One of my fellow Bloggers entered Mexico yesterday and encountered the new process! It took them an hour and a half to jump through all the hurdles so I am spending some time to make the process easier. Copies of all documents are required and the price of getting them done at the border has jumped. The other problem is you have to give up your place in line to get the copies done.
I am now making multiple copies of vehicle registrations, passports, birth certificates, marriage certificate, drivers licenses and everything else I can think of.
There is also a new $300 vehicle deposit required that they never had before. You get it back when you leave the country. Many are complaining about this but I have no problem with it. They are having a problem with illegal importation of vehicles and this is their method of stopping it. It is their country and they can make the rules.
Our friends were also asked how much money they had in each currency. I have been asked this at the USA border but never in Mexico. I never know what the "correct" answer is. Are they worried you do not have enough money to support yourself or concerned you have too much and will be buying drugs? Who knows? We never take pesos into Mexico but stock up at the first ATM across the border. Maybe this time we will take a few hundred USA with us. We can always convert it to pesos later or just keep it in the safe until we get back to the USA.
I am always nervous crossing as you never know if the rules have changed from one year to the next.
We've been in Mazatlan almost two weeks.
1 hour ago
Interesting. We have crossed into Mexico four times now and have never had this "copy" problem. But maybe it's because we don't tow a vehicle, and already have the 10 year permit for the motorhome. So maybe this is just related to the towed vehicle.
ReplyDeleteRegarding pesos, we now make an effort to get pesos from a bank or currency exchange in Canada before leaving. All you need is maybe 500 pesos...just enought to cover some tool road expenses if for whatever reason you can't get to an ATM right away.
"tool road". Lol...meant toll road.
ReplyDeleteThe redeamable deposit for an automobile is 200 USD if it is was manufactured in year 2000 or before, 300 USD 2001 to 2006 and 400 USD if newer. I suspect a change in that will happen on January 1st, 2012, and throw a monkey wrench into their system. We copy everything, march up with a folder full of them. One thing you can't copy beforehand is the FMM unless you got it beforehand. DW always did the towed car while I cleaned the windshield of the MH!We plan to only go as far as northern Baja during this winter's trip. Have a good trip!
ReplyDeletedaveB
Is that just for a toad then? I'm so confused
ReplyDeleteWe have an existing 10 year permit for the mororhome so we only have to buy a 6 month permit for the car. The deposit is separate from the permit and only applies to the car, motorhomes do not require a deposit.
ReplyDeleteSmart idea, make it easy for yourselves. Hope to see you guys soon. Hi Norma!
ReplyDeleteThe reason they are asking about the $ you have is due to the fact that all US and Canadian drug money is now smuggled across the border. The cartels are happy to get 90% of what they are owed. Any banking or Western Union vehicles are too closely watched now.
ReplyDeleteStop with the copies!!! They have it all figured out. You have to line up and pay for your tourist visa, then go back and get the official document and then you need to copy that one.....so you will still need to make a copy or tow there.
ReplyDeleteKevin, it seems that the copies are needed for the towed vehicle.
However Croft be sure you have all your papers in hand, tourist visa, passports, 10 year permit, etc. These are all being checked at KM 21 Nogales as you leave the area. I am sure that Lukeville will be much easier. We prefer it but had to use Nogales this time for other reasons.
Wild Blue....you only pay a deposit on your toad. You do still have to pay an entry fee for that same toad. as you do your RV unless you have 10 year permit.
I do believe that the future will see us ordering our paperwork online ahead of time.
We crossed a couple of days ago at Lukeville. We have a 10 year on the camper and no additional vehicle. No problems, no questions about money, no searches, no hassle. It took awhile because the people ahead of us at the bank had a problem and with only one line, that holds you up. It takes awhile for the FMM, because they copy everything...no charge, but lot's of computerization. Come on down!
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