WHAT ABOUT REGISTERING MY VEHICLE IN MEXICO?

[The following is exerpted from a longer series of articles posted to Mexico Connect in the spring of 2004.]

Every foreigner is allowed to enter Mexico with a vehicle, which is not Mexican plated (e.g. US or Canadian), as long as you have the following: Mexican Insurance, an FMT, FM2, or FM3, registration/ownership in your name, and a credit card or cash to cover a bond for the vehicle. The Mexican government will charge your credit card for $25, or you have to put up the cash for a percentage of what the car is worth, and the type of car it is.

[NOTE: I exerpted the following from the Mexican Embassy in Canada website: "In regard to the Migratory Status of Immigrant (FM-2 card holders), only foreigners with the status of Immigrant of Independent Means (pensioner) will be allowed to temporarily import a vehicle onto national territory, as stated in Article 106, paragraph IV, section a) of the Customs Law". So, any FM3 holder can import a car, but only "rentista" / "jubilado" / "pensionado can do so on an FM2.]

The government will then provide you with a temporary importation permit, and a sticker for the windshield. Remember to turn this registration and sticker into customs when leaving Mexico with your vehicle. If you enter Mexico by vehicle on a Tourist Visa (FMT), you must drive out the vehicle you came in with. It is illegal to leave the vehicle that you entered Mexico with, here in Mexico, with unless you obtain an FM2 or FM3 while you're here.

Does an individual who entered Mexico on an FMT (tourist visa) and then applied and received an FM3 have to go to the border to re-register the vehicle under the FM3? No. As long as your migratory status (other than an FMT) is current the vehicle remains legal even if the permit is expired. When an individual finishes one five year FM3, then receives a new book renewal, does this person need to return to the border to renew the permit? No, the same rules apply; just keep your migratory status current. These same rules apply to FM2 holders as well. This is all stated in Article 106 of the Customs Law. Can an individual who has been granted Inmigrado status in Mexico drive a foreign plated vehicle? No, he or she must take their foreign plated vehicle out of Mexico.

Another major concern with the foreign community is what papers are necessary to carry in the vehicle. Aduana said to carry only copies of all pertinent papers concerning your migratory status and the vehicle. For example, have a copy of your passport, your migratory status with the current renewal date, the car importation permit, your title, registration, and insurance papers. Never leave originals in the car in case the car is stolen. You will need those originals if the vehicle is ever stolen.

According to Customs, you are not allowed to have more than one foreign plated car registered in Mexico. You may have heard that some people do, but normally Customs does not allow it. Also, it is illegal to sell your foreign plated vehicle in Mexico. The only legal way to do this is to legalize it in Mexico (e.g. get Mexican plates for it), which is extremely difficult if not impossible. If you do sell your vehicle here you will be fined next time you enter Mexico with another vehicle. Also, if the vehicle you've sold here is in an accident two years down the road, and the person you sold it to walks away, you can be held liable for that accident.

Another topic that goes along with what we've been discussing is theft of your vehicle while you're here. If your car is stolen, and reported to the police, and to your insurance company, and even if you have received a return from your insurance company, you may still be fined once you return to Mexico with another vehicle. We recommend you do not mention the stolen vehicle when entering Mexico with a replacement vehicle. If they do notice, you will have to pay the fine if you want to bring the new vehicle in. You can petition the government later for the fine and get your money back, but you will have to put up the money to begin with.

You are now asking why would I have to pay this fine? Well, it's actually quite simple. In the past couple of years the Mexican government has found out that a number of imported vehicles had actually been reported stolen in the States and Canada. People were driving their cars down, and flew back to the States, reported them stolen, claimed insurance, and now use them down here and never bring them north of the border again.

Adriana Perez Flores is an Attorney at Law based in Ajijic, Jalisco,for legal and immigration services throughout Mexico. This information is exerpted from an article first published on Mexico Connect.

WHAT ABOUT SCHOOLS FOR MY KIDS?

