Each country has marine rules and regulations within its boundaries. If you go to Mexico with your USCG documented vessel, you must follow the country’s foreign maritime rules, whether you go there for commercial or pleasure purposes. Under Mexico’s customs law, you can enter the country with your boat and keep it in for up to 10 years. But you need to secure a legal document known as the Temporary Import Permit.
It won’t change the boat’s documentation registration. Rather, it’s a permit that allows your documented vessel to be in Mexico up to 10 years. To obtain this permit, however, you need to pay a one-time fee of $60. Regardless of how you intend to stay in Mexico, you need to obtain a Temporary Import Permit or TIP. It’s the only way to enable your boat to be in Mexico legally. You must secure this document before going to Mexico. Without it, Mexico’s Customs will consider your boat as illegal. You need to pay fines. Or worse, your documented boat will be confiscated. But because a US documented boat is your vessel’s nationality, you can easily enter Mexico’s border.
Apart from your vessel, you can bring in your motorcycle, quads, and jet skis, among other things, to your boat. However, you need to list them when applying for a TIP. Just like US documentation, you can obtain the TIP online so you can have it before departing for Mexico. Or you can also get it from the official port of entry. When applying for the said permit, you’ll need to submit a copy of your passport, vessel documentation, hull identification number and tourist card. The good thing about TIP is that it’s valid for ten years. That means, even if you leave after two weeks of staying in Mexico, the permit is still valid when you re-enter the country after a month or so. For that reason, you don’t need to cancel and re-apply every time you leave and return.
Apart from the permit’s multiple entry nature, you can also renew it for another ten years. IP doesn’t only allow your boat to stay in Mexico for ten years. But it also lets you import ship equipment. Plus, you can import parts and materials for the boat. If you wish to know more about how to obtain a temporary import permit before you depart for Mexico, please call their experts or feel free to read more on their website at https://uscgdocumentation.us/.
