Job Discussion Forums

Yasminder · Joined: 02 Nov 2008 Posts: 2

I'll be flying to Mexico in a couple of weeks as a tourist to look for work and I'm having a hard time packing. So I had this great idea to ship a couple of boxes ahead of me to Mexico since I'm staying with friends and have an address. It would really help me to travel lighter because I'm going with a pet.

But then I realized that the boxes would have to clear customs and that a lot of stuff is actually prohibited if you're not officially relocating with an FM3 visa. I tried to figure out what you can send and what you can't but I got really confused. So I thought if I just sent my books over that would take care of the worst of it.

Originally I wanted to send a box of books by surface and some clothes by air, but I'm feeling not very confident about sending used clothes based on this website:

http://www.estafetaagent.com/pages/restrictions.html

Is that list unique to this company? If anyone has sent stuff to Mexico I'd be interested in hearing about your experiences. What kinds of things have you been able to send? And do you think I'd have any problems with the books?

El Gallo · Joined: 05 Feb 2007 Posts: 318

I paid Federal Express $200 USD to send an air shipment to Mexico ahead of me when I first came here. The packages were ransacked in customs. There was three months of back-and-forth with paperwork and letters and what wasn't stolen, MultiPak threw (literally) on a slow bus via Oaxaca. Four months later, what was left arrived broken and tattered in three different crushed boxes. I had to pay MultiPak a mordida to get the sad remains.

I wrote to FedEx and their Mexican partner MultiPak but received no reply from either so beware.

TheLongWayHome · Joined: 07 Jun 2006 Posts: 1016 Location: San Luis Piojosi

As El Gallo says, customs will ransack everything. They even do this when someone sends you a packet by post. There's no guarantee of getting it back in one piece/at all. The way I got most of my stuff here was to have people bring it with them when they came out to visit. Much safer than sending it, though it takes a little longer.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

It must depend a lot on how much you are shipping. I had a box held by customs for awhile as ever increasing duties were being applied to it. I had it shipped back to Canada eventually.

But, I regularly receive small parcels - usually books I've ordered from eBay - without any difficulty.

MO39 · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 9:01 pm Post subject:

Dragonlady · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 10:22 pm Post subject:

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out of date

MELEE · Posted: Mon Feb 16, 2009 11:13 pm Post subject:

Most of my stuff has gotten here safely, but my parents haven't been able to figure out how to send it right, it always come with an invoice so that is looks like it is merchandise I have bought, via catalogue or something, which means I have to pay duty enourmous duty. The worst was my double stroller. They bought it for me as a gift, but it was accompanied (thanks to an inept mailboxes etc employee I guess) by an invoice listing me as the purchaser and my dad as the seller. The value of the stroller was 350 US dollars, and I had to pay 15% IVA on the darn thing. But I used that thing for 4 years and it was worth it. (I'm selling it if you know anyone with twins!) With my colleagues it seems to be pretty hit or miss on what you will get and what will turn up missing. Mostly medicines don't make it. Shoes and candy are hard too because there are protectionist duties on those things. Printed matter (like books) seem to almost always make it.

lozwich · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 1536

Last week I got an unopened package of chocolates and chocolate milk powder (kind of like Nesquik) from Australia. All totally melted, but still edible and untouched by customs.

Its all gone now.. Crying or Very sad

raulyn · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 64 Location: D.F.

I am moving to D.F. in June. I want to have my desktop computer. (It was custom made for me in California.) I also want to have my printer. It is an Epson Artisan 800. It's not available in Mexico. I will have to just buy another LCD HDTV when I'm down there.

Suggestions on shipping? I thought I'd send the two boxes in nondescript packaging and put REPAIR on the invoice to avoid the custom fees.

I could pay extra luggage fees to have it brought with me.

Lesser of to evils..??? DHL and Custom officials or Baggage handlers at the airports?

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City

jillford64 · Joined: 15 Feb 2006 Posts: 397 Location: Sin City

My understanding is that you cannot ship used clothing or shoes into Mexico for protectionist reasons as someone else already mentioned. I have heard that this is why a lot of it goes missing - it is removed by customs. Does anyone know if this is true or not?

Yasminder · Joined: 02 Nov 2008 Posts: 2

Wow... Thanks for all the helpful relies. I'm now convinced to just pack what I can and haul it with me. I guess if I can't carry it in a couple of suitcases I don't really need it after all.

Unfortunately I've been living abroad for a really long time and I'm coming from Korea so I'll have to just get rid of whatever can't make the trip because there's nowhere else for it to go. Too bad I just bought so much new stuff last summer, right before I decided that buying more things did not end up making me more comfortable here or happy with my life and maybe leaving the country would be a better idea. I mean I really went on a spending spree too - everything from an aquarium to a big screen dual monitor for my computer to expensive clothes and even some new furniture. Lesson learned: You really can't buy happiness after all =/ It is nice to be able to learn stuff like that from personal experience though, so I'm really thankful to Korea for giving me the opportunity to try.

I might still try sending some books since people seem to have been able to get those through, but it's not really worth the expense of shipping from here just to see stuff disappear or have to pay even more to pick it up later.

awest · Joined: 30 Jan 2009 Posts: 34 Location: DF

I am also in transition to move to Mexico in the next few months. I have been sending a small box through the US mail to mexico every other week with little things that I will need. Some kitchen items, books, clothing. I list them as gifts for the address I am sending them to (my friend). I have been doing this for about 2 months now and have had no problems.

I would also suggest that your computer goes with you on the plane. Check the box size you are allowed to take and send it that way, I just did this with some items last weekend. Some airlines are better than others. AA will let you fly two bags from US and the 3rd is $100...well worth it for me. Then I take a small bag and carry on...you really can get a lot in one trip if you pack well. Good luck

raulyn · Joined: 09 Nov 2007 Posts: 64 Location: D.F.

Who are you sending these 'small' boxes with?

I used UPS to send a laptop once. The package was 8 lbs. It cost me $70.

Guy Courchesne · Joined: 10 Mar 2003 Posts: 9650 Location: Mexico City