mexico-for-expats/

https://www.mexperience.com/how-to-access-the-mexican-healthcare-system-imss/

 

 

Thank you, Ibarra for the informative and helpful information.

2 hours ago, RickS said:

Who is "their"...   Banjercito or South Dakota DMV? 

 

Oh sorry, SD DMV.

1 hour ago, Mostlylost said:

No it is not. Also it could change with the next administration in October. 

Sounds rather complicated but likely the better option for the bigger medical issues after age 70 than private insurance ( based on the previous posts of insurance after age 70 being expensive and not covering a lot).

On 3/18/2024 at 3:57 PM, AlanMexicali said:

IMSS will exclude you from joining for some chronic diseases. They have a 6 month, 1 year , 2 year and 3 year waiting period on other chronic diseases and treatments and operations needed, It depends on what condition you are in when applying.


From the IMSS website:

Exclusions to join,

Google Translation:

"• not subject to insurance people who have: malignant tumors, chronic degenerative diseases (late complications of diabetes mellitus), diseases: Hoarding (Gaucher disease), chronic liver disease, kidney failure: • Some pre-existing, such as illness chronic valvular heart disease, heart failure, sequelae of ischemic heart disease (arrhythmia, angina or myocardial infarction), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with respiratory failure, among others
• chronic systemic connective tissue diseases, addictions like alcoholism and other substance abuse, mental disorders such as psychosis and dementia; congenital and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome or Human Immunodeficiency Virus positive of diseases (HIV)"
 

Is this an all inclusive listing of disqualifying pre-existing conditions? I don't suffer from any of the above and am 68 years old and healthy.

On 3/18/2024 at 5:00 PM, RickS said:

Well one can purchase a TIP at the Banjericto (Mexican Bank) office AT the ferry terminal in La Paz if heading for the mainland but I don't know if one can cancel/turn in a TIP if coming into La Paz from the mainland. "Normally" one can only do this at a Banjercito when leaving Mexico into either US or Belize.

IF you can actually do this cancellation in La Paz, you have one more 'problem'.  Although one does NOT have to have a TIP anywhere in the Baja, Mexico does require one maintain a current vehicle registration while there. If you plan on living full time in La Paz you will need to find a state that will give you a title/plate and then let you renew it annually via mail. South Dakota will do this.

 

Thank you. Do you have a link to their website?

Taking this can save about 1,000 miles of driving down the Baja peninsula. Pretty long crossing the Sea of Cortez, though (not for everybody).However, I believe you would need an importado certificate to do this, if even for the few day's drive from the US border to Mazatlan. Baja is a free zone with no importado required. Can you then surrender your importado and get your vehicle deposit refunded (if residing full time in Baja)?

On 3/15/2024 at 3:57 PM, NEWMtnMama said:

I suggest you buy from a reputable company such as iHerb. They warehouse many items in Mexico so they don't go thru customs at all, their prices are reasonable and I have found their quality to be excellent.

 I've bought a lot of their products in the US over the past few years. Very good prices, selection and quality as you stated. Do you have a link for it?

17 hours ago, Mostlylost said:

Or private insurance is not available because of age restrictions.  Try to buy private insurance if you are 70 years old. If you can find a company to insure you it covers almost nothing. 

When you turn 70 (I'm 68) it appears that private health insurance is not a very good option any more. If that's the case, is it pretty much either using IMSS or paying with your own funds? 

Is using IMSS for the costly situations (hospital stays, surgery, etc.) and paying cash for the less serious situations (dr. visits, minor procedures, etc) what a lot of expatrates do?

Thanks Rick, great reply indeed. I would likely buy IMSS as soon as possible for the more costly medical situations that require surgery, hospitalization, etc. and likely pay out of pocket for the more minor things at least until the start of year 3 when full benefits kick in unless I were able to find a private health policy that's affordable with decent coverage for the first two years. 

That may be easier said than done however (and costly along with the annual IMSS premium)......I'd likely stick with Plan A.

When I had IMSS you weren't fully vested in the program until the start of the third year with limited benefits the first two years. Assuming it's still like this, how do expatriates on IMSS work around this?

2 minutes ago, RickS said:

Careful.  Medicare Advantage Plans can only be used in an Emergency while traveling abroad... not if one actually lives or winters in Mexico, and then generally only in a 60-day vacation period.  

Lakeside Medical may not tell you that part. 

Good to know. Is it basically the same using a Medicare Supplement?

I've read where they can accept certain Medicare Advantage plans. Is anyone familiar with this? Do they have a US contact phone number?

