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Drive In- Fly Out on Tourist Visa?


Sarita

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The proof to support can not be sourced as there are laws against certain behaviors but none for for one. You can't prove a negative.

My proof previously offered is that I have consulted with both aduana and INM to find out AND have personally witnessed the requirements at two of the three borders of Mexico. Read back for more, I am weary of repeating myself.

Do what you may, but I haven't ever heard of a car being confiscated, ever.

PS, I checked my insurance and it says I must be driving a foreign plated car in Mexico. It does not mention immigration status.

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BTW, nobody is saying that you can't go in and out within the duration of a 180 day tourist visa...just that the car on the TIP goes in and out with you.

And the rules are also different for Baja California and the strip right along the border.

Life is so much simpler just owning a Mexican plated car...which we have done since 1997.

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Google Translation:

"Validity

The period allowed to return vehicles that had been temporarily imported by Mexicans living abroad, it will be 180 calendar days of actual stay in the country, counting from the date of entry of the vehicle at the national and usable territory within a period of twelve months, considering multiple inputs [enters] and outputs [exits], protected at all times by the existing deposit.

The deadline for returning authorized vehicles that had been temporarily imported by foreigners will be to the life of their condition of stay granted by the immigration authorities.

Extension

For foreigners with condition of stay of temporary residents and temporary residents students to renew their residence in national territory, the term of temporary import permit vehicle will be credited with an official document issued by the immigration authorities, without authorization of the required customs authorities.

Also, in order not to make the guarantee granted within 15 days following the date on which they shall have been granted the renewal of its status as a temporary resident stay temporary resident student, foreigners must submit to any customs of the country or ACOA, written in attesting to that fact, attaching a copy of the proof of that procedure and permit temporary importation of the vehicle.

Return

To register and obtain proof of partial or complete return of the vehicle, the applicant shall submit to the BANJERCITO personnel operating the modules CIITEV customs exit the car, permission, hologram, and where appropriate, recreational vehicles and trailer for transportation which have been imported temporarily."

http://www.sat.gob.mx/aduanas/vehiculos/importacion_temporal/Paginas/automoviles.aspx

Foreigners can get a TIP and:

"The deadline for returning authorized vehicles that had been temporarily imported by foreigners will be to the life of their condition of stay granted by the immigration authorities."

FMM expires your TIP is invalid.

Mexican Nationals, because they don´t need a FMM to be in Mexico, can get a TIP and:

"The period allowed to return vehicles that had been temporarily imported by Mexicans living abroad, it will be 180 calendar days of actual stay in the country, counting from the date of entry of the vehicle at the national and usable territory within a period of twelve months, considering multiple inputs [enters] and outputs [exits], protected at all times by the existing deposit."

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I keep a TIP on my car and travel on it to Mexico several times within that time frame. I get a tourist visa when I will penetrate beyond the border zone. I have checked with the validity of my method only top be reassured that there is no problem. The only people that say otherwise use the legal reference of, "it's the law". The law is never referenced.

The proof to support can not be sourced as there are laws against certain behaviors but none for for one. You can't prove a negative.

My proof previously offered is that I have consulted with both aduana and INM to find out AND have personally witnessed the requirements at two of the three borders of Mexico. Read back for more, I am weary of repeating myself.

Do what you may, but I haven't ever heard of a car being confiscated, ever.

PS, I checked my insurance and it says I must be driving a foreign plated car in Mexico. It does not mention immigration status.

Are you a Mexican National living in the US with a Permanent Resident card or dual citizenship? If so you are correct. If not then you are incorrect.

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I didn't see the reference offered when I last posted, but what?

I don´t know "but what?" in this context means but will advise foreigners that the tightening of regulations on the US - Mexican border is happeneing right now and will be tough to get away with what was overlooked before, possibly.

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As I have said before, but if you have a visual disability I guess you missed it, I have visited with them and found:

The tourist permit is not a multi-entry and its duration becomes the maximum time for a TIP, but the use of "tie" is overstated in that you can keep the vehicle in the country for the term of it.

The insurance ramifications as stated are hogwash. Keep scaring the little ladies they will be uninsured while papa flies out of the country.

