Maximum Coverage = Maximum Declared Value for Carriage for the Priority™ Worldwide service.

Import Restrictions

Senders should determine import restrictions from the country's authorities before posting:

• alcohol and spirits
• animal products, fats and oils
• asbestos in powder or layers
• cocoa
• cotton
• ceramic products
• cigars, cigarillos
• chemical and pharmaceutical products
• coffee extracts, essences and concentrates
• coal and clay
• foodstuffs, prepared
• footwear
• food for dogs or cats
• firewood, coniferous wood or logs
• firemen’s military and other helmets
• floor tiles
• fruit and nuts
• kraft paper and paperboard
• iron and steel waste
• lead scrap and waste
• lottery tickets
• message appliances and prostheses
• milk and lactic products
• obscene and immoral articles
• paper products
• potatoes and beans
• plastic and rubber articles
• prepared meats
• rice
• sugars in solid states
• raw or untreated lactose
• silk
• textiles and textile articles
• tobacco and tobacco products
• toilet bowls over 6 litre capacity
• transparent frosted glass
• vegetable products
• wines and champagne
• weapons
• wood products.

De facto prohibitions. Exporters and importers are concerned about certain de facto prohibitions. For example, import permits are systematically rejected for used hardware. In other instances, procedures may be extremely time-consuming and cumbersome (e.g. for environmental reasons, the importation of used tires for renovation purposes is extremely difficult).

Automatic import licensing. Mexico has implemented a prior notification requirement for sensitive products from certain countries. The idea is to closely monitor the value of certain goods, such as textiles, footwear and tableware from Asian countries, as well as steel products from the Balkans. For more information, contact the Ministry of Economy.

Ports of entry. A major concern for exporters is the restriction on the entry of various goods through specific Mexican ports. In theory, this allows the customs authorities to acquire expertise in customs matters relevant to certain sectors, such as tariff classification or valuation, but in practice, this may be an obstacle. Some examples of restricted goods are:

• apples
• beer
• cigars and cigarettes
• lard, fats and oils
• matches
• new pneumatic tires of a kind used on bicycles
• used pneumatic tires
• bicycles
• pencils
• compact discs, recorded and unrecorded
• sound recording equipment (CD writers)
• textiles
• footwear, gaiters and the like
• meat of poultry in brine.

Additional restrictions:

Powders, liquids and pharmaceuticals
The following items must be sent to Mexico via a customs representative or agent: goods that are difficult to identify and which, because they are in the form of powders, liquids or pharmaceutical preparations such as pills, pastilles, tablets, granules, bars, capsules or dragées, require particle size and/or chemical analysis to ascertain their composition, nature, origin and other characteristics for the purposes of customs classification, regardless of the quantity and value of the consignment.

Importation of Certain Footwear or Footwear Parts: The importation of certain footwear or footwear parts into Mexico is restricted to 9 specific ports of entry regardless of value or quantity. This restriction applies to all footwear shipments including samples, gifts, personal shipments and internet purchases.

Copyright, Trademark Infringement

Border enforcement: A right holder who has valid grounds for suspecting that the importation of counterfeit trademark goods or pirated copyright goods may take place, can file an application with the Mexican competent authorities for the suspension by the customs administration of the release of such goods into free circulation.

The following is a listing of commodities not acceptable for carriage via Priority^TM Worldwide service into Mexico (However, you may be able to use another Canada Post service for shipping these items.):

• oil (all kinds)
• used clothing (except unaccompanied baggage)

Gifts

Everything has a value for customs purposes, even if a transaction (sale) did not occur. Consequently, the importer must pay duties and taxes on any gift sent from abroad.

Toys classified under Chapter 95 of the Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) are subject to antidumping duties of 70%-120% when originating from China. It is advisable to include proof of origin when originating from countries other than China.

