Thank you for the information Kathy, I appreciate it. What I would be charged for is leaving my vehicle from the states here since its still on the Temporary Importation Permit until my FM3 is finished. It was my understanding the FM3 would allow the vehicle to stay as long as I do.. am I incorrect in that? I have contacted the company that is taking care of my FM3 and they will be getting my Passport back with my letter saying I am in the process of getting my FM3 so I can leave the country and be able to come back after I get everything taken care of in the states, without them taking my visa back and seeing that I have left my vehicle in Mexico and charging me whatever it is that they charge on my credit card they hold at the border. The reason I am so confused on the whole process is well I am a gringo who speaks little Spanish and I have someone in the middle helping me so who knows what they leave out when they tell me stuff. So I feel pretty lost on the whole subject I try to do research and I always come up with more questions. So thanks again for your help.
I would be very very surprised if they charged your CC anything. They never did with mine and we were in possession of an illegal TIP (well, an expired TIP) for over a year. I really wouldn't worry about it.
I have been following this post and thinking about it before replying, not wanting to give bad info. As Kathy said, well basically she said, as long as you have a valid status with Immigration, meaning an FMT or FM3 or FM2, then you Temporary Import Permit for your vehicle is valid. Where I wanted to think is that if you leave on an FMT, then return, while you are gone I think that technically your permit would not be valid, but it would be the moment you returned. But, as you may know, you or a family member are the only ones allowed to drive that car, unless you are a passenger. So, if the car isn't going anywhere the odds are slim to none that it would be an issue. Then Life made the post, to which you replied that your FM3 would be applied for. This really solves your problem as far as the car is concerned. When you leave Mexico, and your FM3 application is still pending, you still have a legal immigrant status, so your car pemit is golden. As has been pointed out, and I have done this many times, you have to get the "letter" each time you leave Mexico, if your FM3 is pending. When you return, this letter is stamped at the airport and must be turned in to Immigration at the office where it was issued, I think within 24 hours, but it may be 48, not counting when they are closed of course. When dealing with Immigration good advice would be to make more than one copy of everything. My attorney has me sign multiple original forms so she can have another to turn in when they say they are missing one. When you turn the letter back in, have them stamp a copy of it showing the date and time when you turned it in. You never know . . . Apply for the FM3 and your car permit is good to go. That's the bottom line.
