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Hola everyone!

I lurk over at the nomad board and saw BG's reference to this board so I'm checking it out too. My wife and I started going to Baja about 4 years ago, with a business relationship we trade for time in a nice 3 unit condo in SJDC - The Cabo area is nice, and free lodging is a cool thing but I know I really would not want to live there for long periods of time. This last year we started exploring a bit more, Spending time driving the East Cape checking out some of the small villages along the way and stayed in Los Barilles and LaPaz for a couple nights each.

We plan to return next year around this time hopefully for a month. We plan to drive down and leave a vehicle down there so when we return we don't have to deal with rental car costs when we visit. Loreto and Mulege are on myu list so far of places to look at closer and hopefully over the next year I will get some more ideas on places to stop and look at closer.

I retire in another 6-7 years from my day job and my hope is to actually be able to spend more time in Baja perhaps even living down there for parts of the winter when we can get away. Lots of good reading between the lines in all of these posts and a glimpse into the day to day life from the expats living there and the planning of the people planning to live there.

..Jay

Originally Posted by Jaybo

Hola everyone!...

...We plan to drive down and leave a vehicle down there so when we return we don't have to deal with rental car costs when we visit

..Jay

Hello Jay, and



I'm pretty sure it's not legal to do that, and I sure wouldn't announce plans to on a public message board.

Search a bit on Nomad and you'll find particulars relating to both your immigration status needed to temporarily leave a vehicle and matters of importing one.

Not to say that plenty of people aren't scofflaws about it, , but when you get pulled over you'll certainly be dealing with it then.

Welcome Jaybo, The Osprey lives near Los Barriles on the East Cape. We like small village life over life in the big cities of Mexico -- we lived in Las Vegas forever and it has become a sprawling giant of a city. Here we can have that small town tranquility and still be able to avail ourselves of all the goods and services sold in La Paz or Los Cabos. When you come back I suggest you check out the little towns not on the water -- "live in your world, play in theirs" comes to mind as you can still buy a nice little house in the villages for under $50,000 U.S., still be close to all the things you might like at the beach like snorkeling and fishing. Just a reminder that lots of people who come down here think "ocean view or nothing" and that turns the $50K to $500K in a heartbeat.

Marty, Thanks for the heads up. We can easily get around that by putting our business friend on the title and then piggybacking off her insurance. Since she runs a business down there it should not be an issue for us at all.

Osprey, We enjoyed LB and stayed with Patty at Los Pescadores as one of her first guests. Very nice person and gorgeous hotel. We rented a Rhino from Quadman and explored up and down the coast up the Arroyo's etc. Very pretty place and is one of our future considerations. I hear what you are saying about being on the water. Its something else for us to consider in the future as well.

Jaybo, maybe you didn't really GET what Marty was trying to subtly get across....since after Marty told you it's illegal, you then proceed to publicly post how you intend to circumvent the law& quite possibly involve a friend in illegal activity!

Not a good idea to publicly post for all the world (including Mexican authorities) to see that you don't know, care, nor intend to comply with local or federal laws as a visitor in a foreign country!

Why would you think Mexico would allow a U.S. asset to be on the books of a Mexican Corporation??

IMO, you're going about this wrong, you need to do a LOT of research about laws & local customs, as well as potential locations, ask questions....as opposed to making public statements about your illegal intentions! If you learn the local laws, then you'll have some idea of how much potential jeopardy you're putting both yourself & your friends up against.

As a gringa who has lived here full-time for 10+ years, I just happen to have a lecture on the fact that we're guests in this country & as such, we need to remember & acknowledge that fact by being good guests....please don't force me to dig that lecture out & dust it off!

Welcome to the forum!

Originally Posted by longlegsinlapaz

...please don't force me to dig that lecture out...

She means it Jay...CAREFUL!

This one puts the "labor" in belabor; trust me.

Interesting. I had no idea it would not be legal to do that. Perhaps I'll have to re-think that.

I guess I see the reasons behind it, lack of income spent with a rental car company being one. Of course I would be able to visit more often, spending more in the long run, so it also seems a bit silly to me. but if it is indeed illegal, It will have to be given some more consideration. I just thought with all the talk on the other board about registering in South Dakota and answers to a similar question on the other board (without any of these warnings) that it was not an issue.

I guess that leads me to more questions, when I visit again next year do an entry at a border crossing, and then have to fly home quickly due to some emergency or if I had a car problem where I could not drive back, is there going to be an issue coming back via air?

thanks for the schooling ... (we need a whip smiley... ;))

Marty, you forgot to include that pic of the old beaten up dog that you've posted before!

"THIS ONE" ?????

Be nice, or I'll leave you laying on the ground next time!!

The tricky part starts a few months/years after you've left a car there.

