Feb. 22, 2012
Yucalandia offers the following update to Aduana’s policies on what is allowed for visitors to Mexico as a part of an ongoing series of articles on common issues. We welcome you to propose your own questions or issues for additional articles.
Aduana’s current webpage for passengers and Aduana’s current webpage for import rules for passengers says:
What can I bring in duty free?
° The items allowed in your personal luggage, according to the length of the trip
° Up to US$300 per person in permitted goods, or its equivalent in other currencies. Passengers traveling with family members (spouse and children) may combine their personal exemptions only when arriving together. In order to claim this additional exemption passengers must have the corresponding commercial invoices or receipts available
° Beer, alcoholic beverages and manufactured tobacco may not be included in this additional exemption
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Which items may be included in my personal luggage exempt from duty?
° Suitcases, trunks, and the necessary bags to carry your belongings
° New or used goods for personal use, such as clothing, footwear and personal hygienic products, in reasonable quantities, according to the length of your trip and that they may not be subject to commercialization
° Medications for personal use. In the case of psychotropic substances you must present the corresponding medical prescription
° A photographic camera, a video camera and, if it is the case, its power charger; up to 12 rolls or reels of unused film or videocassettes; printed photographic or filmed material; a cellular telephone; a pager; a pair of binoculars; a typewriter; a new or used portable computer: laptop, notebook, omnibook or another of similar kind; a new or used portable photocopier or printer; a portable radio set to record or play sound, or both
° Two personal used sport articles that can be normally transported by one person; a camping tent and camping gear; a wind surf with or without sail; four fishing rods with their respective accessories
° Five laser discs, five DVD discs, 20 compact discs (CD) or magnetic tapes (audiocassettes); books and magazines in reasonable quantities and that they may not be subject to commercialization
° Five toys that can be normally transported by one person
° A musical instrument, that can be carried by one person
° Persons with disabilities may include those items for personal use that due to their characteristics may replace or reduce their disability
° Adult passengers may bring, in addition to the above-mentioned items, up to 20 packages of cigarettes, 25 cigars or 200 grams of tobacco, and up to three liters of wine, beer or liquor. Passengers must fulfill all the applicable non-tariff regulations and restrictions when importing additional amounts of cigars
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In which cases should I pay taxes?
- Remember that you are entitled to bring in up to US$300 worth of goods in addition to the goods included in your personal luggage, and that you are allowed to combine this amount with family members
- If you exceed this exemption, or if your family’s combined amount exceeds the combined exemption, you must pay duties and taxes. There is a flat 15% rate of duties and taxes, which is applied only to the amount exceeding the exemption (individual or combined). You must fill out a payment form, which is available at the Customs counter
- If the value of the goods surpasses one thousand dollars (per family member) after subtracting the US$300 exemption, or if any of the goods is subject to non-tariff regulations or restrictions, you must hire the services of a customs broker. Private brokerage services are always available at the airport
- From November 21st, 2005 until January 10th, 2006 you will be able to import goods in the mentioned procedure, as long as its value does not exceed 3,000 dollars.
- If you bring a desktop computer, you may pay duties and taxes by filling out a payment form as long as the value of the computer and its peripherals and accessories do not exceed US$4,000. If the total value of the computer and its peripherals and accessories exceeds US$4,000 you must hire the services of a customs broker
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Which other items must be declared?
- Animals, agricultural products and medications
- If you are carrying more than US$10,000, or its equivalent in other currencies, in cash, checks, money orders or any other monetary instrument, or a combination of them, you must declare the amount exceeding US$10,000. You will not have to pay duties or taxes, but you must declare it on the Customs Declaration form. Failing to declare it is a violation of Mexican Law and such violation is sanctioned with administrative and even criminal penalties
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Which goods are restricted?
• Firearms and ammunition. In order to import firearms and cartridges you must secure an import permit from the Ministry of Economy and from the Ministry of National Defense. For further information please visit the following websites: www.economia.gob.mx and www.sedena.gob.mx.
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Which goods are prohibited?
- Narcotics, insecticides and live predator fish of any size. Stamps, stickers, drawings, illustrations or printed materials representing children in a denigrated or ridiculous way, or inciting violence. For further information please visit the Mexico Customs website www.aduanas.gob.mx
- The Ministry of Agriculture prohibits the following goods since they represent a great risk for the introduction of plagues and diseases: earth, straw, padded containers of hay, straw decorations without processing; homemade foods; flours of animal origin; fresh, dry, canned or frozen meat and meat products, such as smoky, salted and mature sausages that have been elaborated in countries under absolute quarantine (Europe, Africa, Asia and South America). For additional information please visit the website www.sagarpa.gob.mx
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How much should I pay for those additional goods that are not part of my luggage or the $50 exemption??
If you exceed the $50 exemption for less than US$3,000, you must pay duties and taxes. There is a flat 15% rate of duties and taxes and you must fill out the payment form intended for it, which is available at the Customs counter.
If the amount of the goods is over the US$3,000, then you must hire the services of a customs broker, who will present the legal forms to pay the duties and taxes (you can ask where to reach one at the Customs Office). “
HAPPY TRAVELS !
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© Steven M. Fry
Read-on MacDuff . . .
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What kind of number do they put on things like used cement mixers and power planners? I tend to fix things myself, my big tools are something that I would want to mule down if I bought in Yucatan. Who sets the value on a 50 year old cement mixer? It’s not pretty but it works great, I’d hate to pay $100 USD for the old beast just to cross the border. What kind of import taxes do regular folk have to pay?
