10 replies to this topic

[ambler]

1) Does anyone know of a boarding house kind of deal available for about a month as I do my transitioning?

2) More importantly, does anyone know of any movers I can use that can come pick up my stuff in SD and haul it to TJ?

Thanks

[Chiquito]

No recommendations only a warning about using a mover. For a mover to do it legally they have to go through Mx Aduana (customs) with a list of what you are bringing. There will be fees to pay for this. Some here who have done it can give advice. There have been several scams involving this as well.

[ambler]

No recommendations only a warning about using a mover.  For a mover to do it legally they have to go through Mx Aduana (customs) with a list of what you are bringing.  There will be fees to pay for this.  Some here who have done it can give advice.  There have been several scams involving this as well.

So how does this list and fee work? I'm sure I'll find that all out when I go to the consulate....

[zunigan]

So how does this list and fee work? I'm sure I'll find that all out when I go to the consulate....

[zunigan]

I brought all my things in myself. I have a truck and each week I would load as much as I could into the back and drive across. I brought beds, dressers and a table and chairs. I took only 1 large item at a time. I have only gotten the red light once. I told them I was taking the stuff to my husband who lives here in Tijuana. They just said ok and let me go. Each week I still bring things in. Last week I brought a patio set in. I figure if they want to they can send me to customs but so far so good.

[governor]

I did a large move (2 bed 2 bath condo) myself. Rented a truck, the largest one you can from Penske, got a menaje de casa and fm-3 from the consulate in TJ and then used an mex aduanal to get the paperwork to import. Had to got through otay truck crossing due to size of the truck. Got inspected, they pulled out about half of the items in the truck, checked some serial numbers on the electronics and I was on my way. There are mex companies that can take care of all of this for you.

[BajaGringo]

My first move I brought everything in a large truck and it cost me several hundred dollars to "fix things" at customs. I wrote about my experience in moving to Mexico here:

A Gringo and His Story of Moving to Mexico

When I sold my cabin in Sequoia and moved that furniture down here I just rented a storage unit across the border, unloaded it all there and then moved it across the border one pickup load at a time over a couple days. Never had a single problem. The key is to have a few people in the truck with you as you cross so if you get a red light you will still be under the dollar amount allowed to cross...

[ambler]

My first move I brought everything in a large truck and it cost me several hundred dollars to "fix things" at customs. I wrote about my experience in moving to Mexico here:

A Gringo and His Story of Moving to Mexico

When I sold my cabin in Sequoia and moved that furniture down here I just rented a storage unit across the border, unloaded it all there and then moved it across the border one pickup load at a time over a couple days. Never had a single problem. The key is to have a few people in the truck with you as you cross so if you get a red light you will still be under the dollar amount allowed to cross...

I need help moving my stuff across the border.I don't have a truck.... I have all the consulate stuff down, I need a moving company or a rent a truck on either side....

Any recommendations?

[BajaGringo]

I would recommend that you rent a 3/4 to 1 ton pickup - there is a place in Chula Vista on Broadway and F street I think. They have a nice F-250 long bed you can rent for a pretty reasonable amount. Then you need to find a couple of guys to help that can cross the border. If you don't have any, check the Home Depot over on Palm and Saturn, just west of the 5 freeway. During the week you will find many day laborers. Some of them live in Tijuana and cross each day to work hourly jobs and they have laser visas. Negotiate a rate with them you are happy with and go for it.

Or do what one guy down here did. He put a call out (like to members of this Blog maybe) to see who had pickup trucks and strong backs. They had about 8 to 10 pickup trucks together and were able to move all his stuff across in two trips. One in the morning and another in the early afternoon. After the second trip was unloaded, he took the group out to dinner and they all ended up at one of the gentlemen's clubs here in Rosarito until 4:00 AM. They all had a good time, he got his stuff moved and made some new friends in the process.

Be creative...

[xolotl_tj]

The "right" way to do it is as "governor" said, with an FM3 (or Mexican citizen) and a menaje de casa. I don't know what an FM3 costs these days; a menaje de casa is about a hundred bucks and you get it from your local Mexican consulate. The local Mexican consulate in San Diego is in Little Italy and is open only during the mornings, like maybe from 9:00am to 1:00pm. To bring your stuff down the right way, you have to pass through the Otay Mesa port of entry.

The "wrong" way to do it is as "zunigan" described. As far as I can tell, the "wrong" way is more popular. I've done it both ways and haven't run into any problems. But then I never did get a red light when I was doing it the wrong way.

Friends of mine who got a red light when they were doing it wrong bribed their way out of the situation but I do not advocate bribery. If a Customs official asks you for money, that is extortion and he can wind up in prison; if you offer the Customs official money, that is bribery and YOU can wind up in prison. (Unless you're Jorge Hank Rohn, in which case you can become mayor.) Really, it's safer to play by the rules.

If you want to drive through the San Ysidro port of entry, your menaje de casa will be of no use to you. But you do have a "franquicia" to bring in goods worth up to four hundred dollars. The list of permitted items can be seen on a huge sign at the pedestrian entrance to Tijuana ... pretty much anything for your personal use is okay. The Mexican Customs folks will get very suspicious of you if you bring in new merchandise, especially new electronic merchandise, but used goods are generally accepted as part of your duty-free ("franquicia") allotment.

If you're really curious, you can pull over and park as you enter Tijuana through the San Ysidro port and ask to speak with the Customs officer on duty. He'll set you straight.

X

[Chivas3]

So a Mexican citizen can bring anything into Mexico?Hassle free?