Mexico customs-TIP Beware

[Sailor75]

Hi all,
Just arrived in Mexico City on my way to my sailboat at Marina Chiapas. Brought with me a replacement propeller valued at about 400.
Customs here do not understand the function of the TIP which allows me to bring in spare and replacement parts.
After quite a discussion they “Confiscated” the propeller!!
Beware of these guys they are not trained properly and do not understand their own system.
At the moment I am out a propeller and 400
Sailor75

[JPA Cate]

There will be a procedure for following up. If you're not bilingual with Spanish, take a local friend to help you out. I do not think this is about "mordida", I think it is a misunderstanding, and you will need to find out what paper work they require. But, it is very important to approach it as a misunderstanding, not that you have any sort of "rights", slow, easy, and very polite should work.


Ann

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Sailor.
What Ann said (as usual).

[a64pilot]

If they are after a “tip” as in a bribe if you will it’s been my experience that often comes by you being told that there is a fee that you can pay that will expedite your getting through the system.
Be a little careful with that though.
I was delivering an airplane to Guatemala and was directed to take the airplane to the flying club which I did, once there two Federal police officers offered the for a fee they could clear me into the country, it was small and I was tired so I paid.
Next day when I went to leave from the terminal I realized that I had no stamp in my Passport 🤭
Luckily I explained and they let me go without an issue, Cause I was well and truly in trouble had they wanted to make the case.

[BjarneK]

I am in Mexico and from talking to my local harbormaster, my impression is that there is some paperwork to complete before doing the trip with the parts. This paperwork is on top of the TIP. At this point I gave up on my project of importing the parts myself, so I have not done it. The TIP itself is apparently not enough to allow importation without duty. Good luck on getting your prop back.

[Davy J]

If they are after a “tip” as in a bribe if you will it’s been my experience that often comes by you being told that there is a fee that you can pay that will expedite your getting through the system.

Pretty sure he his talking about T.I.P. Mexico Temporary Vehicle Import Permit.

https://www.mexpro.com/mexico/vehicl...rt-permit.html

[zeehag]

there has been a difficulty with many incoming parts. how about an 82 usd duty on an 85 usd toilet part....... and that is merely the beginning.
good luck resolving this issue.
i found it easier and cheaper to just buy mexican.
yes there are propellors in mexico. yes they are just as good as propellors brought in from elsewhere. ditto other parts for boats. funny but they do have boats in mexico. and reasonable chandleries, not merely west marine affiliates. ye just need to look for em.

[a64pilot]

Originally Posted by Davy J

Pretty sure he his talking about T.I.P. Mexico Temporary Vehicle Import Permit.



https://www.mexpro.com/mexico/vehicl...rt-permit.html

I understand that and his assertion is of course with the TIP he doesn’t owe import duties as it’s parts for a vessel in transit.

I was speaking of course to if the officials were after a bribe or mordida they don’t usually just lock something up, they usually will suggest that for a small fee the process can be expedited and you can go on about your way, that seemingly was how a request for mordida was suggested to me, they never, ever said pay me, and if you suggested it was a bribe, then the offer was never made and you won’t pass go.

In other words I was suggesting that in his case it didn’t look as if they were after a “tip.”
Not all officials down South are only after money under the table, some really do enforce the rules as they know it, but many are paid extremely poorly and they make a living off of “tips”, it’s often expected, but act as if your paying for his kindness and professionalisms and assistance beyond the call of duty, never suggest he’s a crook.

So now its up to him to very politely show the official why he doesn’t owe duties, and best to give the official an out by suggesting that government regulations are so complex and ever changing that no one can know them all, and then thank them for their professionalism, never act superior or disrespect them, that doesn’t go over well.

I’ve seen the “rich American” lose his airplane, and I’d assume he got it back, but only after months and much money being spent and likely it was stripped for parts too.

In many Countries the import duties are so high that they are very, very often gamed if you will, all kinds of tricks are played.
In truth it seems that way more things are negotiated down South than we are used to, think of the laws as more of a guide.

