40 replies to this topic

[sdnative]

Where is INM in Nuevo Laredo located and where is the Banjercito at?

[ohjoni]

You should have stopped at INM on the way out, getting an FMM stub to turn in when you re-enter and possibly a stamp in your passport. You must stop at INM, always, and Aduana to declare, if you have declareable items.
As for the car: If you didn't get your sticker removed by Aduana/Banjerito, which you should have done, just come back in without going there. Had your car been traded, stolen or disabled, you would regret your omission.

We requested the sticker to be taken off, but the agent said not to since we were coming back in 2 months. You are right that we would be up sh*ts creek without a paddle should our car get totaled. However, it is only under my name so my husband could bring one in. Where there is a will there is a way.
We had planned on having the sticker removed and having a new one put on during our return. I just throw up my hands and say "this is Mexico" and another adventure.

[El Toro Furioso]

We are driving to Colorado next month to attend a wedding. We have had the same windshield sticker since we bought our current vehicle in 2007 and have crossed the border and returned several times since then. We plan on just driving across the border, having had our FM2s "stamped" in their computer system to show the date of departure, then returning, getting our FM2s reupped electronically, with nothing having to be done with the car. If this has changed, please let me/us know ASAP. Thanks.

[suz]

With my FM3, I sail through each year both directions with no problems. I don't know why all the fuss about stickers et al.

[Ajijic]

With my FM3, I sail through each year both directions with no problems. I don't know why all the fuss about stickers et al.

Exactly, we all know the conserquences and "what if's" as we have been told a hundred times, just like we know the pros and cons of living in Mexico. Especially, if you have an old car import permit before the fees went to between $200 and $400 why would you want to turn it in and then have to have your money tied up and running to the airport to have it extended?

FYI, just as you approach bridge 2 at Laredo, Mexican officials are there asking if you want to remove your sticker. They have no issue with you not doing so!

We drive out and in and never stop for visa or car permit. And guess what, we are still alive, not in jail and car is not impounded. lol Plus the car permit is tied to an old passport which has been renewed so no record.

Look around and you will see cars everywhere with US plates, mostly Texas, driven by Mexicans and no car permit / sticker. We see them daily. It seems only expats get so warped about these as Mexicans sure as heck don't. There are literally hundreds of thousands of such vehicles in Mexico.

[ericurmudgeon]

We paid the bond via credit card at the end of October last year when we came down through Nogales. We exited again through Nogales in April. Decal removed and the agent said we could expect a refund within ten working days as a credit it my card. The credit came through in less than a week AND I actually made money on the exchange. USD 325 for the 300 I originally paid. Just wish I could do as well with my investments. Very impressed!

[Gramma Donna]

I've read all the posts above and still a little fuzzy. We arrived in August with FMMs and the $400. sticker. Received our FM3s in October, but did NOT notify Aduana in a timely manner (prior to the sticker expiring in Feb.). Departing end of June. Has anyone else tried to receive their refund under these circumstances? We have been told that we MAY not get the $400. back. Oh, forgot to say we paid cash; did not use a credit card so seems we would find out right then if they would refund our money?? Can we ask first, and if the answer is "no" just not let them remove the sticker? We are prepared to pay the sticker price again when returning, but obviously would like to avoid leaving the initial $400. behind and being charged again when we return. Gracias for sharing your experience, knowing ours may be different when we arrive at the border.

[Intercasa]

If you do not notify before expiration date on your sticker the money reverts to the Mexican treasury and you shouldn´t expect to see a centavo as aduana will not have the money in their account to give back to you.

[Estrella Roja]

I crossed at Columbia on May 6th. I renewed my FM3 in March and got a letter from aduana from Spencer. I have still not recieved the $300 refund on my not-expired credit card. Is it normal for it to take this long? How long should I wait until I start to worry? Then what do I do?

Similar experience!
Intercasa was kind enough to contact the Aduana for me with the documents proving that we did everything legally correct, and in a timely manner, but as of 2 weeks ago Aduana was not returning Spencer's calls on this.
It seems by these posts, that we will only get a refund as long as our immigration document and/or permit has not yet expired and it can go back to the same credit card (mine was canceled and reissued with a different number due to fraud attacks).
Now it looks like it costs $430 dollars to bring a car to Mexico, not $30. The worse thing is, I was only returning the permit so I could return my motorcycle to the USA which was attached to the car permit, and the next day I had to come back to Mexico and buy another permit for the same car. So I am probably out $800 all together.

[Estrella Roja]

As a general rule, it is really your decision whether or not to return your sticker. If you change your car, or get into an accident north of the border, the only way you will get another permit is to tow the wreckage back to the border to have the sticker removed. The accident could be as simple as a broken and replaced windshield. If you think it is worth the risk, and at $400 a go it might be, then just pop up and back with your old sticker in place. The sticker refund is a precarious thing at best.