Picture yourself getting pulled over and asked "When did this car enter Mexico?" without being sure you understand the laws and issues, having contemplated those well before, and made sure your paperwork matches your story.

Pleading ignorance and hoping for the best ain't how it would play out. More like a chortle of glee from the officer as he realizes you're on the hook for something.

I'm guessing that as long as he's got a current FM-T, the answer to the question should be something like, "in the last six months". That and keeping the registration current.

And as for the scenario about having to fly back in an emergency, as long as you have an FM-T, there would be no problem, except for the fact that the airline will confiscate it, and with what appears to be the case with the upcoming Mexican immigration program, it may not be possible to get another FM-T on demand. All that said, if you are looking to become a permanent, part-time resident, the FM-3 is the way to go.

Originally Posted by Bajahowodd

I'm guessing that as long as he's got a current FM-T, the answer to the question should be something like, "in the last six months". That and keeping the registration current.

And as for the scenario about having to fly back in an emergency, as long as you have an FM-T, there would be no problem, except for the fact that the airline will confiscate it, and with what appears to be the case with the upcoming Mexican immigration program, it may not be possible to get another FM-T on demand. All that said, if you are looking to become a permanent, part-time resident, the FM-3 is the way to go.

Hmmm. Interesting scenarios. Since I don't plan to reside down there for several years that could be a problem. The luxury of driving back and forth is not likely on a yearly basis as well. So when I fly out the airline will take my FM-T - and if I fly back and drive back out I would not have that. Lots of questions there as to what would could should happen. Having a Baja car for travel and exploration when we can escape teh rat race seems to be a lot more difficult than first appeared. Unfortunate for sure.

Originally Posted by Marty Cortez

The tricky part start a few months/years after you've left a car there.

Picture yourself getting pulled over and asked "When did this car enter Mexico?" without being sure you understand the laws and issues, having contemplated those well before, and made sure your paperwork matches your story.

Pleading ignorance and hoping for the best ain't how it would play out. More like a chortle of glee from the officer as he realizes you're on the hook for something.

This makes me wonder what exactly I would be on the hook for. Anyone know Mexican law in this situation?

Would go with experience uncolored from individuals who have lived down here for 10+ to the ....... was going to say bank...

Listen to those who are willing to share one heck of a lot of first hand experience living in Mexico, and many cases many other Countries..

Law is law, interpretation, local enforcement, economics'.. and much, much more..

Welcome.. sorry I can't help.. I'm renting down here and your situation is very unique and I have not heard the answers to your question in a while... believe me 8 months ago I had a bunch also...

Maybe this thread can answer some questions.

Originally Posted by Marty Cortez

Maybe this thread can answer some questions.

That's helpful! I think I have read this thread in the past, and why I thought it was legal. This one jumped out at me:

"In regard to FM3 and FM-T for stored vehicles, you may leave the vehicle with someone who is a resident or who maintains a FM-3 and write a declaration that the person is authorized to maintain posession, including mexicans of us plated vehicles however the vehicle will remain in your name. This is a legal process and quite common, the forms exist in most places where forms are sold. "

Since my friend down there has an FM# It should not be an issue, No?

Also:

"Furthermore, a FM-T may not maintain possession of goods while gone but you can turn those items over legally to someone else while you are gone. This makes quite good sense and is completely reasonable. If you were trying to circumvent the law in a gross fashion, that would be different. But for a part time traveler to sign his vehicle over to someone is else is completely in the law and there exists forms to do so at most places that sell forms."

If this friend had the vehicle in her name as well on the title, that sounds legal. At least that's what I got from that thread. I would keep the vehicle with current tags and keep it insured with a Mexican policy for the year. Oregon has a form that allows you to get around the insurance requirement when you re-register if the vehicle is out of the country.

So from my reading of that thread, it appears fine to do what I am proposing, unless you can show me otherwise?

I was trying to suggest that it would be good to research it beforehand. I didn't realize that you already had.

Nor did I realize that it is indeed legal; with the proper paperwork/FM-3 and within a certain timeframe.

My apologies.

And with that, welcome to the forum...

Marty, Apology accepted. I thought there was something I was missing, since my friend does this for another couple in the same situation. I was worried that it was indeed unlawful so that's why I asked about the particular law.

BG: Thanks!

The devil is in the pesky little details!

My apologies as well, Jaybo! I'm now replacing the dust on my lecture & shoving it back into my files!

Originally Posted by longlegsinlapaz

The devil is in the pesky little details!

My apologies as well, Jaybo! I'm now replacing the dust on my lecture & shoving it back into my files!

Yeah, I have read a lot of your posts so I was shaking a little bit ;) Loved reading about your casa construction. Someday I might be able to do the same!

I plan to stay a week in La Paz next year, down in the El Comitan area and check out the La Paz and explore the surrounding areas. We were there last year on the last day of the the carnival. Had a great time and want to explore more.