Anyone relocating to Mexico with legal residency can bring a full consignment of household goods into the country without paying import duty — but only once, and only if the paperwork is done right. The process is known as Menaje de Casa, and it's one of the most useful (and most misunderstood) perks available to new temporary and permanent residents.
The exemption applies to foreign nationals with Temporary or Permanent residency, plus Mexican passport holders. Normally, cross-border limits on personal goods are tight — a few hundred dollars' worth per crossing, with duty owed above that. Menaje de Casa sidesteps that entirely for qualifying shipments, but you get a single shot at it.
The paperwork starts outside Mexico. In most cases, the Mexican consulate nearest to your departure point must certify your inventory, which has to be written in Spanish in a specific format. Certification costs roughly US$150, and some consulates won't process a request if your residency permit is more than six months old — so timing matters. Requirements also vary by consulate, border crossing, and customs broker, so it's worth confirming details before you pack anything.
One rule catches people out constantly: your shipment must genuinely look like a household move. You can't send two paintings or a single heirloom under the exemption — those need to be combined into a reasonable consignment of boxes and furniture.
What can go in the boxes? Only used goods. Every item must have been in normal household use for at least six months, which rules out anything new, tagged, or boxed. On the approved list: furniture, clothing, linens, books, bicycles, musical instruments, computers, appliances, garden furniture, and medical or mobility equipment. Off-limits are firearms and ammunition, all weapons including bows and swords, and anything requiring plated registration — so no cars, motorcycles or scooters. Also banned: medications, alcohol, food, toiletries, gas tanks, chemicals, taxidermy, vehicle tires, and anything destined for resale or gallery use.
Mexperience recommends hiring a moving company rather than self-moving. Removals firms know the import rules, the cost-efficient routes, and the exact paperwork Mexican Customs expects, which makes clearing the border far smoother. Self-movers should contact their consulate and may still need a customs broker.
If you later leave Mexico, similar planning applies in reverse — you'll need to check the import requirements of your next country, and a moving company can handle the process.
For anyone furnishing a home in Mexico City, Puerto Vallarta or Merida, this is genuinely worth the hassle: shipping a houseful of used furniture and belongings duty-free can save thousands versus buying or importing it all at retail rates. Plan the inventory early, get the consulate step right, and the process is very manageable.
