Crossing the Border vehicle problem

Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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My vehicle was registered to me when I crossed the border into Mexico. Now my husband will be flying into Guadalajara next week and plans to drive back to the States to get some "stuff" we left at our former home. Is there something I can do here so I don't have to drive across the border, and he can go alone? Help?

mazbook1

May 30, 2011, 12:45 PM

Post #2 of 47 (2279 views)

Re: [SchnauzersRule] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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I have never heard of them requiring the person who turns in the sticker at the border to be the person who got the sticker in the first place. Assuming the car is in both your name and your husband's name and he has a credit card in his name, all he has to do is turn in the sticker (and the paper that accompanies it), get the computerized receipt, then get a new sticker on the way back. ¡Sin problema!

DavidHF

May 30, 2011, 3:13 PM

Post #3 of 47 (2243 views)

Re: [mazbook1] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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Sound fine for the exit, how about the return?

May 30, 2011, 7:36 PM

Post #4 of 47 (2198 views)

Re: [DavidHF] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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There is an option, just don't turn in the sticker, many of us don't, I leave and return at least once a year. Now, the letter of the law says to turn it in, I've not heard of anyone having a problem not turning it in and then returning. Yes, you take a chance if your car is stolen NOB by a MXN thief, he'll know to drive it back into MX and already have a sticker. Do I worry about these things, no. I'm not recommending it, only offering it as an option, your a grownup, make your own decision.
www.chapalaweather.net

RickS

May 30, 2011, 8:27 PM

Post #5 of 47 (2189 views)

Re: [SchnauzersRule] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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If your husband's name in on the title to the vehicle you don't have a problem. Otherwise he won't be able to get another temporary permit when he re-enters. Leaving the country will/should be no problem. When he exits just give them the temporary import papers and they will take it out of the computer and scrape off the sticker. Just make sure he keeps the receipt from this exercise (forever!). When he drives back in he'll get another temporary sticker.

May 31, 2011, 5:50 AM

Post #6 of 47 (2151 views)

Re: [stevebrtx] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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Where does the law say you must turn it in every time you leave? I thought it is good for multiple entries.

And you're in the exact same predicament if the car gets stolen SOB. At least NOB there's a chance the thief won't be Mexican or bring the car back to Mexico.

Rolly

May 31, 2011, 6:56 AM

Post #7 of 47 (2135 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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In November 2006, Aduana issued a rule requiring permits to be turned when exiting the country.
No mechanism for enforcement was set, so many people continue to ignore the rule -- sometimes at their great regret.

Rolly Pirate

E-visit me http://Rollybrook.com
On Facebook as Rolly Brook

May 31, 2011, 7:43 AM

Post #8 of 47 (2113 views)

Re: [Rolly] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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My permit from last year mentions multiple entries on the permit. And the Banjercito website says: El trámite de reingreso de vehículos (entradas y salidas múltiples). Obviously you cannot use it for multiple entry if you must turn it in.

chinagringo

May 31, 2011, 8:07 AM

Post #9 of 47 (2103 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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Just our experience at the Santa Teresa, NM/San Jeronimo, Chihuahua crossing - we repeatedly been encouraged to not turn in our permit since we have only used 15 -20 days during a trip. It is almost an argument to convince them that we wish to do so.
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

May 31, 2011, 8:15 AM

Post #10 of 47 (2099 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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A secondary problem if the vehicle is stolen NOB is that you are still registered as having a car in MX and can't bring in another without a lot of paperwork and time. Of course if it's totaled NOB your only recourse is to take pics and a chunk of the windshield to the border to get it removed.

My problem is that I have a trailer on the sticker and I'm not going to tow it to the border each time.

I cross at Laredo, of course going out no one cares. Coming back in the first guys are Customs, they only care about what you're carrying because if you are a newbee, you don't have a sticker yet, or a visa for that matter. Next you drive about a mile and under the bridge to get the sticker and visa. At the 20 mile Aduana they may check the sticker, or last time at 5:30am a Federale flashed his light on it enough to see the reflection. Aduana also wanted to see my FM3, so no one cares until you get to the edge of the border zone. As long as your FM3 is valid, your sticker is.