11 minutes ago, Mostlylost said:

Easiest $4000 they will make.   No need to pay anyone to do it for you. You have will have done the hard part at the consulate where you live.  Still planning on maybe in 2025?

That's certainly good to know, thank you. I'm still seriously considering returning to the area sometime in 2025.

18 hours ago, Mostlylost said:

You do not go to Chapala City Hall. Migracion is a federal process. There is an office here. They are very helpful and speak some English. It is a simple process and they will help you and it will require more than one trip. Very common procedure at this office. 9am-1pn Monday-Friday

I understand you are thinking of doing this next year. Procedures do change from time to time. 

Here is the location at this time. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Instituto+Nacional+De+Migración+-+INM/@20.2917654,-103.1991113,3a,75y,90t/data=!3m8!1e2!3m6!1sAF1QipOPoxlykHPGm8QL0crFXDMBlzUUqNYoBY0zt9s3!2e10!3e12!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipOPoxlykHPGm8QL0crFXDMBlzUUqNYoBY0zt9s3%3Dw86-h114-k-no!7i3120!8i4160!4m7!3m6!1s0x842f40cf6583e42f:0x21379d7d9f89286a!8m2!3d20.2919317!4d-103.1990785!10e5!16s%2Fg%2F11fxzskmwy?entry=ttu

Yes, they certainly do. Is this relatively easy to do within the alloted 30 day window as I was quoted about 4,000 pesos (if memory serves) to do this by a law firm in Chapala. Thank you for the Google map.

After entering Mexico, I'm told you have 30 days to convert the sticker/stamp in your passport you received from a MX consulate in the US to a residency permit.  Chapala Law will convert it for a fee or as an alternative, can you go to Immigration at the Chapala city hall on Wednesdays to get this done within the 30 day time frame? Does this usually require more than one trip to accomplish this?

15 minutes ago, RickS said:

Then why did you muddy the waters asking about a Honda Fit?   

You mentioned Japanese....  sounds like (now!) something like a Toyota RAV4, Honda CR-V or Subaru Forester might be a fit (Pun intended).  Wagon?  How about a Subaru Outback. 

Other than Japanese one might consider similar sized vehicles from Hyundai or Kia.  

 

I figured that the Japanese cars (and Korean) would likely be a good fit there based on past experience with respect to operating costs, parts and service locally. I wouldn't want anything that had to go to Guad for servicing.

33 minutes ago, ibarra said:

More information for the book...methinks!

You are incorrect, no book here. I'm sure that's been done many times before. With that said,  I may need to purchase a vehicle in the upcoming months and thanks to those who have provided useful information. I would be buying this vehicle in the US to drive to Mexico and would need something with a decent cargo capacity-likely either an SUV or a wagon.

I'm looking at mostly Japanese wagons and small SUVs ie, Toyota, Honda, Subaru, etc. What are the most practical vehicles to own locally? Is the Honda Fit still a popular choice?

22 hours ago, Usvetsinmexico said:

yes around 150k usd but of course its peso so it changes dollar amount.  Pretty easy if you have a spouse to get 2 bank accounts per bank and open multiple banks to keep it under and safe.

Is that amount (which is very roughly 2.7 million pesos rounding to 18 pesos to the USD) per depositor?

Are you saying that the Mexican gov't. will federally insure each depositor for up to 150,000 USD in the current peso equivalent like the FDIC in the US if the bank fails?

1 hour ago, Usvetsinmexico said:

yes at least at hsbc where I bank... lol my savings account gives.... 5%!!!!

Great, but do they have anything similar to the FDIC?

That's good to know. I had read that you must pay taxes to Mexico as a full time resident and then claim the foreign tax credit when you file your US tax return to prevent being taxed in both countries (as there is a tax treaty as you stated). That was apparently wrong information or I misunderstood it.

Mexican cds pay 12%? That's a LOT better than what I currently receive.

I may be moving to MX early 2025 probably with a residente temporal visa. I receive VA disability and social security from the US along with some interest income. As a full time resident of Mexico, would I be required to pay Mexican income taxes? And if so, at what rate?

That indeed simplifies things. 

Just one more question, though. Your US plated car that got you there and you've been driving since becomes undriveable/not practical to repair and has to be junked. (I'd  then buy a good Jalisco-plated car to replace it as that seems by far the best option).

Your US-plated car is now undriveable and ready for the scrapyard. Is there a way to legally declare this car as junk/inoperable with the MX gov't. without actually having to remove it from MX (as it's undriveable)?