Travel advisory: Drone tax - Mexican Customs

[dfross]

Was just taxed by Mexican Customs for bringing my Mavic 3 with me. Non-commercial application. Be advised it can be costly - it’s a percentage of declared value. What percentage precisely? Seems to vary.
Bottom line: Drones are no longer considered cameras per se - they have their own special place in the hearts of Customs agents.
Respects and regards to the community.

 

[BobaFut]

When I first read this I thought "this can't be right, you don't declare personal items..." So I googled and man, what a freaking grift this is by the Mexican government. I've been to like 40+ countries and never declared anything because, well, I'm not "importing" my personal items or using them commercially. Never been searched coming into a country, much less questioned or taxed on any of my camera gear.

Did you proactively declare or did they search you and find your drone?

 

[rexster1505]

Where did this happen?

 

[Yorkshire_Pud]

Can you reclaim the duty if the drone is 'exported' again when you leave?

 

[Aerophile]

As requested above, more details, please.

Where exactly did this take place? How did the encounter go? How was this documented? Did you get a written receipt (you should have)? And how exactly did they calculate what you paid (a percentage of declared value)?

Hint: If it wasn't documented at all and you got no receipt or details of the "fee" were not provided, it may have simply been a bribe, aka "la mordida" (nothing new about that, but also entirely avoidable...if a bribe is demanded, you politely decline to pay it, insist on a receipt, don't be afraid to ask for a supervisor or a cop).

Random inspections of tourist bags when entering Mexico is nothing new. Cameras and other serious-looking photography gear have been subject to this (an import tax) for years, with wildly varying enforcement. This is the first time I've heard of a "drone tax" but maybe I've just missed it, maybe it's a new thing. To be honest, I'm a bit skeptical, but willing to be convinced.

Please give us more details.

 

[Ralph thompson]

Sounds a bit like an Agent funding his retirement!!

 

[Vic Moss]

This is the norm in Mexico for drones. You're also not allowed to fly anything over 250g w/o a permit. And you can't get a permit unless you're a Mexican National.

Mexico is by far our worst neighbor when it comes to drone use.

Many times these aren't enforced, but then they are, it can create problems.

This is why we need to research drone regs when we visit foreign countries.

 

[Aerophile]

This is the norm in Mexico for drones. You're also not allowed to fly anything over 250g w/o a permit. And you can't get a permit unless you're a Mexican National.

Mexico is by far our worst neighbor when it comes to drone use.

Many times these aren't enforced, but then they are, it can create problems.

This is why we need to research drone regs when we visit foreign countries.

No real argument there - although I have never heard of a specific "drone tax" in Mexico and I am still skeptical such a tax exists (has anyone else heard of that?)...if it's not simply a shakedown (quite possible), it may just fall under the "import duty" that's sometimes (but not always) imposed when bringing in any fancy or expensive-looking cameras or other perceived high-value gear. I'm very curious to know if this is a specific fee/duty/tax/whatever on drones, or just the more general (and long-established) practice of "you have something expensive, so pay us some money".

According to this thread, A look at Mexican drone laws, while yes there definitely are some (surprisingly) tight restrictions on larger drones and commercial use, if you are just flying recreationally and you have your sub 250 gram Mini along, even foreign visitors are OK to fly drones with no registration or permit required (with some reasonable location prohibitions/restrictions) - at least that's the best I can make out of the contradictory writings posted online (here and elsewhere).

I agree that it's important to research drone regs before visiting foreign countries, as frustrating and murky as that may be (and as someone who enjoys internatonal travel and photography, it's a pet peave of mine). Unfortunately, much (most?) of what one finds online about foreign drone regs is way out of date, contradictory, or just plain wrong.

 

[Vic Moss]

No real argument there - although I have never heard of a specific "drone tax" in Mexico and I am still skeptical such a tax exists (has anyone else heard of that?)...if it's not simply a shakedown (quite possible), it may just fall under the "import duty" that's sometimes (but not always) imposed when bringing in any fancy or expensive-looking cameras or other perceived high-value gear. I'm very curious to know if this is a specific fee/duty/tax/whatever on drones, or just the more general (and long-established) practice of "you have something expensive, so pay us some money".

According to this thread, A look at Mexican drone laws, while yes there definitely are some (surprisingly) tight restrictions on larger drones and commercial use, if you are just flying recreationally and you have your sub 250 gram Mini along, even foreign visitors are OK to fly drones with no registration or permit required (with some reasonable location prohibitions/restrictions) - at least that's the best I can make out of the contradictory writings posted online (here and elsewhere).

I agree that it's important to research drone regs before visiting foreign countries, as frustrating and murky as that may be (and as someone who enjoys internatonal travel and photography, it's a pet peave of mine). Unfortunately, much (most?) of what one finds online about foreign drone regs is way out of date, contradictory, or just plain wrong.

It isn't drone specific. But it's imposed on all expensive items, including cameras and such.

Official explanation of Mexican drone laws are vague. To the point of frustration. I've asked for official answers from multiple sources and have yet to receive an answer.

But according to the USMCA, we should be able to get permits to fly in Mexico. The section about Cross Border Trade In Services mentions specialty air services. "specialty air service means a specialized commercial operation using an aircraft whose primary purpose is not the transportation of goods or passengers, such as aerial fire-fighting, flight training, sightseeing, spraying, surveying, mapping, photography, parachute jumping, glider towing, and helicopter-lift for logging and construction, and other airborne agricultural, industrial, and inspection services."