Textiles must present the original labels or it will be considerd as used items

Prohibited Items

In addition to items considered non-mailable matter, the following are prohibited:

• dolls for obsence or immoral purposes
• electronic cigarettes
• live animals
• lottery tickets, unauthorized
• marijuana preparations
• massage appliances
• meat products
• obscene or immoral material
• organics chemicals
• poppy seeds
• predatory fish
• prosthetics
• remains of birds
• thallium sulphate
• vaccines against foot and mouth disease.

Chemical precursors: Chemical precursors are substances that can be used in the chemical processes involved in the manufacture of narcotic drugs or psychotropic substances. In order to control the importation, exportation, distribution and/or other type of transaction involving chemical precursors, the Mexican Law prohibits shipping chemical precursors via courier services. To that end, Precursor Chemicals are:

2922.49.99 N-Acetylanthranilic acid

2939.63.01 Lysergic acid

2926.90.99 Benzyl cyanide

2939.41.01 Ephedrine

2939.61.01 Ergometrine

2939.62.01 Ergotamine

2914.31.01 1-phenyl-2-propanone

2939.49.99 Phenylpropanolamine

2932.91.01 Isosafrole

2932.92.01 3, 4-Methylenedioxyphenyl-2-propanone

2932.93.01 Piperonal

2932.94.01 Safrole

2939.42.01 Pseudoephedrine

The salts and optical isomers of the aforementioned substances, whenever the existence of such salts is possible.

A permit is required for all pharmaceutical products for human medicine.

Prohibited goods are

0301.99.01 Predator live

1211.90.02 Marijuana (Cannabis Indica) plants and parts of plants

andrew bai1302.11.02 Opium saps and extracts, prepared for smoking

1302.19.02 Marijuana (Cannabis Indica) saps and extracts

1302.39.04 Mucilages and thickeners, whether or not modified, derived from Marijuana (Cannabis Indica)

2833.29.03 Thallium sulphate

2903.59.03 1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-1,4,4a,5,8,8a-hexahydro-endo-endo-1,4:5,8-dimethanenaphthalene

2903.59.05 1,4,,5,6,7,8,8-heptachloro-3a,4,7,7a,tetrahydro-4,7-methaneindene

2910.90.01 1,2,3,4,10,10-hexachloro-6,7-epoxy-1,4,4a,5,6,7,8,8as-octahydro-endo-endo 1,4:5,8 dimethanenaphtalene

2925.19.01 Imide of the N-ftalilglutamic acid

2931.00.05 O-(4-bromo-2,5-dichlorophenyl) O-methyl phenylphosphonothioate (Leptophos)

2939.10.02 Diacetyl morphine

3003.40.01 Preparations based on Marijuana (Cannabis Indica)

3003.40.02 Preparations based on Acetilmorphine, its salts or its derivatives

3004.40.01 Preparations based on Acetilmorphine, its salts or its derivatives

3004.40.02 Preparations based on Marijuana (Cannabis Indica)

3004.90.33 Preparations based on Marijuana (Cannabis Indica)

4103.20.02 Turtle and "Caguama" turtle raw hides and skins

4908.90.05 Transfers, printed in colors or in black and white, known as "Garbage Pail Kids", for sale in packages or envelopes, even including chewing gum, candy or any other article, containing figures or illustrations showing childhood in denigrated and ridiculous manners, inciting to violence, to self-destruction or to any kind of antisocial behavior, and mentioning to have been printed in the USA or any other country by "Topps Chewing Gumm, Incorporated" or by any company or firm

4911.91.05, prints and photographs, printed in colors or in black and white, known as "Garbage Pail Kids", for sale in packages or envelopes, even including chewing gum, candy or any other article, containing figures or illustrations showing childhood in denigrated and ridiculous manners, inciting to violence, to self-destruction or to any kind of antisocial behavior, and mentioning to have been printed in the USA or any other country by "Topps Chewing Gumm, Incorporated" or by any company or firm.

Documentation Required

Information regarding Customs can be found in "Customs Requirements" of the Canada Postal Guide.

