PAPERWORK AND FEES FOR MEXICO
This is in response to a question by a future Baja Ha-Ha participant about the required paperwork and fees for sailing into Mexico.
YOU NEED THE FOLLOWING:
- Your federal boat documentation or state registration.
- A Temporary Import Permit, which costs about $50 and is good for 10 years. The best way to get one of this is NOT online, where there is often confusion and mistakes get made, but at either a Mexican consulate or a Banjercito (military bank in Tijuana). Not all consulates offer this service. San Francisco is one that doesn't. Sacramento and Los Angeles are two that do. Getting one of these should take less than an hour. Your must bring your boat document, passport, and engine serial number(s)!
- A current passport for everyone.
- A notarized letter of permission for a minor to travel to Mexico without both parents. (Angry spouses used to run off to Mexico with a minor to screw over the other spouse.)
- A notarized letter of authorization from either the corporate entity (if
applicable) that owns the boat, or owner of boat (if applicable), for someone else to skipper and move the boat around Mexico.
- Mexican liability insurance. Get this from your normal boat insurance agent. This is a requirement at most marinas.
- Fishing licenses, if anyone is going to fish, for all crew members. You can get these and information on them from the sportfishing outfits in San Diego.
WHEN YOU ARRIVE IN CABO SAN LUCAS
- You have to check all your crew in with Immigration to get a 180-day tourist visa, about $25 each, and pay a small fee for bringing your boat into Mexico.
If you don't want to do the above, you can have ship's agent Victor Barreda, Jr. do it for about $75 while you hit the beach and have some beers. About half the Ha-Ha fleet choses this option.
Hope this helps. For more information on this and other subjects, see the First-Timer's Guide to Cruising Mexico that I wrote last year. It's free online at www.baja-haha.com and mostly current.
Poobah
|
