stuphel Posted January 6 Report Share Posted January 6 A friend is here on a turista visa. He drove in with his car, and has a TIP. He's 2 months in to a 6 month stay. An emergency has come up in Canada, and he has to return for several days. When this happened to us ten years ago, we only had 2 options: drive the car out of Mexico, go to a southern US airport with the car, fly to Canada, fly back to the airport, and drive the car (new tip, new turista) back to Ajijic from the border. OR Get a special letter/form from imigrado, which took awhile, giving permission to leave the country, and the car, temporarily, and use it to fly to Canada for a few days. In our case, we ultimately did not need to go to Canada after all, and there was some hassle because we didn't actually use the form. Our experience was 10 years ago. Before the lawyer is back in his office on Monday, I was wondering if anyone knew if the rules had changed in the last 10 years, or if there is a third alternative? I'll get anything confirmed bya lawyer and imigrado, but I'd like any advance info this weekend if you have it. Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ibarra Posted January 6 Report Share Posted January 6 I'm confused. If your friend is only going to be out of the country for a few days, that must mean they are flying. If that is the case, the car remains in MX with 4 months left on TIP. If they are driving, I don't see how they could possibly only be out of the country for a few days. If that is actually the case, I'm not aware of any restrictions regarding the entry or exit of the vehicle during the period of time of the permit. They have 4 months, before permit expires. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostlylost Posted January 6 Report Share Posted January 6 Pratical way is simply to fly out and back. The car stays here. Exit with the car as nornal. TIP is cancelled at border and no one checks any other papers when you cancel. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuphel Posted January 6 Author Report Share Posted January 6 OP here, clarifying. When this happened to us 10 years ago, we were informed that a turista could not leave the country without the car they drove in with. This was to curtail the dumping of foreign cars in Mexico. If we left the country, we had to turn in the tip and cross the border by car. The people who have responded have indicated that it would be ok, as long as the tip is up to date (it is...4 months left on it) our friend could fly out of the country, leave the car here, and return by air and continue to stay here until the tip expires in April. Again, this is not what the case was 10 years ago. Our choices were to drive out of Mexico or obtain special permission to fly, which took time, money and was problematic when we didn't need to go after getting permission to do so. Although my friend only needs to be in Canada for a few days, if he has to take the car across the border before he can fly, and then return with the car after his trip to Canada, it will add several days to his trip. He'd obviously like to avoid that if it is legally possible to do so. One concern I have, if the people who have responded are right and he can just leave his car and fly out of the country for a few days, is what does my friend do about his 'turista'? He obtained one when he entered the country by car in November and he is expected to turn it in when his trip here is up in April. He will be asked to fill another one out if he flies back from Canada after his emergency trip. Is his TIP not tied to his original turista visa? I will check all this out with a lawyer and imigrado next week. I'm just trying to determine the lay of the land Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RickS Posted January 6 Report Share Posted January 6 These days you CAN leave your TIP vehicle in Mexico, go to the airport and fly out (he will have to turn in his Tourist Card to the airline); fly back to Mexico getting a new Tourist Card from INM in GDL Customs; then drive the vehicle out within the original paperwork 6-month TIP timeframe. Turn in the (new)Tourist Card to immigration also (or just let it expire without turning it in). You are correct that years ago this was said to be a no-no. It was said that the TIP was tied to the Tourist FMM. This may or may not have actually been true but everybody played that game. Not today. Anecdotally I have done what is suggested above.... fly out and back, then drive my TIP vehicle out later.... a couple of times in the last several years. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostlylost Posted January 6 Report Share Posted January 6 When you exit by air the airline checks to see if you have a physical FMM to turn in. As far as I know there is nothing on that FMM to indicate you have a TIP. Based on the vast number of papers collected at airports it is very doubtful they ever get entered into some system in Mexico. As citizens we fill out a small paper when we exit by air, and enter by air. tens of thousands are handed in daily. Last week returning immigration did not even collect it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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