A long-term resident friend who raised four marvelous children here, contributes the following information:

There are many schools in Oaxaca now, many more options than when my children were growing up, a growing population in general, and higher expectations, especially from the Mexico City professional influx. I am sure that all of them can be accessed on the internet. The ones I know about and recommend are: Vista del Valle (bilingual and in Xoxocotlán), Lasalle, Instituto San Felipe, and Instituto Carlos Gracida (where my kids studied). All of these go from K through 9th grade, and the Carlos Gracida through 12th. Another good high school is the Blaise Pascal.

There are also Montessori and more “creative” schools for younger children, such as the Teizcalli, but I don´t know that much about them. By the way, all the schools I have mentioned are private. The fees are modest by US standards. I can´t recommend any pulbic schools unless you are intent on a village experience.

HOW DO I GET FROM THE MEXICO CITY AIRPORT TO OAXACA BY BUS?

For those of you that choose to go "directly" to Oaxaca: There is a new international arrivals building at Benito Juarez airport. When you exit the customs area and enter the main hall, look around, and you will see signs directing you to "Official" taxis. Tell the ticket seller you want to go to TAPO (pronounced TAH-po). Follow the arrows for the stand.

When you get to the taxi stand, a "starter" will ask you where you are going, and point to the taxi you must take. It should be white and yellow, and have a silouette of an airplane on the fender or door. Don't accept offers from unofficial taxi drivers. The official taxi fares are low, so consider a tip, espcially if you have a lot of luggage.

When you exit the taxi, take the ramp to the interior of the building. Look for the waiting room labeled ADO. ADO are the initials for the bus line that has the most frequent deartures for Oaxaca. Inside the waiting room, you will find a row of ticket booths. Tell the ticket seller you want a ticket to Oaxaca, "por cuota", on the next bus. (buses run pretty much every hour, between about 5 a.m. and midnight, and take about 6 hours; all "cuota" buses are first class).

The more luxurious "GL" bus has its own window, furthest to the left. The super deluxe UNO has its own waiting room with ticket booth, nearby. There is also the "Plus" bus, with tickets available inside the "Cristobal Colon" waiting room, to the right as you exit the ADO space.

Different terminals (there are many) in Mexico City host buses to different destinations: for example, for Taxco you go to the Tasqueño terminal. For more information on this, click here

A LAWYER IN OAXACA?

Germán Osorio Girón is our attorney. He is not a Notorio Publico (Mexico's highest level of attorney), but he knows which are good, and will refer you to one if one is needed (for example, you can't buy or sell land without one). We use him when things get a little too complicated for us. For example, he helped us buy (and then later to sell) a used car. While we don't use anyone for renewing our FM-3, many of our fellow expatriates who are less comfortable dealing with the bureaucracy do, and are glad to do so. I recommend his services highly. To contact him, click HERE

A TRANSLATOR

Pierre Spencer is the only "officially licensed" document translator in Oaxaca. We use his services on those rare occasions when we need them (the immigration folks used to require offical translations of bank statements but now we are allowed to do our own). He is on time and honest. To contact him, just send him an email at opendoor@prodigy.net.mx

A COMPUTER PERSON

Jesus "Chucho" Morales Gutierrez has been servicing our computers - and mastering our web pages - for years. He's a friend and, often, a savior. Email him by clicking HERE.

WHAT CAN I BRING WITH ME?

[The following list, posted to the Mexico Connect (www.mexconnect.com) forum on September 11, 1999, was composed by Jennifer Rose, an attorney in Morelia and the Forum moderator. As with all "rules" in Mexico, it is subject to change and the capricious interpretation of whatever official you run into in real life.]

Under the FMT (tourist visa) you may bring in:

• Articles for your personal use, such as clothing, footwear, grooming and toiletry articles in reasonable amounts.
  
• Photographic, movie or video camera including its power source, and 12 rolls of film.
  
