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shipping household to mex using moving company


maricali

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Shipping an entire household will be extremely expensive; probably prohibitive for most people. Mexico has everything you will need and you will probably find it more economical to sell all you can and replace with new stuff in Mexico for near the cost of a commercial mover. 

If you are going to get a permanent residence visa, a US vehicle will not be permitted for you beyond the first 30 days, and you would probably have to hire someone to remove it from Mexico while you were in process with immigration authorities to actually get your visa processed, which can take a couple of months.  If on a temporary residence visa, you can keep your car up to the 4-year limit with renewals through the initial immigration process and annually thereafter.

Have you visited a Mexican Consulate, or their website, to see what visa you may qualify for?  That is your first step in the process.

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Winston Tortajada at Lake Chapala Moving (I think that's who Hensley is referring to) helped us to move what we chose to bring down five years ago from Indiana. We had the front four feet of a short freight trailer. We packed ourselves, loaded the trailer ourselves, sealed it with a bulkhead that was provided and the load looked just the same when it got to Ajijic. No damage nor loss. The load received a green light at the border. We brought no furniture; just 86 boxes and several suitcases. We prepared an inventory of the boxes as directed by Winston. He walked us through the process and it was easy. I'm certain prices have gone up, but as a reference point, it cost us USD$4500 in August, 2012, to move our things from northern Indiana to Ajijic. 

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If you hold Mexican citizenship, you must consider buying a Mexican car.  You are not permitted to own or drive a US plated car in Mexico as a Mexican citizen. You cannot claim to be a US citizen while in Mexico.  The only way you could drive a US plated, or other foreign car, would be if it were temporarily imported by an immediate family member, who was eligible to do so, or with an owner-importer present in the vehicle.  There are other rules for US green-card holders who are resident in the US, but they do not apply to your situation as a dual citizen.

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We did move an entire household here 9 years ago and it was very expensive, like nearly 17,000 U.S. and I can't imagine what it would be now.  Admittedly it is hard to find comfortable furniture here but much less so than it was then.  Most recent discussions of this suggest focusing on bringing high quality kitchen stuff, tools and irreplaceable personal items.  If you have art things such as pottery or glass, I'd try to drive that in directly instead of trusting it to a mover.

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12 hours ago, maricali said:

Thank  you all for the information. Does Winston Tortajada have a website? Would it be best to buy a used car down there once I got there. I have dual citizenship so I don't think I would need a visa? If anyone knows please let me know. Thanks

If you have dual citizenship I would think one is Mexican, come in as a Mexican, no visa necessary.

as to your furniture, it is easy and more economical to just drive down with personal item, electrical items, tools. Sell your furniture, easy to buy down here.  There are lots of horror stories about things missing from shipment sent down here.  Yes you can have it insured but the reason is you want it in your new home.  Good luck

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Moved to SAT from Houston over 15 years ago and used Movers Lakeside. Used up most of a full size trailer and cost was just over $5000 US but obviously much more now. Best decision we ever made. Nice hot tub, etc., things that back then were just not available. 5 sets of gas fireplace logs (which are now available).

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Re: Daisy‘s post.......

A Mexican citizen with dual citizenship cannot bring in a US plated car; cannot claim US citizenship in Mexico.....ie: can‘t have it both ways.   See post above.

Therefore, they would have to come down, buy and register a vehicle locally, then go back for their belongings at their convenience.

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When in Mexico, you are a Mexican.  When in the USA, you are a US citizen.  It isn‘t a good idea to try to have it both ways.  Much better to put your stuff in storage, fly or bus to Mexico and buy a car in Mexico as soon as you have an address; even a temporary one.  Then, you will have transportation to search for a permanent place, and then to go back north to fetch your stuff.  Whenever you enter Mexico, use your Mexican passport.  Don‘t complicate matters which could backfire on you later.  To come down as a US citizen would seriously delay and then complicate buying a home, as part of the process will require a visa......you cannot do that. Don‘t even try. As a US citizen on a tourist permit, you can‘t register a car......Catch-22 !  Only Mexican citizens or expats with residence visas can get the CURP, RFC, etc., that are required for most all official acts these days, as well as enrollment in Seguro Popular, purchase of property that states your status, etc, etc, etc.

 

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11 hours ago, El Cartero said:

Why on earth would you think Hensley was refering to Tortajada when she wrote STROM WHITE?

...because she also mentioned "LAKESIDE MOVERS."

In the Chapala Directory Phone Directory and Regional Guide, there is no entity listed with the name "Lakeside Movers" under moving companies, so I assumed she was thinking of the other local company (than Strom White) that does moves, which is Lake Chapala Moving, managed by Winston Tortajada. Perhaps next time you might take an extra moment to re-read a post before jumping all over me. I was just trying to be helpful with my post. 

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11 hours ago, kbleitch said:

...because she also mentioned "LAKESIDE MOVERS."

In the Chapala Directory Phone Directory and Regional Guide, there is no entity listed with the name "Lakeside Movers" under moving companies, so I assumed she was thinking of the other local company (than Strom White) that does moves, which is Lake Chapala Moving, managed by Winston Tortajada. Perhaps next time you might take an extra moment to re-read a post before jumping all over me. I was just trying to be helpful with my post. 

Yes that is what I meant Lake Chapala Movers with Winston and the gang.

 

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There are situations in which a MX national may have a TIP on a foreign plated car. As per my web site:

  • Mexican Nationals Living Abroad may obtain a TIP.  As well as proving work abroad for a year or more, they must submit the document issued by the immigration authorities of the foreign country proving they are a permanent or temporary residents abroad by the legal authority of that country in accordance with international agreements to which Mexico is a party. 
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On August 21, 2017 at 9:38 AM, betty7 said:

MC: for art & valuble mirrors there are corporate movers who specialize in antiques, pianos etc. the name is "seymi" they are in guad. the owner speaks fluent english. (if he is still there). my US mover (who was also for corporate) dealt with them. i spoke w/seymi several times by phone from the US. i did not bring everything just 1/2 a container. my shipment was the smallest they ever saw. i had a bed frame made here. i bought insurance was well but everything was fine. i would not use a fly by night operation like strom. additional info: shipped a piece of foam to sleep on untill the carpenter made the wood frame for the bed. down quilts, sheets, towels, some pots dishes, framed prints, a dresser, gold leaf mirrors, shoes clothes, boxes of objects. i bought an aditional dresser in guad. when i needed additional sheets/towels i sent them to myself by postal when i visited the US. seymi gives you 2 weeks for free storage if you are painting the room, or not ready to receive it. the shipment arrives in 10 days.

I why do you refer to Strom White as "fly by night"?  I thought they had a good reputation locally.

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9 hours ago, bdlngton said:

I why do you refer to Strom White as "fly by night"?  I thought they had a good reputation locally.

As they have been here as Strom White for around 12 years, one can hardly call them fly by night.  Maybe the poster who called them that has a different sense of time than most of us.

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