I think you have clearly stated the case AGAINST what you have been arguing. The Tourist Permit is not a multi-entry document. (It is a single entry document which expires or is cancelled once you leave the country.) The TIP is valid for the duration of the Tourist Permit, thus when the Tourist Permit is cancelled, the TIP (logically and legally) is also terminated. I can't imagine anything simpler. (BTW, on a number of occasions I've had immigration authorities in Nogales ask me whether I was sure I wanted to turn in my Tourist Permit, since I could use it again when entering the country - even by air. I actually took them up on this once a few years ago and was later told by Immigration at GDL that that was definitely NOT the case.)

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I am weary of those who can not follow another logic than what they offer. I will continue to do what I do and do not care what the trailer park or permanente people do. I am willing to meet any Mexican official to site me for "it's the law".

The OP wanted to know if it is against the rules to fly out of Mexico and leave the car here. You claimed it was legal and you do it. No one said you couldn´t do that but it was against the rules. You insisted it was not against the rules and asked for the rules that prove it. Now that you know it actually is against the rules you state you will continue to do it. So why the hostility still when you read the rules and now know you were mistaken when others were telling you all along you were breaking the rules?

As far as the OP´s question [they would not be flying out on a tourist FMM card] and just maybe because they had a 30 day FMM "canje" and not a FMM tourist card and turned it into their local INM office and have a temporary INM form with their NUT and it is actually a temporary immigration document and they get a 60 day INM letter to leave and return it might not be the same rules as we have been discussing here and might not affect their TIP if they come back and finish their processing.

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When I have flown out and left my car in Mexico, I flew to a Border city (in Mexico), walked across to the US, and took a bus. Weeks later, I did the same on the return. Not any question about a TIP, or car, or new FMM (used the same one as it had not expired.)

On the other occasion, I flew directly to SD, spent 15 days, and flew back. New FMM. Never was asked about if I had a TIP, car, etc. When I left Mexico by car a few months later, I stopped, turned in my TIP (never asked about my FMM), received my deposit back, went and turned in my FMM (never asked about any TIP). These two are related in that the TIP can not have more time than the initial FMM, but that is the extent to their relationship. You do not need any "proof" that you have an FMM to return your TIP legally, as many times I have turned in my FMM before proceeding to return the TIP.

Remember, I am speaking about an FMM tourist card, nothing else. So, what I said only applies to that. The "law" is what it is interpreted to be by Mexican officials that issue these papers, and they are at the Border. I would trust their opinion over what is said here. Make up your own mind, don't be "scared" into something.

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Actually i know a guy who drove in on a tourist visa, with TIP. Four months into the 180 days, he had to fly back to the States for a week. When he went to turn in the tourist visa at the airport in Puerto Vallarta, he was asked by Aduana where the car was. He said it was in Sayulita, and he was only leaving for a week and would be driving the car out before the 180 days. He was told it was illegal to leave it here if he was leaving the country. They made him pay a $50US fine but didn't hassle him further as he had a return ticket for the following week proving he was coming back.

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Actually i know a guy who drove in on a tourist visa, with TIP. Four months into the 180 days, he had to fly back to the States for a week. When he went to turn in the tourist visa at the airport in Puerto Vallarta, he was asked by Aduana where the car was. He said it was in Sayulita, and he was only leaving for a week and would be driving the car out before the 180 days. He was told it was illegal to leave it here if he was leaving the country. They made him pay a $50US fine but didn't hassle him further as he had a return ticket for the following week proving he was coming back.

That is interesting. I have NEVER seen them check anything on returning the FMM tourist visa in all my time here since 1999 (2/year). Guess it just says don't use Vallarta to leave if you have a car here with TIP. Actually sounds more like a "mordida" at $50, no?

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The OP wanted to know if it is against the rules to fly out of Mexico and leave the car here. You claimed it was legal and you do it. No one said you couldn´t do that but it was against the rules. You insisted it was not against the rules and asked for the rules that prove it. Now that you know it actually is against the rules you state you will continue to do it. So why the hostility still when you read the rules and now know you were mistaken when others were telling you all along you were breaking the rules?

