How To Clear Mexican Customs (2024)

Allowed Personal Items, Duty Free Goods, and How To Declare Goods

What may I bring driving into Mexico?
  • Your personal luggage
  • Other merchandise up to the allowed exemption - US $300.00 per person.

    Items allowed in your personal luggage (excluded from duty) include:

    • Goods for personal use, such as clothing, footwear and personal toiletries and beauty products, as long as they are appropriate for the duration of the trip, including wedding party items. Baby travel accesories, such as strollers and baby-walkers.
    • Two photographic cameras or video recorders, 12 rolls of film or videocassettes; photographic material; three portable cell phone or other wireless networks; global positioning equipment (GPS); a portatil typewriter; an electronic calendar; a portable computer (laptop), notebook, omnibook or similar items; a copier or portable printer; a portable projector, and their accessories.
    • Two sports equipment, four rods, three speedboats with or without sails and their accessories, trophies or recognitions, provided that they can be transported normally and commonly by the passenger, one stair climber and bicycle.
    • A portable radio for the recording or reproduction of sound or mixed tapes; or a digital sound reproducer or portable reproducer of compact discs and a portable reproducer of DVD’s, such as a pair of portable speakers, and their accessories.
    • Five laser disks, 10 DVD disks, 30 compact disks (CD) or magnetic tapes (audiocassettes), for the reproduction of sound, three software packages and five storage devices or memory cards for any electronic equipments.
    • Books, magazines and printed documents.
    • Five toys, —included those that are collectible— and a video game console and five videogames.
    • One device that permits measurement of arterial pressure and one for glucose, as well as medications of personal use; in the case of psychotropics the medical prescription should be shown.
    • One set of binoculars and a telescope.
    • Valises, trunks and suitcases necessary for the movement of goods.
    • Passengers over 18 years of age, may introduce a maximum of up to 20 packs of cigarettes, 25 cigars or 200 grams of tobacco and up to three liters of alcoholic beverages, and six liters of wine; in excess of the above, cannot be imported without complying with applicable regulations and restrictions.
    • Two musical instruments and its accessories.
    • A camping tent and camping equipment, as well as their accessories.
    • A set of tools including its case, it might have a hand drill, wire cutters, wrenches, dices, screwdrivers, current cables, among others.
    • Up to three dogs or cats, maybe introduced as well as their accesories, provided that the corresponding zoosanitary import certificate issued by (SAGARPA) is presented to the customs officials.

If you are bringing more than US $300 worth of items, use the Declaration Lane (Carril de Declaración).

For more information, read our article: Bringing Food, Plants, and Animals into Mexico.

More Information

If you would like more information, visit the Mexican Customs website.

Source: Mexican Government Website.

How To Clear Mexican Customs (2024)

FAQs

How To Clear Mexican Customs? ›

During the inbound flight, you will receive and need to fill out a customs form (Hacienda). After passing through immigration, you collect your bags and proceed to the exit. You will hand the form to the customs agent and press the button on what looks like a traffic light.

How to get through Mexico customs faster? ›

Eligible travelers can save time at the border by navigating to designated Ready Lanes, keeping their eligible travel cards in hand, and displaying cards to the in-lane RFID card readers before proceeding to a CBP officer for inspection.

What do I have to declare at Mexican customs? ›

If you enter or leave Mexico, you must declare any sum of money equaling US$10,000 or more that you bring in cash, checks, money orders, other cashable documents or a combination of them. Failing to declare carries a fine ranging from 20% to 40% of the exceeding amount.

How long does it take to get through customs in Mexico? ›

On average, the customs clearance process in Mexico can take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks. It is important to note that this timeframe is an estimate and can be subject to delays or expedited processing based on various circ*mstances.

How long does it take for a package to clear customs in Mexico? ›

The time it takes to obtain customs clearance in Mexico can vary depending on the complexity of the shipment and the accuracy of the paperwork. Generally, shipments can expect to clear customs within 1–2 business days.

