Tag Archives: Baja Norte

Vehicle Permits for Mexico

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ICI Mexico permit map

Do I need a vehicle permit for Mexico?

If you’re driving to a Mexican Border town, such as Tijuana, Mexicali, Cuidad Juarez, Piedras Negras, Nuevo Laredo, or Matamoros then you do not need a vehicle permit. This is considered a Free Zone or Frontera. Generally, the Free Zone extends approximately 20-26 kilometers (roughly 12-16 miles) until you reach an Aduana/Banjercito location (port or booth)

What about Permits for Sonora or Puerto Penasco, or Baja.

You also don’t need a Vehicle Permit if you are specifically traveling anywhere in Baja, or certain areas of Sonora, such as Puerto Penasco. Please view the map above, and check banjercito (link below) to make certain that all information is up to date.

Can I get my vehicle Permit before I leave home?

Yes. You may apply for it online through this link, Banjercito. You will, however, still need to stop at one of their locations as provided below.   What your doing is limiting the amount of time your waiting in line, since you will have already presented most of your information prior to entering Mexico via Banjercito. You must allow them 10 business days to process this application prior to their issuing you the permit.

How many days may I request for this Permit?

This is technically referred to as a Temporary Importation Permit, emphasis on Temporary. Provides the time you are allowed to be in the country with your U.S. or Canadian registered vehicle, prior to returning the vehicle back to its place of Registration (U.S. or Canada) Generally, can request from 180-386 days dependent upon the type of Visa. You may also request a lower number of days, if you wish. Some request 180 days with the intent of exiting and then returning again prior to their permits expiration date, thus avoiding this process again. (See important cancelation procedures below)

Ports of Entry to Mexico from Texas

Tamaulipas

  • Nuevo Laredo (Patio Fiscal) 8am-4pm Monday-Saturday Closed Sunday
  • Nuevo Laredo (Puente Internacional I & II) 24 hrs – 7 days a week
  • Reynosa 24 hrs – 7 days a week
  • Nuevo Amanecer 8am-12am – 7 days a week
  • Ciudad Camargo 8am-6pm – 7 days a week
  • San Jeronimo 24 hrs – 7 days a week
  • Matamoros Pta. Dos 6am-10pm Monday-Sunday
  • Puente Nuevo 24 hrs – 7 days a week
  • Puente Ignacio Zaragoza 8am-9pm – Monday-Friday 9am-7pm – Saturday and Sunday
  • Puente TLC 9am-6pm Monday-Friday 9am-4pm Saturday Closed Sunday  

Chihuahua

  • Cd. Juarez (Km. 30) 24 hrs – 7 days a week
  • Palomas 8am-12am – 7 days a week
  • Pte. Int. Ojinaga 24 hrs – 7 days a week
  • Piedras Negras (Km. 54.3) 24 hrs – 7 days a week
  • Acuña 24 hrs – 7 days a week
  • San Jeronimo 6am-10pm – 7 days a week  

Ports of Entry to Mexico from Arizona

Sonora

  • San Luis Rio Colorado 8am-12am – 7 days a week
  • San Emeterio (Sonoyta) 8am-12am – 7 days a week
  • Nogales (Km 21) 24 hrs – 7 days a week
  • Naco – Anexo 4pm-10pm Thursday and 10am-10pm Friday-Sunday
  • Agua Prieta 24 hrs – 7 days a week
  • Cananea 8am-6pm Monday-Friday and 8am-4pm Saturday & Sunday

Ports of Entry to Mexico from California

Baja California Sur

  • La Paz (Pichilingue) 7am- 3pm Monday, Wednesday, Friday
    7am-6pm Tuesday and Thursday
    7am-3pm; 6:30pm-10:30pm Saturday
    8:30-4:30 Sunday

Baja California Norte (California Border Points)

    • Tijuana 7am-11pm – 7 days a week
    • Otay Mesa 8am-9pm – 7 days a week
    • Tecate 8am-8pm Monday-Friday and 8am-4pm Saturday and Sunday

  • Mexicali 6am-10pm – 7 days a week
  • Mexicali – Annex 8am-4pm Monday -Friday, 10am-2pm Saturday, Closed on Sunday.

Cost of your Vehicle Permit

Roughly $56 USD$ for a vehicle. Click here for the cost and the current exchange rate (Pesos to USD$) via Banjercito (give it a few moments to load) When you land on this page, you may choose your language of preference, Español or Inglés (English) in the upper right hand corner of this page.

If you are a Mexican citizen legally living in the U.S. or Canada then you must provide one of the following documents:

  • Permanent Resident Card (Resident Alien).

  • Certificate of Naturalization.

  • Passport (not Mexican).

  • Passport Card.

If you are a foreigner to Mexico, then you will need to provide a valid passport or Passport Card and the official document issued by the Instituto Nacional de Migración (National Immigration Institute).

Guaranteed Deposit for your Vehicle Permit

The following amounts are applied as a “Guarantee” or deposit to the Mexican Gov’t for the temporary importation of your vehicle into Mexico, and is based upon the year of your vehicle.  You may use a Debit or Credit Card, issued in your name. This deposit will be returned to your account after the Vehicle Permit is cancelled, and must occur prior to your vehicle permits expiration date. Something to remember if using a Debit Card.