As far as the OP´s question [they would not be flying out on a tourist FMM card] and just maybe because they had a 30 day FMM "canje" and not a FMM tourist card and turned it into their local INM office and have a temporary INM form with their NUT and it is actually a temporary immigration document and they get a 60 day INM letter to leave and return it might not be the same rules as we have been discussing here and might not affect their TIP if they come back and finish their processing.

AlanMexicali's response is the closest/best answer to the original questions so far in this wandering discussion.

A few basic facts on the INM & Aduana processes & rules* :

- When we enter Mexico to complete the residency application process, using the "Canje" stamp, our associated Aduana TIP is for 30 days.

- We have a total of 30 days to go to our local INM office to start/continue the next step of the residency process ( not the above-claimed "immediately") ,

- The earlier references to FMTs are completely incorrect, as there have been NO FMTs issued since Nov. 9, 2012.

- If you have a 30 day TIP, then it is beneficial to go in fairly soon to your local INM office and get your NUT number - and then submit that NUT number and date of NUT issuance, in writing, to Aduana as proof that you have officially started the INM part of the residency application process. Early submission to Aduana of the NUT & documentation of your formal INM application process helps protect your $$ deposit from being confiscated by Banjercito, if/when your INM process goes beyond the 30 day expiration date of your TIP.

- You CAN travel legally out of Mexico while your residency visa application is being processed by INM, but you need to file (in writing) with your local INM office for permission to leave Mexico. This process can take 3-4 days: INM issues you a special letter - exit/entry permit - that you show to INM when exiting Mexico and then later you use that same exit/entry permit again when you return to Mexico. This exit/re-entry permit/letter allows you to travel for up to 6 months - but INM may put your residency visa application on-hold during that time. This may put your TIP in-the-doghouse with Banjercito & Aduana.

In that case, (temporarily leaving Mexico while your INM residency visa application is being processed): It is likely good to notify Aduana (in writing) with a letter + plus a copy of your INM exit/re-entry letter, notifying Aduana that your INM process will be delayed - requesting that Aduana AND Banjercito extend your TIP's expiration date until you return to Mexico. As this is a really unusual action, they may confiscate the $$ deposit, but simultaneously allow your TIP to continue in force, even if you leave the vehicle in Mexico while traveling.

- When you start the local INM part of the process, your FMM / canje status is cancelled (or suspended), but you are still in Mexico legally - so your Aduana TIP stays in force until its published expiration date.

- About 2 weeks after you start your residency visa application process at your local INM office, they will approve your application and call you in to give them fingerprints and sign forms. At that point, INM gives you some document proving your application has been approved - but you still have NO residency visa card yet. This means you notify Aduana (again, in writing) that your INM residency visa has been approved - including a copy of that latest INM document - and request that they further extend the expiration date of your TIP, trying to protect your $$ deposit with Banjercito.

- About 1 week to 2 weeks after that, you go back into your local INM office to get your residency visa card.

- Your shiny new residency visa card has your official INM visa expiration date.

You then file yet another letter with Aduana, with copies of the front & back of the card, requesting that Aduana & Banjercito extend the expiration date of your TIP to match the INM visa expiration date.

Clear as mud ?

Doubt this information or want published references?

*Read the 2011 INM Ley de Migracion, read the 2012 INM Lineamientos, read the 2014 DOF published SRE rules on immigration, and read the SAT Manual on vehicle imports.

All of these things are documented in those roughly 600 pages of Spanish legalese bureaucrat-speak and by current INM & Aduana real-world policies, a big modestly complicated effort, which is why most people rely on good experts like ~ Spencer / Intercasa ~ or yucalandia.com (information verified by 3 different attorneys) to find out the real scoop on how things actually work.

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That is interesting. I have NEVER seen them check anything on returning the FMM tourist visa in all my time here since 1999 (2/year). Guess it just says don't use Vallarta to leave if you have a car here with TIP. Actually sounds more like a "mordida" at $50, no?

Yes, the $50 may have just gone in someone's pocket, but it says clearly on your tourist visa if you entered with a car. And it is illegal to leave without the car if you entered and are exiting on that tourist visa, whether other places enforce this or not.

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