Does TSA PreCheck work in Mexico? ›

Yes. TSA PreCheck® is available when you depart from a U.S. airport to a foreign country, and for domestic, connecting flights after you return to the United States. If you travel internationally four or more times a year, consider enrolling in Global Entry instead of TSA PreCheck®.

What do you do when you go through customs in Mexico? ›

During the inbound flight, you will receive and need to fill out a customs form (Hacienda). After passing through immigration, you collect your bags and proceed to the exit. You will hand the form to the customs agent and press the button on what looks like a traffic light.

Can I bring Tylenol to Mexico? ›

Passengers traveling with medications for personal use will be authorized to enter Mexican territory only if they have a medical prescription or a letter from their doctor that mentions the amount of substance necessary for the patient during their trip to Mexico, the amount that the patient will take to Mexico and the ...

What can I not bring on a plane to Mexico? ›

You are not allowed to bring the following items in your hand baggage:
  • Self-balancing devices. ...
  • Firearms. ...
  • Stunning devices. ...
  • Pointed or edged objects. ...
  • Workmen's tools used as a weapon. ...
  • Blunt instruments. ...
  • Explosives and flammable substances. ...
  • Chemical and toxic substances.

Does customs in Mexico check your bag? ›

Generally, Mexico uses a random system of determining which bags to check. Often a red light/green light system is used. You press a button and if you get a red light, your bags will be searched. If it's green, you can go through.

Can I bring my prescription medication to Mexico? ›

Travelers are allowed to take their medications as part of their baggage and duty free allowance. If the medications contain psychotropic substances, a prescription from the doctor will be required, along with a certified translation into English or Spanish. No vaccines are required to enter Mexico.

What do I need to do before flying to Mexico? ›

To enter Mexico, you must have the following documents:
  1. A valid passport or travel document. ...
  2. A properly completed Multiple Digital Migration Form (FMMd). ...
  3. Mexican immigration officers at the port of entry may request additional documents depending on the purpose/activity of your trip.

Do you go through customs before leaving Mexico? ›

Immigration and customs are controls a country exercises on people and things who are _entering_ that country. So you go through them in Mexico when you arrive in (but not leave) Mexico, just as you go through them when you arrive in (but not leave) your home country.

Does Mexico customs open every package? ›

Customs has a right to open parcels and inspect them in detail. As you can imagine, this may compromise the appearance of the gift and damage gift wrap. Customs does not normally open every parcel; these checks are rather random; however, their frequency increases when the declared gift value is over $100 USD.

What is the customs clearance process? ›

The customs clearance process is the act of passing a shipment of goods through customs, the government agency responsible for overseeing the compliance of shipments with international trade laws. Customs officials oversee each incoming or outgoing shipment to make sure it is in line with the country's regulations.

Do you have to declare prescription drugs at customs in Mexico? ›

At the point of entry into Mexico, you must report to the customs authorities and present the medical prescription issued by the competent authority. Said document must bear the name of the doctor who authorizes the prescription, his/her signature, contact details (telephone, address) and professional registration.

How can I speed up customs clearance? ›

Trusted Traveler Program Enrollment

Global Entry is a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) program that allows expedited clearance for pre-approved, low-risk travelers upon arrival in the United States. Members enter the United States by accessing the Global Entry processing technology at selected airports.

How long does it take to go through customs at Mexico City airport? ›

The answer is it depends; it depends on how many other international flights arrive at approximately the same time. I have seen it take anywhere from 8 minutes to almost an hour to clear Mexican Immigration @ MEX.

Does Global Entry speed up customs in Mexico? ›

Can you use Global Entry in Mexico? U.S. citizens who have Global Entry membership can apply for Viajero Confiable, Mexico's TTP that offers specific expedited entry benefits.

When flying from Mexico to the US when do you go through customs? ›

Usually, when you land in the US from a foreign country, you go through a customs inspection in the first US city you land in. However, if you're flying from one of 14 designated airports with preclearance facilities offered by Customs and Border Protection, or CBP, you clear customs before you fly.

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