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mexigrl

Oct 26, 2003, 8:01 PM

Post #1 of 11 (968 views)

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Has anyone brought their car in twice in one year?

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Meaning - I will be on a tourist visa. I brought my car into the Yucatan by ferry last January 2003. At that time I had all the proper paperwork - when I came back in March they removed the sticker from my car and gave me my deposit back.

Now I will be re-entering around Dec 1st through Laredo or Columbia Bridge. I read that you can only bring your car in once in a one year period. I've also read that they haven't enforced that and that is doesn't seem to be a problem, especially since it is 2 different border crossings.

Has anyone had any problems or experience with this?

Thanks!

Mexigrl

Guapo Gabacho

Oct 27, 2003, 5:29 AM

Post #2 of 11 (946 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Has anyone brought their car in twice in one year?

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If you can get a visa, then you can get your car in. If the computer says your car is in the country you will need to show the receipt from your last turning in of your sticker.

An important thing to know is that if you use a passport to enter, you are the number of the passport, not the name, in the computer. If you use another (new) passport to enter later, you are a new person. Use a birth certificate and you are the number of your drivers license.

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We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.

mexigrl

Oct 27, 2003, 6:44 AM

Post #3 of 11 (938 views)

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Re: [Guapo Gabacho] Has anyone brought their car in twice in one year?

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Ooohhh, interesting twist. Perhaps it would be worth me getting a new passport - if you file for a lost passport I wonder if the replacement one would be a new number or the previous number???

As far as I know, I do not have the receipt from before - the ferry service took care of everything, they did scrape the sticker off (mostly...) so I will hope that everything is in order on that.

Do you know anything about info I had that if you cross at different points it won't be recorded? I am only a month off on this - so my hunch is that even if they catch it they might let it go, for a small fee.

Does anyone know about the passport number question?

Thanks!

Mexigrl

Guapo Gabacho

Oct 27, 2003, 6:54 AM

Post #4 of 11 (934 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Has anyone brought their car in twice in one year?

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I know about the passport thing because I renewed six years early for the exact reason. You get a new number and the passport people just take your money without question as to why.

Your car most likely was removed from the computer and you won't have a problem. You can always enter with a birth cert., but I would have an apostille on it to avoid that variable.

Banjercito's computer info is the same at all points of entry and changing location will not avoid any problems.

P.S. If you use a passport to enter, the whole world can see that you have been in Mexico and for what period of time. Can make the bribe real high when trying to get a FMT back-to-back. If you use a birth cert. there is no mark made on it for dates of entrance or exit. Some rotate the two methods each six months.

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We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.

(This post was edited by Guapo Gabacho on Oct 27, 2003, 7:00 AM)

alex .

Oct 27, 2003, 7:53 AM

Post #5 of 11 (921 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] Has anyone brought their car in twice in one year?

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You can have the car in the country , legally, for 180 days. When you cancelled your permit in March, the clock stopped at around 90 days, (Jan +Feb+March depending on the dates). So you still have about 90 days left the second time without any tricks. So you see its not the number of visits, its the total number of days. Once you use up 180 days then its time to consider the other approaches.
Alex

Guapo Gabacho

Oct 27, 2003, 8:23 AM

Post #6 of 11 (913 views)

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Re: [alex .] Has anyone brought their car in twice in one year?

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Alex,

Call it tricks or not, my point is the "clock" that records your days in Mexico for Migracion is your passport. Banjercito will give you a permit for your car if you have a visa and the computer doesn't show that you (the number they use) have a car in Mexico at this time.

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We do not inherit the Earth from our Ancestors, we borrow it from our Children.

mexigrl

Oct 27, 2003, 11:52 AM

Post #7 of 11 (878 views)

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Re: [alex .] Has anyone brought their car in twice in one year?

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Now I'm a little confused (not a new state latey!). So, the total amount of days you are allowed to have a car in Mexico on an FMT is 180 days a year? Is that calendar year or YTD from first entry? My plan is to enter Dec 1st and return sometime in April (if, then , the 180 days is a total amount YTD that would technically make my car illegal during the end of my stay).

I think the new passport is probably a good idea. I could also use my birth certificate just for the crossing. The whole process of apostilizing them also confuses me. It seems like one of those "acts of god" types of things.

Thanks,

Mexigrl

alex .

Oct 27, 2003, 12:47 PM

Post #8 of 11 (874 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] yes

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Yes you will have gone over the 180 day limit.

Elapsed time, not referenced to January 1st.

The Apostille is not a big deal. Its just a certification that the certifying organization has the authority to certify, get it? Its done through the mail, doesn't take long. nor is it expensive.

Alex

mexigrl

Oct 30, 2003, 10:08 AM

Post #9 of 11 (802 views)

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Re: [Guapo Gabacho] Has anyone brought their car in twice in one year?

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I'm getting a little nervous about getting the car back across the border now. In checking info for bringing the car in I noticed that it said that in order to bring the car in you must be using a passport, no mention of birth certificate. I wonder if they have, once again, changed the rules?

Applying for a new passport might be the best answer. Since I am leaving in a month it is an expensive process. I am concerned that they will want to know why I want a new one since the old one is still valid.

I also looked for the receipt for my car return, and can't find it. So, I may be borrowing trouble, I would guess there is a chance that my car wasn't cleared from the system.

I hate to open up a can of unecessary worms but just want to be ready as much as possible before hitting the border.

Thanks for your input!

Mexigrl

alex .

Oct 30, 2003, 10:22 AM

Post #10 of 11 (800 views)

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Re: [mexigrl] is the decal still on the windshield?

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If not, then its in the system.
Alex

mexigrl

Oct 30, 2003, 1:50 PM

Post #11 of 11 (778 views)

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Re: [alex .] is the decal still on the windshield?

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The decal was scraped off the windshield by a customs/Banjercito employee - I travelled on the ferry from Merida.

Mexigrl