• Sports equipment for one person, provided it can be carried by one person.
  
• Up to 20 books and/or magazines.
  
• Valises, suitcases etc. to carry the goods.
  
• If of legal age, 20 packs of cigarettes, 20 cigars or 200 grams of tobacco, 3 liters of alcoholic beverage.
  
• Various objects worth up to $300 USD.
  
• One set of binoculars. (*)
  
• A T.V., screen size up to 12". (*)
  
• One portable radio apparatus for recording or playing, or both. (*)
  
• Up to 20 Laser disks, Compact disks or cassette tapes. (*)
  
• A typewriter or laptop/portable/notebook computer and power source. (*)
  
• A musical instrument that is easily portable. (*)
  
• One tent and camping equipment. (*)
  
• A maximum of 5 childrens' toys. (*)
  
• One set of fishing tackle, one pair of skis, 2 tennis racquets. (*)
  
• A water glider, with or without sail. (*)
  
• A video recorder/playback machine. (*)
  

FM3 (temporary resident)

Under the FM3, you may bring in what is listed on a temporary importation list approved by a Mexican Consul.

Otherwise, you may bring in only those things NOT (*) ed in the above list for FMT.

Additionally, you may possess $300 USD in one or various articles, if by air, and $50 USD if by land.

For more specific information, contact the nearest Mexican Consulate.

IS MEXICAN NATIONAL HEALTH INSURANCE A GOOD DEAL?

Mexican national health insurance is available through Instituto Mexicana del Seguro Sociál (IMSS). You do not have to be a Mexican national to join. In fact, anyone can be a member. There has been some talk about excluding people on tourist visas, but at least in Oaxaca where I live, this has not yet come to pass.

In order to join, you must apply in either January/February or July/August. There is no physical examination, and no application fee. You must go personally to an IMSS office and fill out an application form, which includes a complete health history. Bring three "juventil" size photos with you. The last time I applied, the paper work was processed on the spot, and I paid the cashier immediately. The whole process took half an hour.

Sometimes there may be a few days' delay, depending on how busy they are. There may be a little more running around, for example to get your personal identification and record booklet registered at your clinic, but really the process is pretty simple and pretty transparent.

If you have been accepted, you must pay a one year premium. The 2002 premium was about NP$3,400 for an individual or a couple. The coverage commences immediately. All examinations, lab work, drugs and prostheses are free. However, the clinic to which you are assigned may not be supplied with certain drugs, lab chemicals, etc., and if so you may be required to obtain those drugs or analyses privately or you may be provided with a chit to take to an "authorized" lab or drugstore.

If you do not speak Spanish, it may be very difficult to get appropriate treatment, as the system -- by its nature, not by design -- is difficult to maneuver through. I used to be a member of IMSS, but dropped it in 2002.

Below are some comments by readers.

Jim Hardy:

From what I know about IMSS here in Guadalajara, I'd spend a little more money and get a private insurance policy -- they are still a lot cheaper than what you'd pay for health insurance in the U.S.

My roommate of three to four years worked in IMSS and I have a friend who is a surgical resident so I'm fairly familiar with the system. Why bother with it when private doctors and labs are so cheap? I can make a same day appointment with most any specialist here in Guadalajara for $20 to $25 dollars.

As you mention in your article [see Is There A Doctor In the House? ], the quality of doctors varies, and with IMSS you have no choice of doctors, you have long waits to see your GP, you need his permission to see a specialist or get lab tests done or get drugs, all of which can be got on a walk-in basis without a doctor's order at private facilities. IMSS also tends to run out of a lot of drugs, reagents for lab tests, etc. If you have any kind of an income in dollars from the U.S. you're much better off buying private insurance and paying for routine expenses out-of-pocket.