[phxfunguy]

As a general rule, it is really your decision whether or not to return your sticker. If you change your car, or get into an accident north of the border, the only way you will get another permit is to tow the wreckage back to the border to have the sticker removed. The accident could be as simple as a broken and replaced windshield. If you think it is worth the risk, and at $400 a go it might be, then just pop up and back with your old sticker in place. The sticker refund is a precarious thing at best.

My understanding is that if something like that happens, all you need to do is declare your passport stolen, get a new one, and the totalled car will no longer be tied to you as you come in with the new passport and new car thus reducing your out of pocket costs in the event of a "what if" to $110 or whatever the passport costs to replace. I know someone here whose NOB car was stolen here with the passport inside and just replacing the passport took care of all of the potential problems with whatever future shenanigans got tied to the car even though he reported it stolen and did everything he was supposed to do. You never know what could happen if it's used in a crime no matter how diligent you've been.

[Intercasa]

I wouldn't advise reporting your passport stolen, it could have future implications if you do lose or have the new one stolen.

You can get a passport card for $30. FYI

[phxfunguy]

I wouldn't advise reporting your passport stolen, it could have future implications if you do lose or have the new one stolen.

You can get a passport card for $30. FYI

Or what about if you "lost" it rather than saying "stolen?" I was quoting the two stories I'd heard about this problem with a NOB plated vehicle being stolen here, the one with the passport in the car and then another one where the passport was expiring in a month or two....both folks told me the car problem evaporated with the replacement/renewal of the passport, so it seems like a reasonable "out" to avoid being jailed for some offense a crook commits with your car tied to your current passport. What kind of assurance can you get to be protected against that happening even if you follow all the rules? I've read posts where folks were skeptical the system would protect you in that situation. Maybe the crime had already been committed before the person could get all the paperwork completed to protest himself, but the victim was definitely victimized again by the system in a couple of those posts.

[Estrella Roja]

My understanding is that if something like that happens, all you need to do is declare your passport stolen, get a new one, and the totalled car will no longer be tied to you as you come in with the new passport and new car thus reducing your out of pocket costs in the event of a "what if" to $110 or whatever the passport costs to replace. I know someone here whose NOB car was stolen here with the passport inside and just replacing the passport took care of all of the potential problems with whatever future shenanigans got tied to the car even though he reported it stolen and did everything he was supposed to do. You never know what could happen if it's used in a crime no matter how diligent you've been.

You are right, you can get a new passport, in fact that would probably be the easiest thing to do but one wonders if it is the correct thing to do. It can put you on all kinds of government databases and no fly lists etc.. Might not be worth it.

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[chapalafan]

People complain about the corruptness of the Mexican government yet some seem to have little or no problem in trying to circumvent the law when convenient for them. Would it not be simpler and safer to follow Mexican policies?

[Intercasa]

Ok, assume you say lost or stolen and then really lose it or it is stolen a year later, you will pay the full fee ($110US) and ONLY be given a passport good for 1 year until a ten years pass with only one lost or stolen passport, doing it that way makes you pay about $1,000US extra whereas getting a passport card for $30 solves the problem. You can renew early, even years early and that also avoids the potential issue.

[phxfunguy]

Ok, assume you say lost or stolen and then really lose it or it is stolen a year later, you will pay the full fee ($110US) and ONLY be given a passport good for 1 year until a ten years pass with only one lost or stolen passport, doing it that way makes you pay about $1,000US extra whereas getting a passport card for $30 solves the problem. You can renew early, even years early and that also avoids the potential issue.

That's great to know, thanks Spencer.

[CV150]

Back to the the refund for the vehicle permit. I still have not received my refund since May 6. I had been in Mexico for more than 6 months so the permit had expired, but I thought that getting my FM3 renewed and a letter from aduana was all I needed to do to get the refund. Was I supposed to show the aduana letter at the border? Is the fact that the permit had expired the reason I'm not getting the refund even though I had the letter? Does that mean that if one stays more than 6 months they will never get a refund??? If that's the case, and since I go back and forth evey year, then I will certainly take a chance and not surrender my sticker again.

[GeckoGretchen]

We crossed April 13th at Nogales.... went to the building on the right first where they removed our sticker and gave us the papers and a copy of passport to take to the banker on the left side of the highway where we originally got this all done back in October 2011. We had paid cash in October, which was apparently the way to go. It had to be in USA funds. They returned our money right there, cash USA funds. I would have thought that the credit cards should have been credited immediately... hmmmmmm
The strangest part of our procedure was crossing over the highway from the building on the right... you kind of drive into the ditch and cross over at a spot that seemed wrong... but it worked and it was surprisingly quick compared to coming down to Mexico.

[Bisbee Gal]

We crossed northtbound April 17 at Naco, AZ. There's no auto permit office at this port of entry so we can't turn in the import sticker there (we'd have to drive out of our way to either Nogales or Agua Prieta to turn it in). Our current import sticker pre-dates the bonding requirement so there was no refund at issue.

So we did nothing.

Crossed southbound at Nogales on May 29....no problemo.