Permit to move household goods to Mex

[Bigrig1919]

I was told you could get a one time permit to move your house hold goods duty free to mexico once you get your Mex visa.

How and where do you this permit?

[jrod]

Here's four sources, which you should probably check since each responds to part of your question.

You receive the official paperwork for your one-time household exemption from the Mexican consulate nearest your home. There is a limited window of time for importing your goods after receipt of your Visa. This appears to be non-negotiable so schedule your to-do list carefully and watch your dates.

The Mexico customs site (URL follows) provides instructions and information on its site. It's in Spanish, but it refers you to contact your Mexico consulate, as I've indicated above.

http://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/2008/tramites/140_10427.html

Go to Rollybrook.com and read Rolly's "How to move to Mexico". He also has a sample menage for review, although the form from your Consulate trumps every other form.

On the Mexico General forum of this site, search "menaje de casa". Most of the threads are a few years old and, with so many changes, you need to get updated information, sources 1 and 2 above.

A quick note: If you are entering as a single person, you are entitled to the one-time exemption. If you enter your menaje de casa as a couple, you are entitled to a one-time exemption. If you enter individually (I did this, spouse entered on tourist visa) you get your exemption and, at a later date if you so desire to bring down more of your things (we had a house to sell and belongings we anticipated bringing down at a later date) then your spouse applies at that time and gets his/her own menaje. Anticipate your circumstances and work accordingly. And, for your goods, your menaje (essentially a bill of lading) identifies in Spanish and English each and every personal item you are bringing in, complete with make, model, serial number and current value. You are assessed duty on those items that require it; check the Consulate and the aduana site above for specifics. All goods are supposed to be "used" and anything appearing newly purchased must have a receipt dated a minimum of six months prior to entry, so don't go buying everything new, leaving in original boxes, never-used.

It's not difficult, merely detailed and tedious. Follow the rules to the letter and you will have all the documentation you need, in case you are asked for anything. Cut corners and you may slip through without issue, or create your own nightmare with your belongings held up or heavily taxed at the border.

Please post your experiences when you get through: the last real posts on menajes on this board are two years old...and predate the new rules.

[Bigrig1919]

Thanks for the info. I will check out all four.

I ask the head of the Laredo, Tx , Mex. consulate when we got our Visa a few weeks ago if i could get the moving permit and he told me I had to wait and get it when I got to Chapala.

I think the new rules have got most Mex. officials confused.

[Ezzie]

I don't want to argue, but based on my recent personal experience, Aduana at the Laredo crossings (Bridge 2 or Columbia) may only allow the "one time exemption" for household goods if processed by a licensed Customs Broker. That is what they have told me each time I have tried to claim it, at both of those crossings. They have never accepted any of my detailed, pre-prepared and certified "Menage de Casas" as a basis for a duty exemption, only as a manifest and approximate valuations.

The first time I crossed was within the first 6 months after getting my FM3. In preparation for my trip, I went to the Mexican Consulate in the city nearest to where I lived NOB and registered my "Menage de Casa". Upon reaching the border, Aduana wouldn't allow me an exemption since I was presenting it as the Importer of Record and did not have a Broker representing me. I therefore have concluded that it was a complete waste of time (and money) to go to the Consulate ahead of time unless I had enlisted the services of a licensed Customs Broker. To get into Mexico, I ended up having to pay an "importation" fee and it remains a mystery to me as to how they calculated it. Since then, I have crossed twice more at Laredo crossings bringing goods to our home at Lakeside and haven't seen any rhyme or reason to what they decide is the amount they have asked me to pay each time. My take on it is they do a rough estimate of what they think the stuff is worth (with some consideration to what YOU say it is worth), subtract some personal exemption amount and then charge you 16%. I just pay it and carry on with my drive south.

I cannot speak for any of the other crossings as I have never tried to bring household goods into Mexico through any other crossing than the two Laredo crossings mentioned above.

[Sandrita]

I strongly suggest you contact Strom White Movers in Ajijic. If you goole them you will find their website and I believe they have a US phone number. I used them 5 years ago and I did not have to get my "menaje de casa" through the Mexican Consulate in Seattle...things may have changed but do contact Strom White...they will know.

Buena suerte.

[Ezzie]

I usually find laredo to be the most "expensive" crossing point, They seem to have it down pat that people from NOB don't like to wait and are very willing to pay to expedite things. Generally, they behave accordingly.

Yes, I agree. I have come to the same conclusion. I couple of weeks ago I tried the Pharr crossing and I think it would be a much better place to try. It is fairly new and has lots of room to maneuver with a larger vehicle and is laid out very similar to Columbia but is open 24 hrs. When we came through at around 8AM in the morning we were the only ones in the office obtaining our permits. I cannot speak for their Aduana staff other than they just did a quick cursory check of the vehicle contents (we had nothing we wished to declare).

[cstone]

I, too, highly recommend Strom White as a facilitator/broker/mover. They are not cheap, but our complex, multi country move to Mexico with loads of gear with serial numbers was flawless. Again, it wasn't cheap, but it was easy. You are going to pay something no matter how you do it ... be it $$, aggravation, anxiety, anger, mordida, Aduana fines, possible confiscation of goods, or with your "blood, sweat and tears." I took the easy road and used Strom white and $$ !

Highly detailed assistance, immediate response to questions by phone and email. I have moved a lot, all over the world and these folks are top notch. We shipped goods in July/August of 2012 and I think we were under the new rules at that time.

We came here first, got our Rentista Card, then filled out the Permission to Ship and sent it to Strom White. They stored our goods for the time it took to receive the INM documentation.

The form was less of a Menaje de Casa than an extremely detailed list of incoming items.

Feel free to PM me for further info.