Today we decided to take a run out to the Aduana's office in Progresso. We brought with us, in 2006, a 1999 Ford Taurus. We have no intention of returning this car to the USofA, if it can be avoided.
When you have an FM3 and you import your vehicle you receive a "Permiso de Importacion Temporal". This is a document, AND a sticker of which the sticker must be affixed to your vehicles front windshield. As long as you successfully renew your FM3 each year, your 'Permiso' renews as well. This 'Permiso' allows you to have your vehicle in country 'temporarily', rule being you will remove it.
You CAN NOT sell your vehicle in country as a foreign plated car. In order to get the vehicle off your FM3 you must remove it from Mexico. For us, the closest border to cross to pass through a Customs Station is Belize. So we could drive to Belize, cross the Border to document and remove the sticker, and sell the car there.
Another option, and since I don't really want to sell the car, is to Nationalize it. There is a window of opportunity when a vehicle is 10 years old, to do this. So in 2009, a 1999 vehicle can be Nationalized. You have from Nov 1 of the year previous to Oct 31 of the cars year in which to accomplish this. That's it not 3 days earlier, or 2 weeks later. This process allows the car to have Mexican plates. We already carry Mexican Insurance, and this part is hearsay, so far, after a vehicle is 10 years old you no longer have a fee to renew the plates (placas).
So today, after attempting, unsuccessfully, to get info over the phone, we headed to Progresso to the Aduanas Office.
We took with us: the Vehicle Title, the Permiso de Importacion, Insurance documents, a current utility bill (in my name), my FM3, and my Passport. Oh, and friend Lida, who is Yucateca, and has great Spanish!
At just past 9:30AM we approached the Aduanas office, just on the road at the head of the Pier in Progresso.
Here is a closer look at the front of the building, and this is where I was given the wiggly index finger by the Guard that means NO! Do Not Do That!
We approached the Gentleman at the desk, we presented the Title and Permiso and explained what we wanted to do; he gave us the sad face and explaned that he had some bad news. It is very expensive to Nationalize a car. AND we can not do it ourselves, but must have a Representative. I joked that we had our friend Lida with us, as her Spanish is way better than mine. No good, we should go to Agencia Aduanal Cervera, just up the street and around the corner.
Their actual address is:
Agencia Aduanal Cervera S.A. DE C.V.
calle 84 #127 x 27 y 29
Centro, Progresso, Yucatan 97320
969-935-3535, or 3539
agencia@cervera.com.mx
and here is the office
So again, we presented the Title and Permiso and explained what we wanted to do.
This time the young lady at this desk picks up her phone, says a few things and then passes the phone to friend Lida. Lida and phone voice chat, she asks me some questions, the phone voice asks her some questions, etc, etc. Phone voice tells us it will cost 12,300mxp to Nationalize our car. And that we can turn in our paperwork there for pickup by phone voice next time he comes to Progresso. Seems phone voice's office is at the airport in Merida, 8 minutes from my house.
Here is Sr Miguel Herrera's (phone voice), contact info
Oficina Aeropuerto Merida
Calle 21 #311 x 28 y 30
Col Manuel Crescencio Rejon
Merida, Yucatan
999-946-2326 ext 107
www.cervera.com.mx
We've decided to ponder our decision at this point.
And here's cool shot during our walk, these were hanging at an iron work shop
When you have an FM3 and you import your vehicle you receive a "Permiso de Importacion Temporal". This is a document, AND a sticker of which the sticker must be affixed to your vehicles front windshield. As long as you successfully renew your FM3 each year, your 'Permiso' renews as well. This 'Permiso' allows you to have your vehicle in country 'temporarily', rule being you will remove it.
You CAN NOT sell your vehicle in country as a foreign plated car. In order to get the vehicle off your FM3 you must remove it from Mexico. For us, the closest border to cross to pass through a Customs Station is Belize. So we could drive to Belize, cross the Border to document and remove the sticker, and sell the car there.
Another option, and since I don't really want to sell the car, is to Nationalize it. There is a window of opportunity when a vehicle is 10 years old, to do this. So in 2009, a 1999 vehicle can be Nationalized. You have from Nov 1 of the year previous to Oct 31 of the cars year in which to accomplish this. That's it not 3 days earlier, or 2 weeks later. This process allows the car to have Mexican plates. We already carry Mexican Insurance, and this part is hearsay, so far, after a vehicle is 10 years old you no longer have a fee to renew the plates (placas).
So today, after attempting, unsuccessfully, to get info over the phone, we headed to Progresso to the Aduanas Office.
We took with us: the Vehicle Title, the Permiso de Importacion, Insurance documents, a current utility bill (in my name), my FM3, and my Passport. Oh, and friend Lida, who is Yucateca, and has great Spanish!
At just past 9:30AM we approached the Aduanas office, just on the road at the head of the Pier in Progresso.
Here is a closer look at the front of the building, and this is where I was given the wiggly index finger by the Guard that means NO! Do Not Do That!
We approached the Gentleman at the desk, we presented the Title and Permiso and explained what we wanted to do; he gave us the sad face and explaned that he had some bad news. It is very expensive to Nationalize a car. AND we can not do it ourselves, but must have a Representative. I joked that we had our friend Lida with us, as her Spanish is way better than mine. No good, we should go to Agencia Aduanal Cervera, just up the street and around the corner.Their actual address is:
Agencia Aduanal Cervera S.A. DE C.V.
calle 84 #127 x 27 y 29
Centro, Progresso, Yucatan 97320
969-935-3535, or 3539
agencia@cervera.com.mx
and here is the office
So again, we presented the Title and Permiso and explained what we wanted to do.This time the young lady at this desk picks up her phone, says a few things and then passes the phone to friend Lida. Lida and phone voice chat, she asks me some questions, the phone voice asks her some questions, etc, etc. Phone voice tells us it will cost 12,300mxp to Nationalize our car. And that we can turn in our paperwork there for pickup by phone voice next time he comes to Progresso. Seems phone voice's office is at the airport in Merida, 8 minutes from my house.
Here is Sr Miguel Herrera's (phone voice), contact info
Oficina Aeropuerto Merida
Calle 21 #311 x 28 y 30
Col Manuel Crescencio Rejon
Merida, Yucatan
999-946-2326 ext 107
www.cervera.com.mx
We've decided to ponder our decision at this point.
And here's cool shot during our walk, these were hanging at an iron work shop
