TIP

Takes about 6 months. A friend of a friend had to do it. Took 6 months and they cnacelled it just too late for him to get his deposit back. He had to get a lettter form the RCMP certifying th evehicle was in Canada.

A caution to the online TIP... If your plans change and you don't travel to Mexico it's big time rigamarole to get it cancelled.

Again, do it all on line. That way, everything is delivered to you quickly, with no additional cost, and you'll be sure things are done the way you want them to be.
Safe Travels!

Thank you. That's what I needed. Traveling with a pickup truck and mh. I know there is no charge for the truck. We have a TIP for our fiver. Its in my husbands name. Hoping we can get the TIP for the motor home in my name only. We will see when we cross. Thank you all for your help. Especially you Moisheh. See you when we get there but that's not planned till May boo hop.

Maggy

So technically if i cancel a 10 year RV permit 9which I do each year) at Caborca because i intend to drive over to Baja, (I intend to do that this year) I could be illegal for driving across northern Sonora state? Do all those folks going to PP get RV permits?

Oh well for the cost of a Ten Year Permit at around $50 USD there is no big deal! Eh!

moisheh is right. There is the 'Free Zone' and then there is the 'Hassle Free Zone' and the rules are different for each. The Free Zone was established by the Feds and covers the whole length of the border and down to about 200 miles in most places. The Hassle Free zone was set up by the Sonoran Gov't and covers the entire state to entice travelers to come to their state.

FYI, PP is about 60 miles from the border and Kino is about 240 miles from the border (these are highway miles, not as-the-crow-flies miles).

To really confuse the issue, there used to be a "Sonora Only" but I think it morphed into the "Hassle Free Zone"

I can't guarantee any of this is what you'll face at the border though. They started playing around with the different zones a few years ago and it seems that every agent on the border has a different interpretation of the rules or is working from a different revision.

If anyone has a different understanding of this please let me know.

Rob: Yes Kino is in the no hassle zone . But that does not apply to RV's. You still need a 10 year permit. That is a hassle. It is so darn confusing! PP is a free zone so NO permits are required. There have been some Mexican Americans who had their vehicles seized by heading East towards Cananea with no permits. I actually went out @ Douglas in my PU a few years ago but luckily was never stopped.

Moisheh

It is, look at the map below, just don't pull over to the shoulder northbound on 15D.

Moisheh....I thought that Kino was North of Guaymas so therefore in the Hassle Free Zone...No??