Van Burns near Palenque

qtla - thank you for your reply to our question. We did leave Mexico with our 60 pages of what we thought was the legal paperwork and did mail it to Mexico City as required. We do not know what they did with the van. We do have pictures and video of the burning van, which we provided to the Federal Police, however, they did not include the picture in the paperwork that was sent to Mexico City. Yes, I believe we are in a pickle. Very depressed!!!

Mexico Wanderer, we are so grateful for all your information. It is certainly NOT what we wanted to hear. We followed the Federal Police around and did all that they asked us to do, but obviously we were ill advised and did not have all the facts. Our Spanish is not good enough to read 60 pages of legalese. Once again thank you for all your information.

Some Information

Cars that are surrendered, wrecked or damaged beyond repair, must be towed to a federal impound yard called CORRALON de ADUANA POLICIA FEDERAL SCT. There, ownership is signed over to the Mexican government, and HACIENDA the Mexican federal treasury Dept. issues a certificate which you in turn must show Aduana/ Banjercito, at the border. Any office of SHCO/SAT that issues temporary car permits.

Cars that are damaged when surrendered (wrecked or burned) are taken reluctantly at the Corralon. Usually, the management requires an official police report, or letter from the Ministerio Publico's office in the jurisdiction where the damage occurred. This is supposed to stop hit and run cars from being surrendered surreptitiously. Also it is supposed to penalize cars that start brush fires or topple a scarce and utterly priceless Cardon Cactus (sarcasm). Police down here work everything to cost money so the Federal Government is not about to get in the way of potential revenue (not sarcasm).

Once the TIP expires and goes delinquent, so many internal tripwires, and electronic computer blocks are engaged, it is almost impossible to unsnarl them without aid of a Mexican abogado (attorney) and a government agency working in concert.

You cannot do it outside Mexico. Save your time, money and frustration.

Your permit is tied to your passport number and not in any other way.

I take it you left Mexico without resolving the issue. Do you have photos and know where the remains of your van are?

Not what you want to hear, but move on. You did your best, and did no damage, you say.
For future travel, register your vehicle in the name you didn't use this time.
Sorry for your bad experience, try to move on.