Just got charged $ 476.00 to enter Mexico
 

After 30 years going with vehicles and moto's to Mexico, I was charged this incredible amount in Chetumal. I know about the new increased changes in June 2011, but all money exchanges goes in their favor
1 $ 400 deposit
2 $ 48.40 permit
3 $ 22.00 immigration, which I was forced to pay eventhou I told immigration, I was only going to stay less as a week, what would make me exempt, but the Bancorcito said my tourist card said 180 days and immigration gave me the booth, when I asked him to change it. In the past you had the option to pay this fee later in your trip, if you exceeded 7 days.
Anyway the math, still does not make it $ 476.00 and if they give you the deposit back ( I hope), they use the rate of the day, and I am probably sure, I will loose again between buying and selling rate

I think it becomes a ripp-off and expensive for most of us and Mexico will loose on the end

Still having a blast in Mexico

Central America on one or two Wheels

When I went in October they asked for a credit card number in lieu of the $400 deposit. If I had not left the country with the bike they would have made a $400 charge. You don't have to pay that if you only go to Baja. I don't remember any charge for a permit. What was that for? Dave

It is my understanding that the deposit is charged in USD and will be refunded in USD after you return your TVIP. No worries! Enjoy your trip!

The deposit is a bond, when you leave you will get it back. The best thing is to use a credit card BUT MAKE SURE AND STOP AND CHECK OUT WHEN LEAVING BY ANY CROSSING. Never had a problem. Left many times to Guatamala and Belize and re-entered. No grief.

3 years ago when I entered thru Chetumal I was told you could only import a vehicle at Punta Sam and that Q. Roo was a "free state". In other words I entered without needing a permit as long as I didn't cross into a different mexican state. My bike is still in Q. Roo.
I guess things have changed! If they have would some one chime in with the current rules?
brian

bond
 

How true .Just exited Mexico and the security deposit /bond was returned to my credit card account. New rules. Credit card payment is de riguer.

be carefull:

http://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hub...n-la-paz-60921

LG, Tobi

Sjoerd, is this something that is new? I will be heading into Mexico this summer to start my rtw. I know you need to get a tourist visa, bike insurance and now this bond? Almost sounds like a version of a carnet. So do they debit right away or just if you do not leave with the bike when exiting. Any answers helpful.

Hi,

No its not new: http://www.ojurik.com

Its something like a deposit wichyou get back if you leave the country WITH your bike...

LG, TObi

Insurance isn't mandatory in Mexico. I traveled w/o.

If you get the deposit back....
 

Reentered in Chetumal then months later left for Guate via Tapachula, but to get the deposit back we would have had to organize things upfront somewhere else (not at the border but in an office in Tapachula itself).... The Duana at the border was not equipped to give deposits back.... This all is indeed very cumbersome and annoying... So make sure to see the office in town wherever it is before heading for the border...

That's been true whenever I've driven in Mexico. It's not the aduana you need to see, but the banjercito. There are a limited number of these, and if you don't find one (of your own free will and volition--no one forces you, or even reminds you) you end up not canceling your TVIP, therefore unable to return to Mexico because they assume you abandoned your vehicle in-country.

The difference with the new policy is that you lose a substantial sum of money if you don't cancel the TWIP: US$400.

It's not irrational. They don't want aduana personnel handling money, so they leave that part of the process to the bank. The problem is that not all border crossings have banjercitos. In other words, you need to pay attention.

Mark

It is not a "new " policy insofar that there has always beeen the option of paying a REFUNDABLE security deposit if for instance the paperwork was inadequate on your vehicle or you did not have a credit card with which to pay for the tvip.
What is "new" is that now everybody who brings in a vehicle and takes out a TVIP will automatically be charged on their credit card for the REFUNDABLE security deposit.
I presume that if you do not have a credit card you will be obliged as before to pay CASH US DOLLARS for the REFUNDABLE security deposit at the same time when you get your TVIP.
After a nearly 2 month trip through Mexico we returned to Canada 10 days ago.
when we enterded Mexico the TVIP and REFUNDABLE security deposit were debited from my cc and I was given a receipt by Banjercito .
The TVIPand deposit did not need to be cancelled/refunded while we made a short week's visit in Belize.
Upon leaving Mexico for the USA at Nuevo Laredo the TVIP was easily cancelled and the security deposit was REFUNDED on the spot by way of a return deposit to the same cc from which it was paid.I was given a receipt.
When I got home I updated my bank account and cc account and learned that the full amount of the REFUNDABLE security deposit had been credited to my cc by Banjercito.
The system WORKs .THey are not out to rip you off. It saves handling of cash at the border, less chance of corruption or hanky panky.
Itis as Mark says too. The only people who loose their deposit are those who fail to pay atttention and do not cancel their TVIP , and those who try to outwit the system of import taxes and try to sell their vehicle without following proper processs.
Pay attention ,follow the rules and you will be well served and happy .

