Driving to Guatemala as a tourist, or importing a vehicle.
The Guatemala border can be a hair rising experience if you’re driving and not prepared.
If you read this in detail, you can do it with no problems.
I will assume that you are coming through Mexico to Guatemala.
First of all, buy Mexican car insurance! If you don’t, and you are involved in an accident, your car will be impounded (and more than likely stripped clean in the impound lot), plus you may end up in jail until the case is heard, and you have paid whatever damages the court may apply. If death is involved, that may be a long time.
Sanborns is one of the best know Mexican insurance company operating in the US close to the border. Personally, I find them quite expensive. You can go on the internet and search for “Mexican car insurance” and there are several companies that will issue you a policy over the internet at a much better rate. When you enter Mexico, you will receive a tourist permit that allows you to transit the country at the US border crossing into Mexico.
You will need to produce your title, drivers license, and have a valid credit or debit card to get a permit. The owner of the vehicle must be with the vehicle. If you have a title that has not yet been transferred into your name, you will need the title signed off by the previous owner, and a “realistic” bill of sale. Please don’t provide a bar napkin saying you bought it from “Bill Smith”, as that won’t do it!
Also, get a photo copy of the title, drivers license, and your passport as you will need it later. Be sure to get Mexican pesos at the border area, as the gas stations in Mexico don’t accept credit cards, and most places on the trip will be the same.
If it’s the first time entering Mexico, don’t assume that you can just drive to Guatemala without stopping at the Mexican border and getting a permit for your car. If you do, about 20 Km’s from the border heading south, you will be stopped for an additional inspection, and if you have no permit, you will be sent back to the border to get one. That can be very frustrating to say the least.
When getting your permit, you will be asked how long you’re planning to stay in Mexico. It’ a wise idea to say “3 to 4 weeks” and that you’re on holidays. If they want a destination, it’s best to tell them somewhere in Mexico, such as Cancun or Puerto Escondido etc. The reason is, that they have the right (not often enforced) to make you wait and become part of a convoy that is only passing through the country. This is not a great experience if should happen to you. Be sure to smile and be as polite as possibly to the people at the border. If you’re in a bitchy mood, they can make you life miserable. Once this is all done, you’re on your way!
For safety and speed, I suggest crossing into Mexico in the Brownsville Texas area. The drive is better, the scenery is decent, and you bypass Mexico City. Try to map out you trip on the east coast to arrive at Juchitan, and then cross to the west coast from Juchitan that will bring you out close to Salina Cruz. Head south to Tapachula, and you’re at the Guatemala border. About 20 Klm’s from Tapachula, you will find a big green building on you left. There is a sign saying “Viva Mexico”, and it is an inspection station for vehicles heading north into Mexico. Stop at the side of the road, and take your permit papers into the building, and they will stamp you car out of the country at that point. They will give you a copy of the canceled permit, and you will need to keep that copy with you should you be returning through Mexico at a later date. Keep it in a safe place.
Now, your almost there! Keep driving toward Tapachula, and there will be ample signs directing you to the border.
Once you arrive at the border, stop your car on the Mexican side and go into the immigration office and present your passport. They will stamp you out of the country at that point. When you entered Mexico and received your car permit, you will also have received a tourist permit.
You will be required to pay a fee for the tourist permit before exiting Mexico. Any bank will accept the payment, which is around $25.00 per person. There are NO banks at the border in Mexico/Guatemala, so your last chance is in Tapachula. The border at the US/Mexico should accept the payment the moment the tourist permit is issued. I would strongly advise that if that service is available, do it at the US/Mexico border.
At the Mexican border, be prepared to be deluged by a lot of people trying to get you to exchange your money, and offering to “help” you get your car permit in Guatemala. Politely tell them to leave you alone. You don’t need them, and you will get ripped off big time. It is a good idea to get some Guatemala Quetzales from the money traders on the Mexican side, and I suggest about $50.00 to $75.00 is more than sufficient.
Once your stamped out of Mexico, there is a small bridge that you cross to enter Guatemala. There is a Q5.00 fee for the bridge (about 0.65 US). Once you pass the bridge, the immigration office is on your left. Stop you car on the right side of the road, and take your passport to the immigration window and have it stamped in. The normal stamp allows you 90 days in the country. There is NO fee for the stamp in, but there is a Q10.00 fee when you leave. If you look totally confused at the immigration window, they may try to extort the fee on entering. If there are passengers in the car, only one person has to go to the window with all of the passports. There is a form that needs to be completed at the window, so have a pen with you.
