Moving from the US to Mexico

Mexico's customs agency, ANAM, uses the term menaje de casa for household goods and lists who may bring them in without foreign trade taxes.

Preparing an international move to Mexico

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For the US-to-Mexico lane, goods typically cross by road on a truck rather than by sea. Its page sets out what the term includes, what it leaves out, and a timing window around your own arrival, while Mexican consulates certify the list of goods.

Documents and customs basics

Know what menaje de casa means
ANAM describes it as the furnishings and utensils that serve a family's ordinary daily use, along with clothing, books and bookcases, and states that the goods must have been acquired at least six months before they are brought into Mexico. Source
Include art and tools within limits
Works of art or science are admitted if they do not form complete collections for exhibitions or galleries. Professionals' scientific instruments and the tools of workers and artisans are admitted if indispensable to the trade, though not as complete sets for a lab, clinic or workshop. Source
Match the timing window
The household goods may be brought in within the three months before the person enters Mexico, or within the six months after arrival. Source
Leave out vehicles and business goods
ANAM says vehicles and items used abroad for commercial or industrial activity are not part of menaje de casa. Source
Get the list certified by a consulate
Mexican consulates certify a foreigner's household goods list, which the Miami consulate calls a household inventory permit. That consulate, for example, asks holders of temporary or permanent resident status for a typed list in Spanish, signed on the original and each copy, showing their U.S. address, length of residence there and new address in Mexico. Requirements vary by consulate, so check the one that serves your area. Source
Temporary residents bring goods in temporarily
The same consulate says temporary residents import their household goods under a temporary regime for as long as their status lasts, and must take the goods back out when they leave. Their list must include a paragraph accepting that obligation and a commitment to report any change of address. Source
Exporting a car from the US side
A used vehicle leaving the US by road needs its documents submitted to CBP at least 72 hours ahead, and the vehicle itself presented at the time of export. Source

What your estimate needs

Your estimate starts from your inventory: the rooms, the larger items and anything that needs special handling, such as a vehicle. Share your list and your move date, and your consultant confirms the details for your route.

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