Many times I have gotten away with just about murder by playing the stupid, but respectful and apologetic American, primarily be respectful and thank them for their assistance. $10 to the right official can sometimes save you big money, it’s just they way things are done down there, it’s not wrong etc., just different.

[Training Wheels]

As I understand, the TIP is actually just for serial numbered parts on your boat. Also, you have to prove they the old part has been destroyed before you can import the new part. Generally, you will have to use an import broker to facilitate this, costing about $300USD. However, with most things in Mexico, it depends on who you are dealing with, and what mood they are in. At least this has been our experience. YMMV.

If you flew in, didn’t you have a $500 exemption? Did they not give you the option of paying the 16% duty?

[Eder]

A well placed 500 peso note would have smoothed things over. Tape it to the part.

[zeehag]

flying in the exemption is 300 usd.
we are allowed to bring back up to 300 usd worth of items free. after that comes duty and confiscation. want your part to be guaranteed not confiscated buy mexican.
funny how customs are prickly--they even took my shoesies momma sent me after i bought em and had em sent to her for sending to me-- shipping to mexico can be iffy occasionally. ...

[Training Wheels]

Hmm, flying into PV is a $500 exemption. Perhaps $300 is when you walk across the border, like if you fly out of TJ and use the bridge.

[zeehag]

Originally Posted by Training Wheels

Hmm, flying into PV is a $500 exemption. Perhaps $300 is when you walk across the border, like if you fly out of TJ and use the bridge.

in reading the customs laws of mexico i see they did raise the limit for bringing goods on flights to 500 USD. this is new since inauguration of amlo. in 2014 it was 300 usd max on flights or walking. no difference.
i donot fly anywhere north or south anymore--i took my last flight 2014, for dead brother experience. i donot plan on any future flight needs.
i still find it less pricey and more reliable to buy in mexico than import via plane or other means.
aduana has become iffy --taking shoes from recipient, and other items they allow but the individual customs agents crave due to lack of income.
no. mordida doesnot help as mordida has been ruled illegal. yes in some cases it is still illegally used. however there is a govt arm that does protect the turista from shady mexican businesses and abusive practices. undue customs rigidity despite parameters is one issue able to be dealt with by this arm. https://concilianet.profeco.gob.mx/C...net/inicio.jsp

[a64pilot]

It’s not just Mexico, we had the contents of our mailbox sent to us in the Bahamas, we went around and around with them because we couldn’t produce a receipt for a T shirt that was a gift from our Son.
I camped in their office one afternoon and when I came back the next day they finally released our stuff, I had asked for them to assign a value for the t shirt as it was a gift and I could not produce a receipt. Finally I guess they gave up and either let it go or assigned a value, assumption is they got tired of me sitting there.
The other thing we had to work through was a I had a zero charge invoice for a warranty watermaker part, they said you can’t have a zero value and I needed to contact the person who sent it to me and have them include a value on the invoice, I answered you can’t put a number on an invoice that you didn’t receive money for, that wrecks the computerized book keeping system.
That was before the shirt, it took most of a week to get the stuff, after having it flown over in one day.
However, I never got ugly, I guess I was the smiling idiot

Oh and the repair parts for a boat in transit doesn’t work in the Bahamas either, it’s only engine parts, and strangely in Georgetown the customs lady said watermaker parts too, because we have to be able to make water? I think a different person would have had different rules.

[TWB]

We’ve had a place in Mexico since 1999 and have brought a lot of thing in over the years. Always have a receipt. Most times they just wave us through. But sometimes they check. Print one up on your own before your trip if you have to. Should have been exempt as being under $500 USD if you had that. As best as I can calculate, which is not simple, and I could be way off, Duty would be 148 MXN and the VAT would be $1,281 MXN if you had shipped it. That’s about $72 USD. I know this has probably been resolved by now, but if they ever hit you again, just pay them and get on with things.