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Export rules, Mexico
I just ordered a $449 Dell laptop, Vostros. I note it says it is not supposed to be exported.
Has anyone heard of people having legal problems for taking along a laptop to Mexico with them when they go as a tourist?
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You aren't exporting just by taking it with you, but they may suspect you purchased it abroad. I've heard of people getting hassled about paying duty on laptops at customs when they try to reenter the US, but you should be OK if you take a copy of your invoice with you.
Homeland Security link
drChuck
"Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones."
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Okay, that statement about not exporting it by taking it with you is the answer to my question, thanks.
And, that is neat with the link telling how to register an item before leaving. I need to bookmark that URL page.
In my case, I now drive across at the Pharr bridge, and when I come back, they are concerned about plants and meats for the most part. So, they have never looked at my laptop nor even asked about it.
I imagine if you come in by plane they look for totally different things. I just read via Digg I think, that in some cases they look into the laptops, make owners log in and show password files, also have confiscated for further digging laptops promising to return them eventually, and in some cases never do. Some companies are allegedly requiring all company laptops to have wiped HD, and then use the web to access company data needed on the trip. But, again, that seems to be via air travel.
If you cross into Mexico by car, when you come back, there will be hundreds of cars lined up and it can take hours to get through that line during busy seasons. Most is local traffic, so they really don't dig that deep. Personal i.d.; and ask about agricultural issues and maybe booze.
There is a secondary inspection line they send you to if they have any further questions, but for me it was eggs, hard boiled eggs.
Thanks for tip on registering stuff! Good tip.
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Customs is looking at laptops, cell phones, etc. now . Read all about it on slashdot.org
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Which form of transport?
 Originally Posted by ph34r
Customs is looking at laptops, cell phones, etc. now . Read all about it on slashdot.org
It is still not clear to me exactly what situation you refer to. I can see they may worry about laptops and cell phones when airplane security is involved.
Or, maybe if you come in from Asia or Europe which will normally be by airplane these days.
Frankly, few people buy such things in Mexico because they are much more expensive in Mexico. So, there may be no real concern about people beating U.S. customs on electronics when returning.
However, people coming back from Asia, for example, may try to sneak in all sorts of electronics, and for all I know, it may be cheaper there. So, there might be a customs value issue. However, that is a bootlegging concern, not a technology export issue, and my original question was related to technology export laws, not dollar value for customs.
For sure, people going into Mexico try to sneak in stuff like that, since electronics tends to cost around 30% more in Mexico. So, Mexican customs definitely looks for electronics. However, each person entering Mexico is allowed to take one personal laptop, so they pay little attention. Desktops are a different matter, especially used ones. Unless the rules are changing under NAFTA, any importation of used desktops is so complex, and so much expense, that I know of few going over. For new ones, declare them, they subtract your personal allowance, which for tourists is around $50, then you pay 17% of the receipt value.
But, I just came across by land, from Mexico, a few weeks ago, and they don't even ask on the US side if I have a cell phone or laptop in the car. They have a large number of cars coming across, and mostly they worry about agricultural products. And, booze.
Land crossings from Mexico are a different world from air travel. Most who cross probably live close to the border, and many if not most are simply crossing to and from work. There is so darned much car traffic they simply don't have time to check everything, and they do not.
They check your passport or (pink) green card, ask a few questions, may make a cursory look in the window, once in a while actually lean in the car, and unless there is some reason to dig further, they wave you on. If they have further concerns, they wave you to the special line. The only time that has ever happened to me is when we admitted we had boiled eggs. The rules on eggs had changed from previous trip, so they confiscated them.
Has anyone here had them ask at land crossings if cars have cell phones or laptops?
I admit they could have made a recent change, and I wouldn't know about it. But, living around the border, no one has mentioned it yet, so I am trying to find out now that you have brought up the topic. Until I get more details somehow, I am going to theorize they are worried about people bootlegging cheap computers.
On the other hand, there have been statements of security checking outbound equipment for hidden files, and making owners supply passwords for secure files. I see that as a terrorist/security issue, not technology laws and not customs issues.
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Slash dot org
I went to slash.org and looked. I decided maybe it was on the news part. I went back to Feb 7th, and all I found was a statement that some local security goons were telling passengers to take all blackberries and Ipods, etc., out of check on luggage, and run them through screening.
That is definitely air travel and is definitely security related.
If you find a link on laptops, I would be pleased to read it. Thanks.
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Thanks
Originally Posted by ph34r
Excellent. Thanks for the links.
I am going on Lonely Planet and see if anyone has been asked to show their laptops coming by land, but it will be on the Mexico thread, so it will only tell us about Mexico, not Canada, and there are no other land borders that I know of.  .
I am sure the folks there will also find this interesting.
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Additional thought
I posted my question on Lonely Planet, with the links and will keep you posted.
I did note the problem was outbound traffic in the included story. And, it seems to involve security (TSA?) not customs. No, that is not correct. Both articles do SAY customs agents. but, one article says customs claims the right to inspect data COMING INTO the country.
The other article involves outbound traffic, but does not really say it was a customs agent who took it, just a Federal Agent, and TSA are Federal Agents. The quoted comment by the agent was a security type comment, not a customs type comment.
When one crosses into Mexico by land vehicle or on foot, US customs/immigration do not normally pay any attention. At times, there will be a local cop standing watching people leave, and thus I suppose someone might attract negative attention, but there is no standard screening at all.
To arrest illegals on the way out, there have been Congressional attempts to require full identification of all persons going out to Mexico or Canada. But, USCIS simply does not have the money to do the job. And, local government officials raise such a stink it always gets dropped at the last minute.
At this time, I must wonder if there is more to these incidents than reported, or the media is sensationalizing isolated incidents involving idiotic agents. Like the kid who was forced to drink the swamp water he was taking home for a science project and got sick.
I even gotta' wonder if the missing laptop is in the house of the agent that took it.
Anyway, good catch. I will be looking at this, and clearly so will the courts.
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