Getting into Mexico by Land

At the US-Mexico Border

Just in case you are in the US and you want to drive to Mexico, you can, naturally, drive different categories of cars. If you are a company executive, you may choose to use a company car. If you are going with your family, you may decide to use the family car. Still, you could opt to use the more common means of rental cars.

Here are what you need to know relating to the car you use:

For your personal car, you need to have official documents proving ownership of the car.

• Just in case the person who sold the car to you has not transferred the title to you, you need to carry along a notarized letter from that seller who is the car’s legal owner. The notarized letter would contain express permission for you to take the car to Mexico.
• For a company car, you should still possess express authorization in writing, to drive the car to Mexico. That authorization should be from the company that is the legal owner of the car.
• Expect to pay a permit fee at the border, as that will give you authority to have a foreign car in Mexico for the days you ask for. The fee is about $12 and you are expected to pay it using your credit card.
• You also need to buy insurance for your car, separate from the insurance that covers you in the US. The law demands that you have Mexican auto insurance while driving in Mexico. You can purchase your Mexican insurance policy from Mexinsurancestore.com.

What you need for yourself

You are advised to carry your birth certificate, which bears an embossed seal, and also a photo that properly identifies you. The photo taken to be reliable is either the one on your driver’s license or that on your passport. It is important to note that the officials at the border no longer take your Voter Registration card as a reliable official document.

If a minor is travelling unaccompanied, or with an adult who is not the parent, the authorities demand to see notarized permission given by the minor’s parents. Such a document is also demanded, written by the absent parent, if the minor is crossing the border with only one of its parents.

Mandatory border procedures

You need to carry proof that you have been duly processed at the border to avoid any trouble with the law once inside Mexico.

Basically, expect to complete a standard form where you fill in your name and sex; marital status and occupation; place of birth and home address; your target destination in Mexico; and even your mode of transport. After completing this form and having your official identification checked, the form will be stamped and you will be allowed to proceed to pay for your car import permit. You will then get a sticker on your window to show compliance. Sometimes you may not receive your permit right there but at some other point just around. The important thing is to have all your documentation duly processed before you leave the Free Trade Area, otherwise your trip could be cut short and you are sent right back.

Passport

Possible inconveniences on the road

 You need to drive carefully just as you do elsewhere, but with a little more caution because some things you find in Mexico are not found in most parts of the US. Some of them are:

•   Rocks in a pile put in the middle of the highway

Sometimes, that is a truck driver’s way of telling other motorists that his truck is broken down and stuck right ahead. So, do not swerve and fly ahead; slow down and look out.

• Misuse of the highway

In some remote areas, the locals think they have as much right of way on the highway as the motorists; so they walk in droves right in the middle of it. If it is night time, some might be drunk. Also some locals have no qualms herding their cattle on the highway. So, it is important to play safe and drive cautiously.

With these basics, there is plenty to enjoy along the way to your destination, including beautiful views of the snowcapped mountains. Of course, if there is some inevitable mishap, you can always bank on your Mexican auto insurance from Mexinsurancestore.com to come to your rescue.