Ready to start living The Baja Lifestyle Here are some things to consider.
BUYING REAL ESTATE
Using a professional real estate agent is a great resource in helping you select, view, and purchase the right home or property to best suit your needs. Agents are not only there to help you find that perfect investment but can make the whole process of moving from one country to another a lot easier.
GET LEGAL
Permanent or Temporary?
All visitors upon entering Mexico receive an FMM (Forma Migratoria Multiple) Visa. This Visa is for any visitor that would like to stay in the country for up to 6 months or less. The cost of this Visa is included in your airline ticket. It’s very important you don’t lose this piece of paper as you will need it to exit the country. In the event you do lose it, try to be at the airport a little earlier before departure to go to immigration and pay for a new form.
Looking to stay longer than 6 months but less than 4 years?
You will need to apply for a Temporary Resident Visa (Residente Temporal).
This visa can be renewed annually and if after 4 years you decide you want to live in Cabo full time, you can at this point apply for permanent residency.
CITIZENSHIP?
To become a Mexican Citizen you will first need a Permanent Residence Visa (Visa de Residentes Permanente). We recommend you contact a professional to review your paperwork before submitting it.
MOVING
Furnished or unfurnished?
Many homes in the Baja are sold fully furnished so you can move in and start living comfortably with just what you bring in your suitcase. Remember that if you do bring new items over the border to decorate your home, you are allowed $500 US worth of goods by plane and $300 US by land, tax-free, per person, per annum.
Ready to start living The Baja Lifestyle If you want to bring all your furniture or more than can fit in your luggage there are many companies dedicated to importing goods into Mexico. Some are located close to the border in San Diego and others can be found online. These companies make the whole process fairly simple by coordinating everything for you from door to door including exactly what information the customs officials require. You will need to provide some paperwork but nothing too in-depth saving you from having to itemize everything and making trips to the Consulate.
Bringing your car or buying local?
If you already own a car in the US that you enjoy driving, you can import this car if it is at least 10 years old. If your car is newer than 10 years old many Americans register their vehicles in South Dakota.
There are a few companies here in Los Cabos that can help with this service and will handle all the necessary paper work for a nominal fee including the international FedEx fee to send and receive all documents.
Other fees you should consider are the 4% sales tax to South Dakota on the purchase price of the vehicle, the annual registration fee based on the age and weight of the vehicle and the first year you will pay a title fee, administration fee and a few other miscellaneous fees to the DMV.
Canadians that do not have a US Social Security number who want to buy a vehicle in the US and do the same must use a Formation of Partners.
Car prices are a bit more expensive in Los Cabos and not all brands are available. That being said; buying a car locally can save you the hassle of dealing with all the fees and extra paperwork that go into importing a car or registering it in another state.
