Odd that this differs from the official form the flight attendant will hand you on the plane. I guess it comes down to how one might classify a tablet. Obviously the Customs form is several years behind technology as 99% of all phones could also be classified as a ‘portable computing device’, and no one has anything like an ‘electronic organizer’ any more, nor a separate GPS device.
I’ve often travelled w/ both an iPad and a MB Air in my carry-on and never had any customs person in Mexico blink twice at them when inspecting luggage. And since I live here now the whole refund thing is out of the question…
Odd, that you are using a TravelCard, if you are actual living in Mexico!
If you are not a tourist, it seems that you have to use a different declaration, which is similar to the one Mexicans have to use, who actual live within the USA, if they travel towards Mexico.
My Español has become a little bit rusty, over the last 27 years, but if I read p.6 correctly, it seems, that you have a total different duty-free value as a migrant, and that you have to declare it, or pay a fine.
We both have Residente cards and live full-time in Mexico. We are given the same customs declaration forms as everyone else as far as I have seen. The Immigration form we use (FMM) was designed for tourists so the use of it when your trip originates from Mexico and then returns is somewhat odd. Mainly you fill out less of it and they write ‘residente permanente’ on top of it in large letters with a marker, then stamp it. This entire process is in the middle of being revised so changes weekly and is different depending on the airport. I’ve never seen an FEM as depicted in that mini-guide. Evidently that’s for Mexican Nationals.
I’ve never seen flight attendants hand out anything other than one Customs form to every single person on board, regardless of nationality. After baggage, we all get in the same line for Customs, hand in the form, answer 1-2 cursory questions then hit the button and play red light/green light. If it’s red, you run your bags through an x-ray and a customs person opens and inspects them as needed. I think the light goes red maybe 1 out of 10 times. It appears random, and again isn’t based on nationality or whether you are returning as a resident or just visiting. We’ve mainly flown into Mexico City and Guadalajara, can’t speak for all airports.
The problem is they don’t really spell out that you’re not supposed to add un-imported goods to your personal luggage while you’re gone. And in practice they obviously wave all that stuff through so long as it doesn’t have tags and shrinkwrap on it.
Under ‘Duty Exemption’: “Now you may currently bring with you goods up to a value of 500 dollars without paying taxes, additional to your personal luggage.”
Under ‘What goods may you bring’: “6 portable cell phone equipment”
If you can bring 6 iPhone 14 Max Pros in your personal luggage, then the $500 duty exemption is most definitely not applying. So #1 is for duty import fees for things in addition to what you can bring in your luggage.
Look, the main issue here is intent. If you intend to sell products in Country A that you purchased in Country B then you will quickly trigger the Duty Fee/tax, as intended. Traveling w/ personal items, no matter when you purchased them, is not something any government cares about. I’m not really sure why six cell phones is considered personal and not something for resale, but the exemption is there. You guys can declare your belts and extra shoes and ball point pens and necklaces and watches and wireless earbuds all you want. I’ll start doing it when someone at customs tells me I need to.
Interesting indeed, especially since the product has (finally) been officially released over here. I’m guessing they just haven’t updated the document, even though the purchasing page points to that article to “consult your compatible carriers in Mexico.”