michigander Posted September 2, 2014 Report Share Posted September 2, 2014 It is finally time to move to Mexico full time. I have seen topics about shipping your household goods on this board in the past, but do not know where to look for them. Not really bringing much, our home already has furniture. Maybe 1-8 x 12 containers worth. Trying to decide if I should drive or ship. The drive on Google is 32 hours + so I want to weigh the cost of shipping vs the cost/work of driving. We will be sending the car/trailer back to Michigan as we will not have a car in San Miguel so it is gas both ways. Just looking for advice from those that have done it already. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowyco Posted September 2, 2014 Report Share Posted September 2, 2014 We need more information to answer your questions with answers that fit how things actually work at Mexico's ports of entry. If you have a Residente Temporal or Residente Permanente permit, then you are officially allowed to bring in one load of personal household goods (duty free and tax free, as long as the load does not include commercial quantities of things, or new items, or lots of tools, or lots of electronics & computers. Read up on Menaje de Casa rules and requirements. If you don't have residency, you can try to drive into Mexico from the USA with a personal trailerload of household goods, coming into Mexico on a temporary Visitante visa (using the FMM form). You will likely be waved through Aduana (Customs) with only minor inspections of your load as long as you have several copies of an unofficial Menaje de Casa list, that documents every box in the load, and every item in the load. Aduana often has us open the trailer side door and back to look in and get a feel for the load. They often ask us to open a box or 2 - and they cross-check the contents of that numbered box with the contents written on the Menaje de Casa list entries for that box#. If your Menaje de Casa list has reasonable $$ limits, and not too many tools or electronics or computers & computer gear, nor medicines, etc, you likely get waved through. Sometimes Aduana will ask for small duties & taxes on a bigger trailerload of stuff - especially if there are tools, computers, electronics, or stuff enough to start a business - charging $200 - $500 USD. If instead you use a commercial shipper, they must have a legitimate Menaje de Casa list, and you definitely pay duties and taxes to bring in your household goods, unless you are a official Mexican Resident and have the Menaje de Casa list formally pre-approved by a Mexican Consulate. It took us four trips to the Mexican Consulate in Denver to finally get them to approve the list - and then the Aduanas agents just laughed when we gave them our hard-won official Consular-Approved Menaje de Casa list. If you want more information on this stuff, both Rollybrook.com and Yucalandia.com have articles on this stuff, like at 1 What Can I Bring into Mexico: Mexican Customs Rules - The Article If you use a commercial shipper, they have their own more restrictive rules, and they will decide what's allowed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michigander Posted September 2, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 2, 2014 We do have our Residente Permanente permit. The Mexican Consulate gave us instructions for the menaje de Casa. I believe that we have the normal amount of electronics, a TV and a couple of computers. Not much in the way of tools, I am retiring from my construction business and leaving all but a few hand tools behind, not looking to start another business. Mostly clothes, and kitchen things, and some art, mostly purchased in Mexico oddly enough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandrita Posted September 2, 2014 Report Share Posted September 2, 2014 Contact Strom-White Movers for info; they can help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cstone Posted September 2, 2014 Report Share Posted September 2, 2014 Another vote for Strom-White. They did a great job from us on a complicated international move from Asia to Mexico via the US. Not cheap, but it was money well spent. They walked us through every step and answered every question, no matter how small. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelley Ronnfeldt Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 Does Strom White move to San Miguel? It sounds like that's where these folks are heading. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michigander Posted September 3, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 Our home is in San Miguel de Allende. Thank you all I have requested a quote from Strom White. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eagles100 Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 We did the move ourselves without any Aduanas issues. I did up my own detailed shipping manifest in English and Spanish. Hubby drove our SUV with a cargo trailer full. For tools, we've been having a lot of renovations and most workers don't have great tools. They know we have some tools now and ask, hey, would you have this tool? as they're working on something at our house. Makes the job easier, faster and sometimes better. A little suggestion, bring some power tools as well, like a drill, electric screwdriver, etc., also a good caulking gun (you're gonna need it). Even if you buy a new home, things will need fixing or you'll want to change things up, add more lights, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowyco Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 We've had similar easy-good experiences to eagles100 when bringing in 4 trailerloads of household goods. I also give a big thumbs-up to bringing tools, especially power tools. "Bringing tools" means different things to different people. If you bring the common things a handy-guy uses like a small air compressor, a little welder, power saw, little table saw, small pressure washer, cordless drill + 1/2" heavy drill, sander, grinder, Sawzall, and hand tools, then Aduana sometimes sees those as an intent to start a business, and may charge $200 - $300 USD in duties/taxes. If you bring a tool box of hand tools, a little Skill saw, small drill etc, then they generally wave those through when hauled in our personal trailers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joco Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 Give Winston a call also for a quote. http://www.lakechapalamoving.com/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbleitch Posted September 3, 2014 Report Share Posted September 3, 2014 We second the recommendation for Winston at Lake Chapala Moving. We moved from northern Indiana in August of 2012. We ourselves loaded the front four linear feet (256 cu ft, actually came out to a bit more) of a Roadway Express short semi-trailer and sealed off our items with a bulkhead they provided. They dropped it at our location in Indiana and we loaded it within 24 hours, called, and they came and picked it up. We moved no furniture, had about 80 medium and large boxes, some very large, several suitcases. We prepared a list inventory of the numbered boxes for Winston. We left driving for Ajijic two days after our load was picked up. Our items were delivered to our home here less than two weeks after our arrival, and that included wait time of eight days for our visa work. Since you already have your visas, it would be quicker. Cost was USD$4,500. Winston's photo of the load upon arrival in Mexico looked just like the one we took in Indiana. No issues whatsoever and Winston quickly clarified all questions, doubts, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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