Being a Permanent Resident with a foreign plated car I personally, while somewhat stressed over the issue, will not panic. Very recently when my wife called Aduana 01 55 58 02 0000 ext 61361 she spoke in Spanish with Mariana Gonzalez, Operaciones Aduanera. My wife used my example, a foreign plated car and Permanent Resident. The call was about 5 minutes. Mariana stated if Permanent Resident and legally in Mexico, car is legal and it can not be confiscated based on what I have posted. She stated in my situation our car is legal. She directed my wife to the following web site which states in bottom right it is current. I realize this situation is fluid but as I noted we will not panic. Others can certainly do as they please including calling the number above.
http://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/2008/vehiculos/141_11213.htmlhttp://www.aduanas.sat.gob.mx/aduana_mexico/2008/vehiculos/141_11213.html
Also, some of this does not make sense. The reason is that Permanent Resident visas are preapproved at a consulate. Let's say this happens in Vancouver Canada. At this time the applicant likely would not know about the car issue. They drive to Mexico and have 30 days to obtain their Permanent Resident visa. IF, they discover the car is "illegal" once in Mexico and the visa is in process the scenario would be to complete finger prints, get a letter permitting travel outside of the country while visa is in progress, drive back to Canada and sell car, fly back to Mexico and pick up their visa. Call me naive, but I doubt this is the intent. I believe and others can disagree, there will be an actual law and soon allowing a grandfathering of our cars or say 6 months to nationalize at a reasonable fee or some other solution. If one takes a foreign plated car from Canada to the US or the US to Canada they have 6 months to import their vehicle at a cost of a very few hundred dollars. I realize they have to meet emissions and safety standards but nearly all do as Canada has harmonized these standards with the US. I personally have a car that has been legally registered in Cnaad and the uS and know the process is relatively easy. Fingers crossed Mexico is about to make similar laws.
Some suggest confiscation etc but to believe this I need to truly be told of a confiscation including the persons name and that the only issue was PR visa and foreign plated vehicle to justify the confiscation and that the confiscation was legal vs some rogue cop looking for mordida.
Meanwhile, Mexguy (I think that is his handle) and your local Chamber of Commerce are working on solutions and they should be applauded for taking on this endeavour. I applaud both and look forward to hearing the resolution which I sincerely believe they will find.
