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Question concerning car sticker


Mario

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A friend came down 5 months ago in his car. The sticker he got at the border is on his car. Now he has decided to stay beyond the 180 day visa he got at the border. The question is this: If he flies back to the border and renews his temporary visa for another 180 days and re-enters Mexico, is the sticker on his car still good? Anyone know the answer?

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One does NOT renew a tourist card (visa), one merely gets another one after turning in the old one (prior to 180 days). The car MUST be taken to the border also to cancel the existing TIP sticker; then one can re-enter getting another tourist card AND another temporary import permit for the car.... both good for another 180 days.

Sorry, there are no exceptions....

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Not saying RV or RickS is wrong, in fact, they're probably right. But laws and practice seem to be different things. This guy I know who sits around naked, drinking coffee and scratching his butt all day has a sticker on his car that expired in 2003. In fact, since then his windshield broke so he actually doesn't have a sticker on his windshield at all, and he still has US plates expired in 2003. He's been stopped many times here and Guad as well as many checkpoints, and it appears not to be a problem. This has nothing to do with the huge deposits they take today, which you may lose if you don't return. Back in 2003 my friend thinks it was $25.

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Smart move.

SNAFU is driving illegally, as Jalisco law requires current registration and plates; somewhere. However enforcement is weak. The car must be in Mexico legally and his might be, if he has had an unbroken string of visas since importing it temporarily. If he is Residente Permanente, it is illegal do drive a foreign plated car. Again, enforcement is weak, but it can happen and the vehicle can be confiscated; not just impounded, but taken away......forever.

I suspect that true enforcement would be likely if one had the bad fortune to seriously injure or kill someone in an accident.

I recall that my Mexican insurance policies all stated, “the vehicle must be legally in Mexico“. I would hate to be sitting in jail without coverage after a serious accident.

Something to think about......

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"Back in 2003 my friend thinks it was $25."

Back in 2003 there were no deposits. The $25 (or thereabout) is the fee your friend paid for the permit for the privilege of bringing the vehicle into Mexico. This fee is still there, although a bit higher, in addition to the, now, deposit of from $200-$400 which is returned promptly when one lives up to the agreement and removes the vehicle from Mexico.

I agree with RV about the enforcement.... probably weak, but. I know that the "Federales" DO sometimes check this kind of stuff at the stops going out of Mexico up towards Laredo. Been there done that!

And with regard to doing things 'not allowed by law and not getting caught'.... most of us do these things at some level. The butt-scratching coffee-drinking one referred to above is taking his chances but seemingly is comfortable with doing so. Nada me. Too much at stake.

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"This guy I know who sits around naked, drinking coffee and scratching his butt all day...."

Your description of seems to fit your avatar perfectly. I assumed the same thing that RV assumed. Wrong? Is there another one of you naked butt-scratchers lurking around?

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Thanks Snafu! It's always a great thing when someone turns a perfectly interesting and relevant question into a conversation about Snafu.

Mario, I think your friend's question is right there in the middle of the murky gray area that is Mexico. Is it legal? Is it possible? bla bla bla....having just got a car out of here that wasn't exactly legal or totally insured, I'm happy to see it gone.

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