Forums > General > Traveling Mexico

caj1216

Mar 16, 2008, 6:30 PM

Post #1 of 13 (2024 views)

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Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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Need a quick answer. My husband and I moved to San Miguel and brought in a truck,trailer and motorcycle on his FMT. He subsequently got his FM3 this past year and a few weeks ago he drove the truck,trailer and motorcycle to Houston stopping at the border to cancel all the permits. He sold the motorcycle and bought another one and today when he tried to cross at McAllen he was told that he could not bring the motorcycle in. No further explanation was provided and he tried at two different places.

What has changed? Any ideas on how to resolve this -he's stuck in McAllen until we figure something out or put the motorcycle and trailer in storage.
Thanks for any advice!
Carol

RickS

Mar 17, 2008, 10:47 AM

Post #2 of 13 (1972 views)

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Re: [caj1216] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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I have ABSOLUTELY no definitive information about Motorcycles, but I did a search on this forum and saw only this information...

http://mexconnected.com/perl/foros/gforum.cgi?post=62854;search_string=motorcycle;#62854

It talks about motorcycles over and under 450cc in size. Possibly the original motorcycle was under this limit (and thus allowed entry) and the new one is over 450cc. Or maybe you just 'got lucky' the first time! The post says that over 450cc, it is treated as a car, and one person can only import one "car" into the country.

You may have to go to the border and come across with either the car or the motorcycle on your visa (unless you have already imported one that did not come up in this discussion).

(This post was edited by RickS on Mar 17, 2008, 10:48 AM)

caj1216

Mar 17, 2008, 10:54 AM

Post #3 of 13 (1968 views)

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Re: [RickS] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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Thanks Rick - I just heard from Art and I guess the third time is the charm. This morning he went to back to the border and they gave him all his permits. He is on his way to San Miguel and should be back tonight. We will repost when he gets back so he can provide info on what happened and see if we can help someone else avoid this in the future. Thanks for the info on the over 450 cc post!
Carol J.

Rolly

Mar 17, 2008, 12:37 PM

Post #4 of 13 (1953 views)

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Re: [RickS] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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Rick, the post you referenced is 3 years old. Since that time, the rules have changed and are much less restrictive.

Here is the current rule from Aduana's website:

c) You may tow with your vehicle one to three motorcycles, beach cars or dune buggies, or four-wheel motorcycles or ATVs, equivalent to the number of people traveling inside the vehicle. You must be able to provide proof of ownership for the vehicles being transported and they must be returned along with the towing or transporting vehicle.

It is apparent that the OP got caught by aduana agents who didn't know the rules or, maybe, had their own agenda.

Rolly Pirate

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

(This post was edited by Rolly on Mar 17, 2008, 12:39 PM)

bournemouth

Mar 17, 2008, 1:08 PM

Post #5 of 13 (1948 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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Rolly - can you give a link to that (original version) so folks bringing motorcycles in addition to their vehicle can print it and have with them? It would be helpful I think.

Rolly

Mar 17, 2008, 2:03 PM

Post #6 of 13 (1939 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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The whole thing, including URL, is on my website: http://rollybrook.com/vehicle_permits.htm

Rolly Pirate

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

bournemouth

Mar 17, 2008, 2:24 PM

Post #7 of 13 (1934 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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I've gone through your link and it takes you straight to the application process. I have wound my way back to a home page of sorts but can find nothing on motorcycles - we both know it is there somewhere, but that is not a very user friendly website. I am a great believer in having the appropriate clause in Spanish so was hoping to find that and bookmark it.

Rolly

Mar 17, 2008, 3:15 PM

Post #8 of 13 (1926 views)

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Re: [bournemouth] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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It's a hell of task to find it. That's why I copied the whole thing (English) into my website.

Try starting your search here for the Spanish version: http://www.banjercito.com.mx/...struccionesIITV.html

Rolly Pirate

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

(This post was edited by Rolly on Mar 17, 2008, 3:22 PM)

RickS

Mar 17, 2008, 3:33 PM

Post #9 of 13 (1922 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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Thanks for the clarification, Rolly. If I had remembered that you addresses this subject on your website, I would have gone there first (or only). And you are right.... quoting from past posts is chancy, especially if it is in regard to Mexican rules & regulations.

It will be interesting to hear the outcome of this from the OP (Carol). If I am interpreting the quotation from Rolly's site correctly, the number of vehicles that can be imported in this manner can be no more than "equivalent to the number of people traveling inside the vehicle". Maybe there was another person riding along with the husband.....

Rolly

Mar 17, 2008, 3:38 PM

Post #10 of 13 (1919 views)

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Re: [RickS] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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"Maybe there was another person riding along with the husband..... "

That would have entitled them to bring two motorcycles.

Rolly Pirate

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

RickS

Mar 17, 2008, 3:41 PM

Post #11 of 13 (1917 views)

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Re: [Rolly] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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Oh, OK. I'll go back to sleep now.....

caj1216

Mar 28, 2008, 2:33 PM

Post #12 of 13 (1840 views)

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Re: [RickS] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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After a very frustrating day, I went back across the border, had a number of drinks to calm my nerves and thought the problem over. The next morning I went to Texas DMV and got a temporary permit for the trailer because I only have a copy of the "Certificate of Origin" which has never caused a problem in the past but, at this point, I didn't want to take any chances.

I crossed at Brownsville, got my trailer searched, parked and went into the building and had my permit and was on my way in less than 30 minutes. I was next stopped and searched at the 21K crossing, again at a military checkpoint that usually only is open north bound, and twice more by Federales which has never happened before.

As to why the crossing was such a hassle this time as compared to the last 5 or 6 times I've done this, I can honestly say, I don't have a clue. Maybe it was because I'm an old gringo with a beard and long hair traveling alone, maybe there's a new boss who's telling them to crack down on everybody, who knows?

My advice to anyone with a similar problem is to just keep asking until you find someone who gives you the answer you want. It's the Mexican way.

Art Bone

jerezano

Mar 29, 2008, 9:16 AM

Post #13 of 13 (1793 views)

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Re: [caj1216] Stuck at the Border with a Car and Motorcycle

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Hello,

RickS said:>>I was next stopped and searched at the 21K crossing, again at a military checkpoint that usually only is open north bound, and twice more by Federales which has never happened before.[This was south of Browsville-Matamoros]

Tamaulipas has been experiencing a problem with narcotraficantes and has had (Rio Bravo and Reynosa for instance) recent shoot-outs. For that reason the surveilance both going North(for drugs) and going South(for guns) has been increased.

The last time I went North to Reynosa, for example, we drove through a vehicle X-ray machine (checking for drugs and hidden immigrants and perhaps bundles of money) operated by State police at the point where they used to have an Army inspection. On the way South, at roughly the same mileage from Reynosa we drove again through a similar X-ray machine, this time checking for importation of arms and ammunition. This was in March 2008. First time I have encountered X-ray machines on the Mexico side. They have been in use on the American side on a spot check basis for over a year now. But this was not a spot-check. All traffic had to pass through these machines.

Inspections are now much more efficient than in the past.

Adiós. jerezano.