Norm,
whew…. The last friend I know who brought down a bunch of that kind of stuff (a gasoline powered welder, and 1/3 of a bus of tools and household goods etc) wound up in a standoff with Aduana for a while – and Aduana ultimately caved and charged him an arbitrary $300 or $400 for the whole lot.
On another trip, we hauled in a 16 ft totally enclosed trailer that was about 1/3 full of household goods – and they waved us through – they were only concerned about a bag of prescription medicines. We also brought in a pickup load stuffed full of household goods and a 4′ x 6′ trailer loaded 6 feet deep: $300. easy-peasy – But the key to easy-peasy was having a printed spreadsheet list including every item and estimated prices.
If they just give your load a visual once-over, and it’s clear that you aren’t hauling drugs, guns, bales of cash, lead batteries, food, or supplies to run a business, you will likely be waved through with no $$$ – which is the experience of 100′s of people reporting going through Laredo/Nuevo Laredo early in the day. Matamoros Aduanas has a stiffer reputation for charging arbitrary fees.
All the best and safe travels. Stop by and stay a while at our home in Merida if you like…
steve
Thanks Steve. Hope to be in Yucatan next November. I have my eye on the Reo Bec/Calakmul area for some off the beaten trac ruins. Mid January is a trip into Yaxchilan viva Palenque. My plans are a remote highland Guatemalan ruin called Mixco Viejo for the 12/21/12 winter solstice.(I’ve seen clear evidence of local Mayan use there in the past) I plan on driving my van down, doing a ruin trip with you and your buds would be very cool if we can line up our ducks.
What if you arrive on your own sailboat?
I really can’t bring canned smoked fish from Germany? That is our main protein backup on our boat, very surprised about that detail. We have over 200 cans that are good till 2017.
Barker,
We don’t know import rules for arrival on your private boat. Do they inspect the contents of personal boats when you arrive?
Can you leave the cans of fish on the boat? I will ask some friends who sailed the Caribbean for roughly 12 years, using Mexican ports what they know.
steve
Hi Steve, thanks for the quick reply. I can absolutely leave the canned fish on the boat. I’ve only arrived in Mexico via sail boat once and that was a friends boat. No officials ever came on board but that doesn’t mean they wont and ignorance is never an excuse. Thank you for the offer of asking your friends. I’m enjoying the other great information you have posted. Glad I found your blog. Cheers.
Hi there. I’m driving to Merida in July with two 12-yr olds. Does the personal exemption apply to them as well as individual exemptions – as to laptops, CD’s and the like. The way I read it, we, as a family, have a combined exemption of $900US above the personal luggage exemption. Am I correct? Does the $300US exemption apply before receipt of FM2/3? Thanks for your advice, and your blog.
Claire, correct. The exemption has nothing to do with your INM permit application.
Can you not bring a laptop and ipad into Mexico?
Aspen,
One person can bring in both as an airline or bus passenger.
Aduana might charge you 15% duty on one of them. – or they might not. If you are traveling with a companion, have them carry one of your 2 computers. Or, carry a print-out from Ebay showing a low price on one of the computers, so that any duty charged is low.
e.g. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Apple-iPad-16GB-Wifi-3G-Case-Bundle-w-Square-Trade-Warranty-/220966591308?pt=US_Tablets&hash=item3372a29b4c shows a price of $160 – which would get only a $24 duty if Aduana chose to assess duty on your 2 computers.
steve
Thanks for your reply. I’m somewhat confused as to the 300USD exemption. http://www.aduanas.gob.mx indicates up to 75USD exemption above the personal luggage when driving in, but allows 300USD exemption when flying in. Also, ‘…in order to claim exemption…passengers must have the corresponding commercial invoices or receipts available’. The items I’d like to bring in above the personal luggage exemption is mostly kitchen stuff, bedding, school supplies for 2 children,(and family pics/portraits) have been used for several years and, of course, no receipts. How do I get around this? Do I list an approx cost from way back for each item?
Many thanks again for your help. Methinks I worry too much.
Claire
Claire,
You’re welcome.
A friend regularly makes 3-4 trips a year here to Merida with household goods. She makes an Excel spreadsheet naming each item in Spanish, serial numbers for electronics etc, and prices – with multiple copies, so Aduana can keep one in their records, and you can keep yours with you for showing at various checkpoints throughout Mexico.
She goes onto Ebay to find images and prices for used items – and prints out copies as supporting documentation for her estimated prices on the spreadsheet. Aduana has accepted her spreadsheets every time with no hassles. No drugs, no firearms, no meats or produce, medications only with prescriptions…
Are you still confused about the differing limits for land entry vs. airline passengers? The rules have describe charges for different services, but the amounts and requirements seem clear. Government requirements around the world often do not make sense to the rest of us. *grin*
You’re right not to worry. Most people cross the border with either no duties or small payments. Many people are just waved through after cursory load checks.
steve
Does anyone know if you can bring white unbleached flour into Mexico? We are planning a trip tp Merida soon and would like to be able to bring flour with us if possible.
Thanks in advance
Kathryn,
Our friends have brought us bleached bread flour on their last 2 flights with no problems: King Arthurs’s in new unopened commercial packaging. I mention the commercial packaging, because sometimes Aduana confiscates food products that are in baggies, bulk, etc – while passing/approving commercial food products in their original unopened packages. Is this their official policy ???
steve
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