• If the value of the merchandise is $300 USD of less, it is free of any tax or duty (Customs retain some products according to the quantity, i.e. alcohol, cigarettes, etc.). Piracy regulations are strictly enforced. Merchandise that does not comply with copy right laws will be seized. A commercial invoice is preferred, but not required for merchandise valued up to $300 USD.
• For merchandise with a value over $300 USD and up to $1,000 USD, duties and taxes may apply and a commercial invoice is required.
• For merchandise over $1,000 USD, a commercial invoice and a Certificate of Origin are required and the addressee must hire a customs broker.

NOTE: Senders should separately post a duplicate invoice to the addressee.

General Delivery

Mexico accepts articles for collection at a post office counter only if addressed:

• addressee name
• post office name
• postal code
• city name
• Mexico.

Document Requirements

Import/Export Documentation: The Mexican Law is very strict regarding the proper submission of customs documentation.

Customs declaration: The import declaration is especially detailed and it is submitted both in electronic and printed manners.

Invoices: The invoice evidences the sale for export to the country of importation. Thus, the invoice is essential to determine the transaction value of the goods. The customs regulations are very detailed concerning the information that the invoice must contain. Foreign sellers or shippers must exercise care in preparing invoices.

Invoice requirements checklist:

• place where the invoice is issued
• date in which the invoice is issued
• seller's name
• seller's full address
• importer's name
• importer's full address (no PO Box)
• detailed description of the goods (including grade or quality) (avoid using codes)
• quantities in weights and measures
• unit prices
• total value of the invoice
• any identification numbers such as serial, part and model numbers of each good.

Special information may be required on certain goods or classes of goods in addition to the information normally required on the invoice (see individual information, below).

In order for the importers to avoid difficulties and delays the following information should also be included:

• invoice number
• seller's tax identification number
• commercial terms (e.g. CIF, FOB)
• kind of currency
• country of origin
• total weight
• marks and numbers of the packages
• total number of packages
• for NAFTA trade, is advisable to include the US, Canada and Mexico province or state in which the seller and the importer are located.

The invoice may be written in Spanish, English or French.

Transportation documents: The bill of lading and the air waybill, endorsed by the transport company, are also attached to the customs declaration. These documents normally prove the date on which the goods entered the customs territory.

Non-tariff barriers: Compliance with most non-tariff barriers is evidenced in paper for example; import permits. Thus, compliance there with must be attached to the customs declaration. Mexico regulates products in a number of areas, mainly for health and safety reasons. Goods subject to non-tariff regulations include hazardous materials, pharmaceuticals, food items, medical equipment, etc.

Certificates of origin: Certificates of origin are used to authenticate the origin of the goods imported. They may be required for different purposes. Certificates of origin may be required to claim a preferential tariff treatment when the good originates from a specific free trade area. Certificates of origin may also be required and be attached to the customs declaration in order to prove that the good does not originate from the country to which an antidumping duty has been imposed. Certificate official forms and completion requirements vary depending on the origin of the good.

Individual information: The importation of certain goods requires disclosing very specific information for identification, analysis or control purposes. This requirement may apply to more than 100 types of goods. For example, the importation of wines and liquors requires information such as the full name of the product (e.g. Vodka), its trademarks and age (e.g. Scotch Whisky, Johnnie Walker, Black Label), the appropriate geographical indication and the year of production (e.g. Table Wine, Marqués de Caceres, red, Rioja, 1988), the number of bottles and their content, any lot or manufacturing number, alcohol content and other particulars. This information may appear on the customs declaration, on the invoice, on the transportation documents or on a separate exhibit.

Other documents: Certain documents are not necessarily attached to the customs declaration. For example, the value declaration specifies the way the importer calculated the customs value (e.g. The price actually paid, the price adjustments). These documents are kept in the files of the importer and the customs broker for further reference and audits.

Importer's files: Importers must retain the documents that prove the legal importation of the goods, in case the fiscal authorities require clarification after customs clearance.