FYI - Mexican Titled Car UpDate

[Jzmackenzie]

Permanent Resident ? Visa leading to Mexican citizenship (optional). Does not have to be renewed. Resembles many aspects of FM2.

Expatriates cannot be a Residente Permanente and have a foreign plated vehicle in Mexico under this status. After reading that today on the SMA_list I called the posting person who verified that fact:

Silvia Cadena

Cel. (044) 415 105-7586
Vonage: (818) 660-2303
Office/Home: 152-2711

She said that if you are stopped with a Residente Permanente and a foreign plated car, the car will typically be immediately impounded. If you have an accident, any car insurance is not considered valid as the car is in Mexico illegally.

FYI: Rules written in English: http://jaltembajalapeno.com/foreign-resi...d-changes/
If you need to apply for a visa or change your immigration status in any way there is an on line procedure which starts the process. That process has been translated and documented: INM ONline Immigration Application Procedure for Visas and changes

The cost of the visa or replacement of it is the same so don?t lose it: $3,815 pesos. The application process costs an additional $1,000 pesos. about $400 USD today...

There is a minimum income requirement for getting this visa in the range of 2,000 US$ per month or US$126,000 of investments for each individual. You may be required to prove this with bank statements for the past 6 months but the INM offices have the discretion to use a combination of assets including real estate to arrive at an equivalency. The idea is that you should be financially self sufficient.

[doncoulter]

This is nothing new. For as long as I can remember, permanent residents have not been allowed to have foreign-plated vehicles.

[philyrossy]

I believe that if a New Permanente has a foreign plated car here, they need to get a special permit and have 5 days with this permit to remove the car from Mexico.

[laconstance]

What I wonder -- and I have not seen any source that elucidates this -- is this: I am a "Residente Permanente". I really don't want to have a car in M?xico. BUT, I would like to drive my U.S. plated car to M?xico with a load of stuff (books!) and return it to the U.S. May I do that, assuming that I can get all the appropriate insurance, post the bond, etc. etc.? I have found nothing on any official web site that explains whether this is possible or how to do it. (I can't nationalize the car, because it was made in Japan. The car is currently in the U.S.)

[doncoulter]

Laconstance, I believe the answer is no, you may not drive your U.S.-plated car into Mexico. I also haven't seen any official source that elucidates this, but the logical answer seems to be no. Vehicle import permits are intended for (temporary) visitors, and you're not a visitor.

A possible way around this would be to drive into Mexico with a U.S. friend who would get a tourist visa and the vehicle permit. You would have to provide the friend with a notarized letter authorizing his use of your vehicle. I did something similar once, several years ago, and had no problem.

Don