agnus wrote: I am going thru Mexico to Belize and want to take some items like micorwave,sewing machine,etc. Will I have any problems
Those are not considered personal items. Personal items pay no import tax and include the following; camera, video camera, laptop, clothes but not new with labels unless their value is less than 300 dollars until the end of July, after it reverts back to 50 dollars (per person). If you have dated receipts and or the products are Mexican, U.S. or Canadian, you may pay a lower import tax.
I don't have all the exact information now, but it is available on the aduana website. I will try and post it tomorrow. Don't take the above verbatum, but it is close.
When I tried to bring personal items after my parents death, I had some problems getting them across for lack of understanding on their part as well as mine. Better safe than sorry.
Whatever you do, don't try and pass the customs inspection point without declaring your goods. The law in Mexico says that undeclared goods can be assessed up to 3 times their value for a fine, and they can confiscate your automobile and everything in it as an incentive to pay the fine.
I have had good fortune at Mexican Customs by approaching the subject with a good natured smile and a little bit of patience. I park in the Declaration Zone and then walk over to the office and shake hands with the inspector. Even when my ears ring at their suggestion at how much my stuff is taxable, I try to keep my cool and tell them that I am not rich ("But I want to obey the law--blah blah"). With most inspectors I can pay a "tax" of less than two dollars per hundred dollars of value. Be sure to get a receipt from Banjercito window and take time to list all of the items and include description and serial numbers. This is your protection that the items can be admitted into Mexico more than once (like when you decide to return from Belize).
As I hardly ever take anything except truck camper and/or boat into Mexico, I have almost never stopped at the Aduana. I went to the Aduana, though, (Mariposa) on my last trip and the young girl said that she could not assess my tax at the exact amount of my receipts. She went on to say that she had to round it off to the next higher 1000 peso increment and tax me based on that number. It's just like Mexico to screw me when I am trying to do the right thing. Was this a BS deal and how should I have handled it? Thanks.
mexbungalows wrote: Whatever you do, don't try and pass the customs inspection point without declaring your goods. The law in Mexico says that undeclared goods can be assessed up to 3 times their value for a fine, and they can confiscate your automobile and everything in it as an incentive to pay the fine.
I have had good fortune at Mexican Customs by approaching the subject with a good natured smile and a little bit of patience. I park in the Declaration Zone and then walk over to the office and shake hands with the inspector. Even when my ears ring at their suggestion at how much my stuff is taxable, I try to keep my cool and tell them that I am not rich ("But I want to obey the law--blah blah"). With most inspectors I can pay a "tax" of less than two dollars per hundred dollars of value. Be sure to get a receipt from Banjercito window and take time to list all of the items and include description and serial numbers. This is your protection that the items can be admitted into Mexico more than once (like when you decide to return from Belize).
Great response and keep those tax payment slips.
DonBaja, if you received an official tax payment slip it would be hard for them to be on the take. As for the 1000 pesos minimum, it sounds a bit like b.s. unless she didn't have a computer and was using a hand calculator to do her business and didn't have the knowledge or patience to calculate exact amounts.
This should be another sticky that shows the law verbatum from their website and what to declare and what not to declare. In most cases, in an rv (truck camper included) it is very hard for them to want you to declare something as it is considered part of the house. When I cross back to Mexico, unless I have purchased something over our limit, I really have nothing to declare and go to the "nothing to declare" line. I have never been questioned.
Unless the products have sentimental value, you may find it cheaper and less hassle to buy them when you arrive to your destination. In fact, in Mexico they still sell the old-fashioned foot pedal sewing machine model. Just some food for thought.
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