Menaje de Casa

[Kami]

Woohoo!!! We finally received approval for our menaje de casa (list of household items) from the Consulate in Dallas last Friday. 90-days to get our stuff across the border. Everything we are going to own will fit in a 6x10 cargo trailer but talk about a stress relief!

[Libby]

Congratulations, Kami! When do you start your drive? Which border town are you planning to drive through?

[Kami]

Originally Posted by Libby

Congratulations, Kami! When do you start your drive? Which border town are you planning to drive through?

Thanks Libby. This was a huge milestone for us because our move had been pushed back many times over the last eight months; this is just confirmation that we will actually be moving soon! Although this Government approved document relieved so much stress, we are now getting nervous because a whole new set of challenges are upon us. Thank God I love a good challenge!


We are planning to start our drive either the weekend of August 16th or over Labor Day. My brother is getting married mid-August in San Antonio so we'd just like to leave from San Antonio after the wedding to head that way. We are going to cross in Laredo (unless anyone else has another recommendation?). We were even thinking about making the drive early July but only to Monterrey. There we would store our stuff for about a month, go back to Dallas to finish up work (actually, I have to go to Phoenix for work for 3 weeks)then fly back to Monterrey to pick it up and head the rest of the way to Playa.

It's just the little details now. I cannot wait!

[Libby]

Kami, When you take I-35 south from San Antonio, you will see signs for the Columbia Solidarity Bridge or possibly the Columbia Friendship Bridge about 30 miles (mas o menos) from the border. DEFINITELY take this exit. You will pay $2 for the privilege. (I'd be happy to pay $20.)

This leads to the Columbia Solidarity Crossing, just over the border from the state of Nuevo Leon. They really have their stuff together at this border crossing and it is far, far less busy than the one at Nuevo Laredo/Laredo. I've heard of people spending hours and hours at Laredo. We've done the crossing at Columbia twice, and it's taken 15-30 minutes each time. Most of that time is the paperwork for the temporary vehicle permit. However, we've never done the casa menaje.

This route takes you a little out of your way, but there's very little traffic before and after the crossing and you save a lot of time at the border. Plus, there are some safety concerns with crossing at Laredo.

Good luck with your journey! Do you have your route planned out yet?

[Kami]

Originally Posted by Libby

Kami, When you take I-35 south from San Antonio, you will see signs for the Columbia Solidarity Bridge or possibly the Columbia Friendship Bridge about 30 miles (mas o menos) from the border. DEFINITELY take this exit. You will pay $2 for the privilege. (I'd be happy to pay $20.)

This leads to the Columbia Solidarity Crossing, just over the border from the state of Nuevo Leon. They really have their stuff together at this border crossing and it is far, far less busy than the one at Nuevo Laredo/Laredo. I've heard of people spending hours and hours at Laredo. We've done the crossing at Columbia twice, and it's taken 15-30 minutes each time. Most of that time is the paperwork for the temporary vehicle permit. However, we've never done the casa menaje.

This route takes you a little out of your way, but there's very little traffic before and after the crossing and you save a lot of time at the border. Plus, there are some safety concerns with crossing at Laredo.

Good luck with your journey! Do you have your route planned out yet?

Oh Libby thank you for the tip!
As far as the route planned..I'm really trying to not control every aspect of this move and have asked my dear husband to take charge in planning this. I have no idea if he has mapped this out yet or not but if I had to guess, I'd say probably not.

[Tony&Cheri]

Kami,

We had an "interesting" border crossing on our trip to Mexico having to do with our menaje de casa. Here's our trip report, in case there's anything there that might help you: The Ultimate Road Trip: San Francisco to Playa del Carmen Luna Blue’s PlayaZone.

~Cheri

[Kami]

Originally Posted by Tony&Cheri

Kami,

We had an "interesting" border crossing on our trip to Mexico having to do with our menaje de casa. Here's our trip report, in case there's anything there that might help you: The Ultimate Road Trip: San Francisco to Playa del Carmen Luna Blue’s PlayaZone.

~Cheri

What a flippin outstanding report; I just laughed my butt off! I told Dave he needs to print and store it with the "important driving to Mexico papers" for future reference. Thanks so much for sharing it. It is reassuring to know that you guys drove all that way with the pets and all parties survived. We are traveling with Felix the cat and Katie the dog; will be interesting.

