Will be travelling thru central am in december, budgeting for reasonably cheap bike. Wondering if there will be dramas if I don't get certain insurance? May be a requirement at particular borders?

Thanks heaps.

That wont be a problem.

Just bring some official looking papers from back home (with lost of hard words and stamps if possible) and show them 10-15 sheets of paper if they ask. 1 can also throw them of, but give them a bunch and they are chanceless.

I was never asked in Central Amerika, but twice in South America. Which is not alot for a 6 month trip.

GL

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Peter Kongsbak
South East Asia, USA, Central and South America and Scandinavia.

In Central America insurance for third party liability is a legal requirement in several countries but only Belize ,Nicaragua and Costa Rica actually demand that you show proof of such insurance in order to process through their customs.
These three countries are also nice enough to sell that insurance right at their border so that you must purchase it there if you do not have insurance which satisfies their criteria. They will NOT allow you in unless you have the insurance and army or police checkpoints a short distance past the border will snag anybody with no insurance. Problemas para ti.
The other CA countries make no effort to check your insurance stautus and if you wish you can ride with no insurance.Be careful and do not be responsible for any damage to other people and you should be okay. If you do get into an accident with som other vehicle you will have some explaining to do ,settle up at the police station. Just hope you can prove you were not at fault.

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

Hi Jishsnave,

here some information for Belize.

Required documents:
* Passport
* Original paperwork that you were issued in Mexico for your Temporary Vehicle Import Permit. This is the backing to the sticker.
* Tourist Visa from Mexico
* Copy (maybe original, I used a REALLY nice copy) of your bike's title
* Either USD, Belize Dollars, or Mexican Pesos
1. Go to shack right before the last Mexico checkpoint poorly labeled "Migration", park infront of it
2. Cancel your tourist visa
3. Go straight ahead 50m (cross checkpoint) and take a left at the building poorly labeled Banjercito, park infront of it
4. Cancel permit. Show them the paperwork, then they'll ask you to remove the sticker and hand it to them
5. Enter Belice by crossing tollfree bridge
6. You can buy insurance (probably) or do it later in step 7. Just keep on the major road straight ahead. There is a casino, insurance places, and other random buildings. Don't worry. You're going the correct direction
7. The road Ys and stick to the right. Stop at the fumigation shack. Get sprayed for $1.50 US and buy mandatory insurance
8. Continue ahead 50-100m and stop at building before Belize checkpoint. Park in parking lot or right infront of checkpoint
9. Get passport stamp (visa is on stamp)
10. Watch customs guy fill out vehicle form. Make sure it is correct
11. Check VIN with customs guy, KEEP paperwork to turn into your exit border __________________
All the way south -- Texas to Tierra del Fuego

from Daveg.

...and if you come to San Ignacio, Cayo come around and i will show you some nice

Offroad Tour `s

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Andy
www.belize-info.de

Joshsnave does not say if it is a one-way trip through Central America or a return trip is planned.
IFF a RETURN trip is planned then the info supplied by belizeoffroadtours is a bit misleading.
IF you plan on returning north through Mexico in the same trip and within the valid period of your tourist card and Mex temp. import permit DO NOT CANCEL EITHER.
They will be valid for the return leg of your trip. All you need to do when leaving Mexico is go to the Migracion office at Subte.Lopez border crossing and get an EXIT STAMP in your passport. When you return to Mexico later all you will need to do is go to Migracion and get an ENTRY STAMP in your passport.
Cancelling both these documents if you know you will return within their valid period is a waste of your money and time. You will just be forcing yourself upon return to Mexico to go thru the process again and double payment of the fees.

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http://advrider.com/index.php?thread....207964/page-5 then scroll down to post #93

I agree with you! This description was for a one way trip.

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Andy
www.belize-info.de

Sjoerd / Daveg,

Thanks for the detailed information on entering Belize.I have two questions:

Is the crossing refered to (in the detailed descrition) the crossing from Chetumal into Belize?Also, my wife and I are leaving September 28 from Red Deer, Alberta planning to tour Mexico, Blize and Guatemella. We expect to spend 6 to 7 months touring so may exceed the 6 month permits for Mexico.

My plan is to cancel the Mexican permits when entering Belize or Guatemala, then obtaining new permits comming back in to Mexico.

Is there any time requirment between cancelling the Mexican permits and obtaining new ones?

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Bill Atchison
Red Deer, Alberta Canada
www.backroadexplorers.ca

Good decision to cancel your Mexican papers, as you say you will probably exceed their 6 month validity after taking the time to mozy down through Mexico, then doing GT and BZ.

Yes , the Mexico exit to Belize I was describing is the only big 24 hour road crossing from Quintana Roo state, 20km west of Chetumal .It is at the south end of highway Mex 307 at the town called Subteniente ( "Subte.") Lopez, 4km south of the main highway Mex 186 to Chetumal. . The location on the other side of the border is called Santa Elena Corozal,BZ. This BZ "village" is now turned into a big duty-free shopping zone , access only for foreigners and Belizeans crossing to Mexico.

There are no restrictions on the time between cancelling and getting new tourist cards and import permits to re -enter Mexico. This can be done at Subte.Lopez. There are a few other small border crossings into Guatemala where the Mexican customs personnel are only authorized to check passports and even a few with no official presence at all. If you were to cross at one of those it would ,officially, be necessary to first visit a full-service crossing to do the business , tell them when and wher e you are going to cross and only then could you go. On the GT side you would then have to go to the nearest SAT office to announce your arrival and get "papered".
The crossing east of Tenosique,Tabasco, at El Ceibo has, I believe, now been converted to a full service office with limited hours , and the road into Guatemala has been upgraded into all-weather gravel ( soon to become paved) to El Naranjo,with SAT office . Pavement was laid a few years ago connecting El Naranjo to all points in GT .

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Thanks for the quick reply Sjoerd.

By the way, I have just sent you a letter and a cheque requesting a copy of your hotel guide. I am hoping it gets to you in time to receive the book back before we leave September 28.

Cheers.

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Bill Atchison
Red Deer, Alberta Canada
www.backroadexplorers.ca

hello there im planing a trip to nz via the normal route iran in about 1 years time! on a handa transalp 650 the ptoblem seems to be that im only 21 at the moment and one of the spesifications for international insurance is that you have to be 25. (at least that is what it sais on here)
i cant find any threads on this,
my question is to. DO YOU NEED IT OR IS THERE AN ALTERNATIVE? or what are my options??
thanks a lot

Giona, try reposting this question under trip planning. The information given in this thread is correct and is aplicable to Mexico and Central America, which I don't think fits in your route from Switzerland to NZ via Iran. Perhaps later in your RTW .

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