I don't encourage or suggest anyone break the law.
www.chapalaweather.net

(This post was edited by stevebrtx on May 31, 2011, 8:16 AM)

May 31, 2011, 8:25 AM

Post #11 of 47 (2093 views)

Re: [chinagringo] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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On the one hand, I can understand why Mexico would want to know if a permitted vehicle is in the country or not. Requiring return/cancel of permit is one way to document it has left the country. Sort of.

On the other hand, it's not very efficient for a person who makes frequent crossings to have to cancel and re-permit every time they cross. It makes for a lot of extra paperwork and labor for Mexico. Maybe what they need is a checkin/checkout procedure where they scan the permit on an outbound bridge, marking you as having left the country, then scan it incoming to show you back in Mexico. They could do it automated with overhead scanners like toll road tags.

May 31, 2011, 8:26 AM

Post #12 of 47 (2092 views)

Re: [stevebrtx] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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"A secondary problem if the vehicle is stolen NOB is that you are still registered as having a car in MX and can't bring in another without a lot of paperwork and time."

How are you any better off if the vehicle is stolen SOB?

chinagringo

May 31, 2011, 8:41 AM

Post #13 of 47 (2086 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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While I probably would agree with your concept, it is Mexico and they get to make their own set of rules and the manner in which they regulate such. In our case, we rarely know when we might make our next trip and besides the well discussed potential problems, we are unwilling to take a chance on having a vehicle permit expire while NOB. We have never had that issue but the owner of our auto mechanic shop (Mexican-American) had that happen to him and it cost him dearly in both time and $$$'s.

As long as the rules are the way they are, then we will play by them!
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

May 31, 2011, 9:34 AM

Post #14 of 47 (2066 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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Ha Reefhound, check in/check out? - let me tell you about that joke. 3 years ago I got my first FM3, so I dutifully drove 12 hours to Laredo, went down under the bridge and proudly presented it to get stamped out. Then came back in a week later, again, dutifully went under the bridge and the guy thumbed through it, handed it back and said I didn't need a stamp. I walked away and came back and respectfully asked again for a stamp in and again he told me it wasn't necessary. So, I was officially stamped out of the country, but not back in. I told my lawyer when I renewed, she shrugged her shoulders, apparently INM did as well. So, the next year I figured the heck with it, didn't stamp out, didn't stamp in and no body cares or asks?

And as far as the FMM goes, if you leave through Laredo, come back in through Farr and actually imagine someone in a huge room in MX is matching stubs with tickets, I've got some land in COLO for you!
www.chapalaweather.net

May 31, 2011, 10:21 AM

Post #15 of 47 (2055 views)

Re: [stevebrtx] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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No I wasn't even dreaming that this is how it is being done now, just that if one day they get around to doing it electronically and automatically, it would solve a lot of issues and eliminate a lot of paperwork.

May 31, 2011, 10:47 AM

Post #16 of 47 (2051 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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"eliminate a lot of paperwork" - well, there's the first biggest reason nothing will change, paperwork makes jobs, as you know, it's just the way things are here. Actually when the new visa cards came out (they were supposed to have mag stripes) I thought they would have checkpoints at the exits from MX to zip the card and coming in the same - silly me, I've only been here 4 years and am still delusional about how things could be.
www.chapalaweather.net

jrpierce

May 31, 2011, 12:31 PM

Post #17 of 47 (2038 views)

Re: [Rolly] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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Quote

...many people continue to ignore the rule -- sometimes at their great regret....

As usual, Rolly, you are correct. I know two people who had huge problems when they failed to turn in their car sticker when leaving the country. This type of hassle is one of several reasons why my wife and I have a Mexican plated car.

I also know one person who was fined upon renewing his FM2 after he failed to check in with Migración after returning from the US.

As many of you know, in Mexico, experiences can differ with the various officials and among the offices. So if someone got away with something somewhere, it doesn't follow that it is safe to follow their lead. My own approach is to follow the rules as carefully as I can. While not a complete protection, so far it has served me well.