[Tony&Cheri]

Glad you liked it. I just reread it, and it brought back some pretty fond memories. It was a great trip. The important thing about traveling with the animals for us was being able to lock the car with them inside and the AC still running. That was the only way we were able to make stops for food, etc. and keep them safe. For us that required having one of the keyless locks (the remote control thingy). Now that ours is broken, we can no longer lock the door with the key in the ignition.

When do you leave?

~Cheri

[Kami]

Originally Posted by Tony&Cheri

Glad you liked it. I just reread it, and it brought back some pretty fond memories. It was a great trip. The important thing about traveling with the animals for us was being able to lock the car with them inside and the AC still running. That was the only way we were able to make stops for food, etc. and keep them safe. For us that required having one of the keyless locks (the remote control thingy). Now that ours is broken, we can no longer lock the door with the key in the ignition.

When do you leave?

~Cheri

I just had to replace one of the key things for the car so we would have two.
We are planning on heading to the border on Aug 16th or September 5th. We're not sure which one yet as I have to be in Phoenix for almost 3 weeks sometime between July and Sept.

Can't wait to get there! Will come by to meet you and have a drink. Actually, for as many times as I've been to Playa, I've not met anyone. What an adventure this will be. Thanks again for sharing the report.

[PlayaLove]

You are so lucky to be going to Playa to live that is our dream. Tony and Cheri will be glad to help you out with anything they are just those kinds of people,once you meet them you will fall in love with them. I have re read there trip report about their adventure on moving to Playa many times and still enjoy it. Hope you love your new home as I am sure you will.There are so many wonderful people in Playa will have lots of new friends in no time. Good luck on your trip,you must to a report to keep us all up to date on your road trip once you start....Happy and Safe travels to you both.

[Babaloo]

Originally Posted by Kami

I have no idea if he has mapped this out yet or not but if I had to guess, I'd say probably not.

Map it out and double check it, preferably with someone who has taken the same route.
The roads are not marked well and it's very very easy to make wrong turns and you'll find yourself hours out of your way. The first time drive is an adventure.
Especially when you know to stay on Route 180 and you come to the intersection of 180 and 180...just close your eyes and drive and hope for the best.

[Tony&Cheri]

Originally Posted by Babaloo

Map it out and double check it, preferably with someone who has taken the same route.
The roads are not marked well and it's very very easy to make wrong turns and you'll find yourself hours out of your way. The first time drive is an adventure.
Especially when you know to stay on Route 180 and you come to the intersection of 180 and 180...just close your eyes and drive and hope for the best.

OMG! That is so TRUE! Sitting at the 180 and 180 crossroads, cursing the map, the signs and the road and never realizing that this was only the beginning of a life of "Mexico-isms".

Papa T

[Kami]

Originally Posted by Babaloo

Map it out and double check it, preferably with someone who has taken the same route.
The roads are not marked well and it's very very easy to make wrong turns and you'll find yourself hours out of your way. The first time drive is an adventure.
Especially when you know to stay on Route 180 and you come to the intersection of 180 and 180...just close your eyes and drive and hope for the best.

Ya...he bought a map but I'm guessing that it may not be correct. He or I will search and search every trip report out there from people that have driven it just to get as many tips as possible. We're pretty adventurous and will not be in too much of a hurry.

[Francis]

Originally Posted by Kami

Woohoo!!! We finally received approval for our menaje de casa (list of household items) from the Consulate in Dallas last Friday. 90-days to get our stuff across the border. Everything we are going to own will fit in a 6x10 cargo trailer but talk about a stress relief!

90 days? The embassy here says we have 180 days to bring our stuff, did you get an FM-3?

[Kami]

Originally Posted by Francis

90 days? The embassy here says we have 180 days to bring our stuff, did you get an FM-3?

Yes, I have an FM3. It's actually 180 days from the time that the FM3 is issued from start to finish. You have 90 days from the date that your FM3 is issued to get approval for the menaje de casa and 90 days from the date of your menaje de casa approval to get your stuff across the border. 180 days total. Our visa was issued on 3-24-08 which meant that we had to get approval for the household goods by 6-24-08 (we waited until the last minute!!!) and now we have until mid-Sept to actually cross the border.

Until we went through the process ourselves, we had read many different stories on time frame. It's very confusing and I am not sure if different consulates are different in their time frames.

[Francis]

Thanks for clarifying! I'm sure I would have missed that one.

BTW did anyone here ever decide to just pay the import tax instead of getting a Menaje de Casa? Maybe it's less complicated? I think all we'll have is clothes and about 10 boxes of stuff.