Vehicle Year Model  
2007 and later 400 USD $
2001 until 2006 300 USD $
2000 and earlier 200 USD $

Cancelation of your Permit

THIS IS IMPORTANT. You must, YOU MUST, turn in your vehicle permit PRIOR to it’s expiration…period. Failure to do so will entail a long drawn out process to cancel the permit AFTER it has expired. Take our word for it and just don’t do it. You will lose your deposit (Guarantee, above), and suffer the possibility of not being allowed to return to Mexico until straightened out (removed from their system)

Why does Mexico make us do this?

The reason why Mexico requires this is simple, The cost of a new or used car in Mexico is expensive. Actually more expensive than the U.S. or Canada. Mexican citizens have to pay IVA (tax) on a vehicles purchase, and most cannot afford it. Consequently, many Mexicans just don’t pay the tax on an imported vehicle. Mexico then loses on the Importation Tax which amounts to millions! If you fail to return or cancel your vehciles permit prior to it’s expiration date, you will automatically forfeit the deposit that you paid based upon your vehicle value listed above.

Remember, for all of your Mexico Tourist Auto, Homeowners, Motorcycles, Boats and International Health Insurance needs, please call us at 1-800-434-3966 OR Email us at ici@mxici.com or visit us at mxici.com to immediately issue your own policy. We appreciate your business, Like us on Facebook, and tell your friends!

Mexico Official: Resorts Far From Violence

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By Rafael Romo, CNN Senior Latin American Affairs Editor

Posted: 11:25 am MDT April 27, 2011Updated: 10:12 pm MDT April 27, 2011

(CNN) — A recent wave of violence caused by turf wars between rival drug cartels and security forces in Mexico has kept many American and international tourists away from the United States’ neighbor to the south.
Recently, the U.S. State Department broaded its travel warning for Mexico, singling out 11 states and warning Americans not to drive at nighttime.
But a top Mexican tourism official says the country’s major tourists spots are “perfectly safe.”
Mexico Tourism Board’s Chief Operating Officer Rodolfo Lopez Negrete recently visited the United States to promote Mexican destinations.

In an interview with CNN, he said he is confident that more tourists will visit Mexico this year.

CNN: How much was tourism affected by the violence last year?

Rodolfo Lopez Negrete: 2010 was a very good year for Mexico. We considered it to be a rebound year. (More than) 22 million tourists visited Mexico last year.

CNN: I was recently in Acapulco and I noticed that a lot of the hotels that normally this time of the year receive spring breakers, mainly from the United States, are completely empty. So, some of the things that you’re telling me do not correspond to the reality I saw there.

Lopez: We’re working on a transformation program for Acapulco to rehabilitate Costera Miguel Aleman [the avenue that runs along the bay] which is one of the landmarks of Acapulco. We’re working on additional air connectivity out of the U.S. market and international points of origin.

CNN: But Mr. Lopez, the main problem in Acapulco is not necessarily infrastructure, but the violence. What are the Mexican government and the Tourism Board doing to solve this problem?

Lopez: Mexico is a very large country. When you take into account the distance between Ciudad Juarez [the most violent city in Mexico] and Cancun, you’re talking about 1,400 miles of distance. Puerto Vallarta is 1,000 miles away and Los Cabos about 1,600 miles away. That is equivalent to the distance between New York and Houston or New York and Dallas.

CNN: But the fact still remains that violence is a serious problem in Mexico. Wouldn’t you agree?

Lopez: Yes we agree, and we understand the fact that these episodes have created a certain level of perception that is undesirable, but these have occurred in very specific pockets of the country.

CNN: Your office says that 22.4 million travelers visited Mexico last year. What is the expectation for this year?

Lopez: We have a plan that we have put together until the year 2018. Mexico would like to become one of the most popular destinations in the world. And although we already rank among the top 10 in the world, we would like to escalate that number. For 2011 our goal is to increase our business from 22.4 to 26 million tourists.

CNN: Are Americans still visiting Mexico?

Lopez: Seventy-five percent of the total number of last year’s 22.4 million visitors originated in North America. The U.S. remains the number one market, followed by Canada.

CNN: What about those traveling specifically by air?

Lopez: Out of the 10 million tourists that we get by air into the different Mexican destinations, the United States generates 6.5 million of those 10 million.

CNN: What do you say to people abroad who watch news about the violence and have concerns about traveling to Mexico?

Lopez: We would like to tell the untold story. Although we have experienced violence, it has been concentrated in very specific parts of the country. The major tourism destinations are perfectly safe, whether you talk about sun-and-beach resorts or inland destinations.

CNN: What about risks for those traveling into Mexico by land?

Lopez: We have 50 million border crossings per year. When you take that into account, the ratio or the number of people that have suffered from violence is really minimal.

CNN: Has affordability been affected by the recent wave of violence?

Lopez: Mexico is a very diversified country. We believe that the combination of the fantastic sun-and-beach resorts coupled with the wonderful cultural wealth that we offer make it a very attractive destination for summer travel.

From a value perspective, the quality of the tourism options in Mexico over the last 10 years has improved dramatically.

If you compare that with the price that we’re charging right now, it makes it a very attractive proposition for travel.

By Gary Dickey, President Insurance Consultants International

Most of the Acapulco traffic, to be fair, is now a primary destination for the Mexican Citizen/traveler. Not the North American traveler, who apparently still prefers Cancun, Cozumel, Puerto Penasco, and both Baja Norte (North) and Baja Sur (South). That is probably one of the reasons as to why their was little to no Spring Break visitors to Acapulco.

For all of your Mexico Auto and International health insurance needs, please call us at
1-800-434-3966 OR E mail us at ici@mxici.com or visit us at www.mxici.com We appreciate your business!