Article 15.3 states: "Each Party shall accord to services or service suppliers of another Party treatment no less favorable than that it accords, in like circumstances, to its own services and service suppliers"

So, we should be allowed to fly in Mexico (& Canada for that matter) as USMCA members. We should be able to obtain permits.

I've never been able to get an official answer on that from officials on either side of the border.

 

[Dark_Horse]

Just don't drink the water.

 

[CactusJackSlade]

The grift in Mexico is real and bothersome.

I once was bringing clothing donations to a church/school in Bahia de Los Angeles in Baja. I made the mistake of being honest instead of saying they were mine and I was moving my belongings to a rental or some other story. They confiscated it ALL and said I had to fill out a bunch of BS forms and get permission to do that. Yes, the gift of grift. I am sure the officials split all of it up at the end of their shift.

I have other stories of a friend bringing in a $25K commercial drone... but another time.

 

[dfross]

When I first read this I thought "this can't be right, you don't declare personal items..." So I googled and man, what a freaking grift this is by the Mexican government. I've been to like 40+ countries and never declared anything because, well, I'm not "importing" my personal items or using them commercially. Never been searched coming into a country, much less questioned or taxed on any of my camera gear.

Did you proactively declare or did they search you and find your drone?

I landed at Mexico City. They searched upon arrival all carry-on luggage

 

[dfross]

I landed at Mexico City. All carry-on was x-rayed. I was sidelined and it was hand-searched..

 

[dfross]

As requested above, more details, please.

Where exactly did this take place? How did the encounter go? How was this documented? Did you get a written receipt (you should have)? And how exactly did they calculate what you paid (a percentage of declared value)?

Hint: If it wasn't documented at all and you got no receipt or details of the "fee" were not provided, it may have simply been a bribe, aka "la mordida" (nothing new about that, but also entirely avoidable...if a bribe is demanded, you politely decline to pay it, insist on a receipt, don't be afraid to ask for a supervisor or a cop).

Random inspections of tourist bags when entering Mexico is nothing new. Cameras and other serious-looking photography gear have been subject to this (an import tax) for years, with wildly varying enforcement. This is the first time I've heard of a "drone tax" but maybe I've just missed it, maybe it's a new thing. To be honest, I'm a bit skeptical, but willing to be convinced.

Please give us more details.

Regret delay. Was offshore / in transit until yesterday.

Point of entry: Mexico City airport.
My carry- on was x-rayed. I was sidelined and my camera bag was searched. I was told there was now a tax on “all drones”. No mention was made of size-weight. I was taxed and paid immediately at the customs kiosk. I have the receipt. The staff was civil and communicated this was all quite routine. They did not share how it was calculated.
I am looking for my receipt now.

 

[dfross]

This was for recreational use only.
I fly a Mavic 3.
It performed exceptionally well BTW.

 

[lookout]

No real argument there - although I have never heard of a specific "drone tax" in Mexico and I am still skeptical such a tax exists (has anyone else heard of that?)...if it's not simply a shakedown (quite possible), it may just fall under the "import duty" that's sometimes (but not always) imposed when bringing in any fancy or expensive-looking cameras or other perceived high-value gear. I'm very curious to know if this is a specific fee/duty/tax/whatever on drones, or just the more general (and long-established) practice of "you have something expensive, so pay us some money".

According to this thread, A look at Mexican drone laws, while yes there definitely are some (surprisingly) tight restrictions on larger drones and commercial use, if you are just flying recreationally and you have your sub 250 gram Mini along, even foreign visitors are OK to fly drones with no registration or permit required (with some reasonable location prohibitions/restrictions) - at least that's the best I can make out of the contradictory writings posted online (here and elsewhere).

I agree that it's important to research drone regs before visiting foreign countries, as frustrating and murky as that may be (and as someone who enjoys internatonal travel and photography, it's a pet peave of mine). Unfortunately, much (most?) of what one finds online about foreign drone regs is way out of date, contradictory, or just plain wrong.

The sub250g isn't just the faa, it's somewhat of an international traveller regulation.

 

[dfross]

Where did this happen?

Mexico City airport.

 

[dfross]

The sub250g isn't just the faa, it's somewhat of an international traveller regulation.

I own a Mavic 3 - well over 250 gr.
That haven’t been said I can assure you that the customs agent I dealt didn’t ask or care about the model I had or it’s weight. I’m lucky she didn’t or I would have paid more in taxes. She simply asked me it’s value.

 

[lookout]

I own a Mavic 3 - well over 250 gr.
That haven’t been said I can assure you that the customs agent I dealt didn’t ask or care about the model I had or it’s weight. I’m lucky she didn’t or I would have paid more in taxes. She simply asked me it’s value.

Maybe a case for an extortion tax or an uneducated agent.

 

[rexster1505]

Regret delay. Was offshore / in transit until yesterday.

Point of entry: Mexico City airport.
My carry- on was x-rayed. I was sidelined and my camera bag was searched. I was told there was now a tax on “all drones”. No mention was made of size-weight. I was taxed and paid immediately at the customs kiosk. I have the receipt. The staff was civil and communicated this was all quite routine. They did not share how it was calculated.
I am looking for my receipt now.

How much was it?