driving a US plated vehicle in Mexico

Last activity 28 July 2023 by pdf123

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pdf123New member24 July 2023 20:01:32

Hi all:

I have Permanent Residency status in Mexico but have now returned to living in the US. I know it would be illegal for me to enter into Mexico driving a US plated vehicle if I entered with my Permanent Resident card...question is, can I enter on a Tourist Visa and then be able to legally drive?

Any help on this will be appreciated...thanks!

Trixie2Member24 July 2023 21:38:49

If you're going to Baja it would not be illegal to drive your us plated with permanent residency

Now my understanding is if you enter Mexico as a tourist your residency is voided. But then again I only have temp residency so maybe some one with permanent will chime in.

pdf123New member24 July 2023 22:18:01

Thanks for the reply Trixie2...I wonder about even driving in Baja though...I know lots of folks do so but I wonder what would happen if an accident occurred while doing so??

But seems like you've otherwise answered my question...entering on a tourist visa voids the Permanent Residence status...do you believe it voids it permanently or just until an entry were made using the Permanent Residence?

GuestPoster2112Guest24 July 2023 22:18:41

214245

@pdf123 Technically, if you enter as a Tourist your permanent residency will be void.

see mexlaw(dot)com

pdf123New member24 July 2023 22:55:15

Fratelli...thanks!

This from refworld(dot)com: "...an immigration lawyer based in Cozumel indicated that a Mexican permanent resident must not enter Mexico under another status, including as [translation] "tourist," as the new status will invalidate the previous one (Lawyer 21 June 2018). Article 61 of the Law on Migration indicates that [translation] "[n]o foreigner may possess more than one status of resident at a time" (Mexico 2011)..."

Still not sure if the Permanent Residence status is voided forever or only during the time a Tourist Visa is in play but I'll only have to deal with that question if/when I decide to relocate back to Mexico...for this trip I'll just be a tourist!

Thanks again

Jack WilliamsNew member25 July 2023 00:51:05

Tourist visa entry would invalidate the PR visa FOREVER.

Trixie2Member25 July 2023 01:27:34

It's voided permanently and you would need to start the residency process all over again.

pdf123New member28 July 2023 20:07:10

Thanks again everyone...consensus seems to be that entering on a tourist visa will void the permanent residency visa permanently.

I wonder what the thinking was for this requirement that someone on a permanent resident visa can only drive a Mexican plated vehicle? I suppose its related to not wanting US plated vehicles to be in Mexico for an extended period without being switched over to Mexican registration.

Oh well, Mexico is still about the most welcoming country outside the US (maybe tied with Canada!!).

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