There are several private insurance companies in Mexico, including Seguros Comercial America, Seguros Tepeyac, Seguros Monterrey Aetna (which Aetna in the U.S. has a part interest in), and the largest, Grupo Nacional Provincial. There are also several others. The quotes I got for a male age 42 all were around $400/year for a policy with coverage in Mexico only (but including emergency coverage if you're travelling outside the country when you get sick). The one exception was Seguros Tepeyac, which cost a little over $200/year. Seguros Monterrey Aetna and Nacional Provincial also sell policies that allow you to go anywhere in the world for treatment, which cost around $1,000/year with a deductible of around $500 per illness (not per year) if I remember right. The deductibles on the Mexico-only policies are much lower.

With most companies, after two years they can't cancel the policy; with Nacional Provincial it's after one year. I think with all the companies you have to be under 65 to take out a policy but once you have it they'll cover you until you're at least 75 or older, depending on the company.

As for whether private care in general is better than IMSS, that's a hard question to answer because there all sorts of doctors in private practice and much variability throughout the country, but the issue is can you find private care that is better than IMSS, and at least here in Guadalajara the answer is definitely yes, and at much lower cost than in the U.S. Because my roommate worked at IMSS, he had coverage there, and during a prolonged illness he had we saw his doctor both at IMSS and in his private practice, and the quality of attention was much better when we saw him privately, and at the time he charged $20 for a consultation (150 pesos) which is a lot if your income's in pesos but very inexpensive if you're income's in dollars; and as I said earlier, you can get into see almost any doctor with a same day or at most next day appointment.

My family doctor here charges 150 pesos and even with minor problems I rarely spend less than half an hour with him; from my experience with IMSS you'd be lucky to get five minutes. Just as an example of the cost compared with the U.S., I consulted a doctor in Wisconsin in the same specialty as my roommate's doctor here in Guadalajara and the clinic's fee was $200 for a fifteen minute appointment (it was a clinic associated with a medical college). To put in a good word for U.S. doctors, when he realized I had come to consult about my friend's case he didn't charge me anything and spent more like half an hour with me, but the normal fee at that clinic was $200 per fifteen minute appointment.

Chris Stewart:

You can now report views of private health-care facilities in Mexico as mixed, too. Case in point: my brother-in-law (a citizen of Mexico) recently had a run-in with one of the ritzier private hospitals in the Polanco-cased neighborhood of Mexico City. He had a skin sample taken at one of Mexico's public hospitals, and rather than wait the probable two weeks for results, we decided to get the results done at a private hospital. So the day after the doctor gave us the skin sample preserved in a baby-food jar of formol, my wife, her sister, and I went downtown to drop off the sample at the private hospital.

I had to stay outside while they went into the hospital to drop off the skin sample and pay for the analysis (blond hair and fair skin often causes prices to go through the roof at some private medical centers). Meanwhile, my wife and her sister leave the sample, get a receipt and go to pay the N$750 bill. Turns out the cashiers want to charge them N$1000 pesos for the service (we believe N$750 for the analysis and N$250 for the cashiers), and they have to protest to bring the bill down to the level shown on the receipt - the cashiers leave for a few minutes to talk to their supervisors and finally return to accept the correct payment.

Once payment is rendered, we are told to return in two days for the results (the tests being run typically take this amount of time to complete - anything extra is bureaucracy). Two days later, we return and are told that we have to we have to wait another day for the results. After two more days, we return and are told that the doctor went on vacation and was not available to do the work, so we had to wait another week. In the end, it took us the same two weeks to get service from the private hospital that it would have taken us to get service from the public hospital, and the price was not cheap, particularly since my wife's family doesn't earn their money in dollars (as some overly-pretentious folks do).

I know its bad to generalize from a single experience, but adding my own several years of experience in Mexico to the mix, I can only conclude the following: private services exist only for people who have the money to pay for them, and in Mexico, private health services are outrageously expensive. Unless of course, you are wealthy enough that you cash your paychecks in dollars.

[ Stan: There you have it: two widely differing opinions each of which almost certainly has some of the truth. As in all things Mexican, you will have to discover your own truth for yourself. ]