Jim

Marlene

Jun 1, 2011, 10:13 PM

Post #18 of 47 (1927 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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Mexican nationals living abroad, driving foreign plated cars to visit Mexico are permitted multiple entries on the Temporary Import Permit. That wording doesn't apply to foreigners.

(This post was edited by Marlene on Jun 1, 2011, 10:14 PM)

Jun 2, 2011, 7:29 AM

Post #19 of 47 (1882 views)

Re: [Marlene] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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Neither the wording on the permit nor the website says anything about foreigners versus nationals. I could be wrong about the permit thing but nobody has been able to document otherwise. People seem to easily find references for things like Articulo 106 and INM rules (even proposed ones) and such. I'm simply trying to verify the source of this "rule" that permits must be turned in each time and are not multi-entry as suggested by all the written evidence I've seen. I have no doubt that some have been "told" this by some agent or official. People get told a lot of things depending on the crossing and time of day and mood of the agents. And we all know it has little to do with what the law actually says. So my question to all, how many of you have actually seen this rule officially versus repeating what you've "heard"?

esperanza

Jun 2, 2011, 7:44 AM

Post #20 of 47 (1872 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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In Reply To

Here's the entire Artículo 106--in Spanish:
http://info4.juridicas.unam.mx/ijure/fed/11/122.htm?s

I don't have time to read the whole thing and pick out the parts you want to see, but it's all here--not just the excerpt that most foreigners know.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

Jun 2, 2011, 8:24 AM

Post #21 of 47 (1861 views)

Re: [esperanza] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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Everything in there says, to the best of my understanding, that multiple entries and exits are permitted. Section IV, paragraph A) specifically refers to foreigners living in Mexico and the TVIP being valid for length of visa and multiple entries. I see absolutely nothing to suggest multiple entries are ever disallowed. There is certainly nothing that explicitly says single entry only or no multiple entries.

It does mention that nationals living/working abroad are allowed six months in a given year, with the time counted based on multiple entries and exits (suggesting the clock is only running while actually inside the country).

(This post was edited by Reefhound on Jun 2, 2011, 8:29 AM)

esperanza

Jun 2, 2011, 10:30 AM

Post #22 of 47 (1825 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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I think the confusion re multiple entries has come about because the FMM (formerly tourist card) is a single entry document. Those people who come into Mexico on an FMM and request a temporary import sticker to bring a car are required to leave Mexico at the end of 180 days (maximum) and take the vehicle with them when they go--hence single entry for both the FMM and the vehicle. Remember that the temporary import sticker is only valid as long as the immigration status is valid and the FMM is valid only for 180 days (maximum) and cannot be renewed at the end of its validity.

http://www.mexicocooks.typepad.com

chinagringo

Jun 2, 2011, 12:48 PM

Post #23 of 47 (1800 views)

Re: [Reefhound] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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Whether Mexico does or doesn't allow multiple exits/entries seems to be a moot point. As long as they consider the vehicle to be in Mexico while said permit is "live" (active) and have no provision for tracking when one exits, then why would one ask for the consequences should the vehicle be stolen, totaled or otherwise incapacitated while NOB? I know that we are all bulletproof and it won't happen to us but that "pipe dream" when one has to jump through all of the hoops to get that permitted vehicle off the books. Why ask for the headaches and stress?
Regards,
Neil
Albuquerque, NM

Jun 2, 2011, 12:59 PM

Post #24 of 47 (1792 views)

Re: [esperanza] Crossing the Border vehicle problem

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Well, I hate to bring up an inconsistency (as there are so very few in MX?) but I came in on an FMT10/07 got my sticker, left 1/08, didn't turn in the sticker, got a new FMT 2/08 and then got an FM3 in 8/08, renewed twice, I'm still driving on the same original sticker, I've been stopped and checked by Federales etc. never a problem? I've been through Customs at Laredo at least 5 times, never a word. Now, surely if I were doing something wrong, someone would have casually mentioned it.

BTW, I just looked at my sticker paperwork and it says: "Permiso de Importacion temporal de Vehiculos"
www.chapalaweather.net

(This post was edited by stevebrtx on Jun 2, 2011, 1:09 PM)

RickS

Jun 2, 2011, 2:46 PM

Post #25 of 47 (1769 views)