Yep to the above, just done it. If your bike is older that 2006 it costs $300usd. They did make it into a right game though getting that cash back, they need a photo of the VIN plate on the bike - took them about an hour to do two bikes.


Cheers

paul

Last week I crossed into Mexico and I paid a deposit of $400 on my credit card. My card was charged so make sure you have enough credit on you account to absorb the charge.

Actually if you have A credit card that is all that matters because the cc company will lend you the money - up to your CREDIT LIMIT. I doubt that any credit cards have such low limit as not to be able to cover the TVIP deposit. If you fail to repay the cc company before the monthly due date then you will face paying high interest rates on the "LOAN"
What you really are getting at though is a very good point. If you deposit a bunch of dollars onto your credit card before you use it that will be considered a cash surplus, a CREDIT to your account and you can draw on it without worries of having to pay 27% interest . Better have a stash of money on the cc acount and forgo the small return it would get in your chequing account than to pay the cc company at a very much higher rate .

So after an brief six weeks in Eastern and Yucatan Mexico I crossed back into the USA. A few days later the ITV Deposited money into my credit account. There was a difference of $65. I am not sure why there was less money returned to my account but it really is not worth my time to argue to much about it.

Its pretty easy to pay credit cards online while traveling but you are right that if you end up carrying a balance you will pay a high price.

Most of my credit cards limit the amount that I can overpay. a card with a $10,000 dollar limit will only let me pre deposit 1000 or 10%.

On a similar note:

I travel using two separate checking accounts with separate ATM cards. I never travel outside the US with my primary checking account ATM card. I transfer money, as needed, to the primary account while leaving an emergency amount ($500) in the back up card that I can also transfer money to if I lose my primary card.

Just curious Foflappy..
could the $65 difference in your return payment be because when you paid the deposit it was charged to your cc in the same transaction as your payment for the TVIP and the Tourist Card?
Several of the entry points to Mexico have very efficient Banjercito and Migracion programs where they actuallly do combine these payments.
As you know , ONLY the security deposit for TVIP is refundable and you will always have to pay for the actual TVIP and Tourist
Card which together do add up to an amount close to $65.Take into consideration the possible variation in exchange rate and you may have the answer.

I am about to cross over as well, from my research I was planning to pay cash instead of credit card because of a processing fee when you use the credit card. Could that be the $65 difference from the above posters?

I heard you get paid back in cash also when you leave but I would prefer to do this electronically. Can anyone confirm this? Or suggest the "least expensive way" to pay this deposit?

Xago , have no fear of "processing fee" there is NO such charge that adds up to $65 worth. If your cc company does that to you get away from them!banjercito certainly charge such a horrendous processing fee
All cc transactions involve some small cost like 1% hidden in its structure, thats how cc companies make some money.
However remember that you must also pay the security bond for the TVIP which is several hundred dollars depending on the age of your bike or car. This bond is REFUNDABLE . If you decide to pay cashfor the TVIP you will then also need to carry that amount for the TVIP securitry deposit in cash.
Simply put it is much easier to use the credit card

Thanks for the reply, I guess I will just use the CC, we will also be importing two bikes.

I was considering going by the Mexican Consulate here in SF to do all the import paperwork before hand so we don't need to deal with it at the border? Is that worth it or is it fairly quick at the Border? We will likely cross early in the morning on a Monday or Tuesday.

Mexico deposit
 

Chages and explanation + it cost us $32pp for tourist visa in June 2011 - No probs with getting the refund - We crossed from Guatemala into Mexico thru El Ceibo and there were no Credit Card facilities available, also the border was closed to vehicular traffic on Mondays.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h7...3/P6070185.jpg

Do not bother the embassy people with these kinds of querries .
This is strictly a Banjercito concern .It can be done online , but I advise against that because if you change plans you will have a hard time cancelling the papers.
It is Oh So Easy and straightforward to do it AT THE BORDER, and for two people it is usually no longer than for one.It also helps to train you in dealing with Mexican officialdom and language.All part of the trip experience