Now that that is done, you proceed forward, and there will be 3 or 4 orange pylons . Stop by the pylons for the fumigation game. That is a joke, but it costs around Q16.00 for a normal car.
Once fumigated, you continue about 20 yards, and your now under a covered roof structure with a ton of people milling around. The first person you will encounter is the “wash your windshield guy”. Unless you don’t mind your car getting scratched up and a dirtier windshield that you began with, politely tell him “no gracias” but be firm about it!
The building on your left has an entrance that is quite obvious. That is where you enter.
As you have previously made photo copies of your title, license and passport, you’re going to need two more. That will be the page of your passport that you just had stamped at the Guatemala immigration booth. They will also ask you for the copy of the Mexican tourist car permit that was stamped out at the “Viva Mexico” station. When you entered the building, just pass through to the other side, and you will see some buildings. They have photo copy service there. A copy is around 0.50 Quetzales each. Once you have these copies, plus the ones you had already, you can proceed to get you car permit.
When you entered the building from where you parked you car, there are 3 or 4 windows that look like a bank teller window. Go to the first window as you entered, and present all of your original documents, and the photo copies. You really don’t need to say anything, as the person on duty will know what you want. He will ask you where the car is. You can simply point at it.
This window can be quite busy, and people will try to push in front if you let them. Stand your ground and act like an NFL line blocker. Within 10 to 20 minutes, the clerk will give you a few papers to sign. One paper will be a form you need to take to the bank to pay the fees, which is around Q42.00 (about $5.50 US). To get to the bank, go out the door you entered through, turn left and about 15 yards from the door is the bank window. Pass the teller the paper with the money, and she will stamp it and receipt it, and hand it back to you.
Now, go back to the window you came from, and hand the clerk the receipt. He/she will pass the papers through a window to a person outside sitting at a desk. He will record the details in a big book, and give you your original papers back. Someone will go to the car with you and apply the tourist sticker to the inside of your windshield.
The document you receive from the clerk you must keep with you at all times while driving. Please read the document, and pay attention to the date that you are required to leave the country. It should be 42 days from the time you entered. If you you’re planning to stay longer, you must return to the Mexican border within the 42 days, and re enter the country again going through the same process.
According to the law, you have to leave the country for 72 hours before you can re enter. I have never seen this applied, but it is advisable to go to Tapachula for a day and return the next. They will generally not let you do a quick turn around, but sometimes they might. It is generally immigration that won’t allow you to stamp out and immediately stamp in again. Without the stamp in, you can’t do anything.
Remember, you will need to do the photo copies again, cross the bridge, get fumigated and deal with the “window washer guy” all over again.
As far as insurance is concerned, you are at risk as you would have been in Mexico if you’re not covered. There are NO insurance agencies at the border in Guatemala. If you need insurance, I suggest you let us know, and we can get you covered before you enter Guatemala. It will only be 3rd party insurance, as you will need to have your car registered in Guatemala to get full coverage.
If you are planning to import the car into Guatemala, just bring it in on a tourist permit, and don’t discuss importing at the border. It can be done in Guatemala City a lot easier. You will need a bill of sale if you just purchased the vehicle, and it shouldn’t be something really stupid like a 2004 BMW with a bill of sale for $5000.00 US. They will only accept bills of sale from auto auctions, or from a registered car dealer.
If you have owned the car for some time, then they will appraise it by the Blue Book, and you are subject to a 32% import tax. That can be costly.
Generally, you can hire a person for around Q200.00 to do the paper work for you if you want to import. These people can negotiate with Customs on the tax you would need to pay, and get you a better deal. Don’t try to do it yourself, as you will be totally out of your field, and it could take you days to do rather than a few hours. It’s a well spent Q200.00.
If you’re coming to Guatemala to retire, or stay for an extended period of time, I would highly recommend that you sell your vehicle and purchase a vehicle when you arrive. In the long run, it works out to be a lot less expensive than importing.
I hope this helps anyone who has taken the time to read it, and feel free to contact me, by leaving a comment in this article, if you need further clarification.
Best of luck on your travels to Guatemala
Brian Wilson
Casa Nova Real Estate
Antigua, Guatemala
US toll free 866-428-0675