Job Discussion Forums

[profgizmo]

Hi all, I need advice about bringing our minivan down there. I sincerely apologize for asking so many questions all at once, but we are in a serious panic right now. We are supposed to be crossing the border at Brownsville in a week and running into some problems. I know that many of you do not have a car down there and I can understand why. In our case, we are coming down for a shorter time period about 10 months, will not be in one place, and there are 3 of us so the cost of flying was prohibitive. Anyways, we have lots of reasons we wanted/need to have a vehicle down there. I have read alot in various places about this and understand the basic principles of getting the permit for a vehicle (sticker) when we get our tourist visas and about how important this is and to return it when we cross back into the US. However, I have recently read some disturbing information (at least for us) and wanted to know if anyone else can confirm. I understand that the maximum tourist visa is 180 days and the car registration would be for the same time period. Although, I read it is getting harder and harder to get the full 180 days. Is this true? Then, even though the tourist visa could be extended at a local office, can it be extended past 180 days? We have thought not and had planned to go up to the border and make a side trip of 2 weeks to visit family in California during our stay. Then get a new tourist visa and car registration upon reentering Mexico. However, I am reading that if you have taken a vehicle into Mexico, upon leaving you now have to wait 6 months before you can bring the vehicle back into Mexico. Is this plausible? I find this very perplexing. The source was written as recent as March of this year. It stated this was always part of the regulation, but pretty much ignored, now being enforced. It also stated that the regulations regarding car registration for those people with FM3's have been eased up and they can easily inform the local office now of their vehicle still being in Mexico and not have to go to the border. My husband was not thinking of getting an FM3 when down there because of the short time, but was planning to do an internship, he is a teacher here in the US. We are just trying to check things out and see what areas we like and if it is something he might want to do later. I know there was quite a discussion going on about part-time teachers and whether it was legal or ethical for them to work without an FM3. I wont reprise that discussion here. I guess the question is, would an FM3 help with the vehicle situation at all and how much does it usually cost, and are there any schools that would be willing to do the paperwork for a part- time teacher on a contract of less than 6 months? We would be willing to pay for the FM3 if it solved our vehicle problem. We also could apply for the type of FM3 retirees get, if that is possible. Although my husband is not retired, I have monthly income from a retirement fund, but not sure if it is enough to cover all 3 of us. Where can current monetary requirements for this be found? I have found old references to amounts and requirements. Can this be done once in Mexico after entering on the tourist visa initially? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Dana

PS- Has anyone taken a vehicle into Mexico that is still financed? We knew we had to get a letter from the lienholder, but having problems because they only want to give us 90 days. We wondered if at the border they ask for this letter in addition to the registration, and how carefully they might check the dates when issuing the vehicle permit to enter Mexico. We are being told horror stories of people having vehicles confiscated if they overstay the time period on the permit. Any experience with this or knowledge or what could happen?

[ls650]

[Ben Round de Bloc]

[delacosta]

OK-first things first.

In Mexico nothing is certain-keep this in mind always. This is both positive and negative. It can make things more difficult for folks who need to see things between fixed, established and non moving lines. But at the same time it also means that most things are always in the realm of possiblity-and yes this can allow for some pretty disturbing things to occur.

I myself drove down from Vancouver in an old mini van in February of last year. I was given a 180 day tourist visa without asking, and my van had 3 passengers and was packed to the gills with stuff ( I have been living here for almost 6 years and had taken some time off).
When I returned to work I was issued my FM3. Since then I've recieved an extension as one does every year. I carry a copy of my FM3 and all other paperwork with me, including a copy of article 106 (http://www.rollybrook.com/article_106.htm ) which states that my car is legal as long as my immigration status is. I know for a fact that the local transit cops either don't know this law or pretend not to, when I first arrived I was stopped once and the first thing they did was to check the dates on the sticker. Indeed a while back a friend, almost in the same migratory position as myself, was pulled over and they did this to him. They went straight for the kill, telling him that they were going to confiscate the car and take it to the aduan (customs) impound, ahorita! He basically shat himself and forked over 1,000 pesos to get out of the situation on the spot. But the local cops now knew who he was and it would only be a matter of time before he was shaken down again.

He's the one who investigated and found out all the laws and got them in writing. The thing is he is technically in the wrong, since he just had his immigration status changed to FM2, which does not allow for bringing a car into the country at all. However, he went to the local customs people to get their interpretaion of things and they said no, he was entitled to have a car and they could not seize it. So he's driving again and if stopped will say-when threatend-adelante, let's go to customs...

So my advice to you: just bring your car down, try to look relatively normal and be polite and corteous to the border people. Hope for 180 days (I crossed over at Tecate), and if not given it ask for it. If you get a job here in the mean-time you will have to have an FM3, even if you are doing an internship or for that matter volunteering. This is of couse assuming that you are doing things legally, which is admittedly, often not the case in Mexico ( I'm referring to things in general, not teaching English ). If you're not working legally, then you will be putting the legal status of your vehicle in doubt-which it will be in the minds of many authorities anyways once the date of the sticker on your winshield has expired.

Sorry ,I'm not sure about the financing bit, I think I just wouldn't mention it, just show the registration and ownership papers.

[Ben Round de Bloc]