TIP Issues

[Mengering]

We bought our boat, the previous owner was MIA. Aside from numerous mechanical issues we've resolved, it seems there is an outstanding Temporary Import Permit (TIP). We planned a trip to Ensenada last June, cancelled by COVID. But have another attempt planned for this June.
We became aware of an existing TIP when we went to the Banjercito consulate in Denver. The woman there was very helpful, even calling her counterpart in Ensenada and she told us that they could issue a new TIP, but not if there was an existing one. For that, she told us, we had to sail to Ensenada, go to customs and get the old one cancelled.
Now, our contact in Hotel Coral in Ensenada has told us we need to cancel the old one prior to departing.
This information is contradictory.
Does anyone have any experience cancelling a lingering TIP when the previous owner cannot be located?
My approach is to just go to Ensenada and find out what happens. My wife is smarter and more cautious than I am and is not up for that.
Please provide any tips if you have any.
Thanks
Glenn & Jessica
El Viaje
San Diego CA

 

[BandB]

We bought our boat, the previous owner was MIA. Aside from numerous mechanical issues we've resolved, it seems there is an outstanding Temporary Import Permit (TIP). We planned a trip to Ensenada last June, cancelled by COVID. But have another attempt planned for this June.
We became aware of an existing TIP when we went to the Banjercito consulate in Denver. The woman there was very helpful, even calling her counterpart in Ensenada and she told us that they could issue a new TIP, but not if there was an existing one. For that, she told us, we had to sail to Ensenada, go to customs and get the old one cancelled.
Now, our contact in Hotel Coral in Ensenada has told us we need to cancel the old one prior to departing.
This information is contradictory.
Does anyone have any experience cancelling a lingering TIP when the previous owner cannot be located?
My approach is to just go to Ensenada and find out what happens. My wife is smarter and more cautious than I am and is not up for that.
Please provide any tips if you have any.
Thanks
Glenn & Jessica
El Viaje
San Diego CA

My recommendation would be for you to hire a customs agent in Ensenada and explain the issue and pay them to handle the problem. They'll be able to handle the bureaucracy, cut through the opinions and get you what you need so then when you do get another TIP and go to Ensenada you'll be far less inclined to have issues. This is where someone local with local knowledge and contacts is really worth it.

 

[Crusty Chief]

I would highly recommend trying to resolve the issue prior to entering MX waters. We got our TIP online prior to entering MX and it saved us a lot of time and headaches, and maybe a few bucks.
A MX consulate in So Cal should be able to help you.
Good luck!

 

[mvweebles]

You may want to reach out to Michelle Aquillar. She has a small company assisting cruisers with logistics and paperwork in Ensenada. She used to work ar Cruiseport Marina doing this type of work, then hung out her own shingle a few years ago.

Michelle Aquillar
Info@bcconnection.com
+52 1 646 121 8494
+1 619-305-9385

Good luck.

Peter

 

[rjwilliams11741]

The fact that your vessels PO is MIA really complicates the issue. If the PO was available the simplest route would be for him to go to the Banjercito office in Ensenada and cancel the TIP. If that scenario is impossible using someone like the person recommended by Peter would be wise. A trip to the San Diego Mexican Consulate would be useful before you start pursuing other avenues. Given the large number of boats in San Diego with TIPS they should be in a better position to answer your questions than the Consulate in Denver.

 

[mvweebles]

Looks like there was a one time effort to assist TIPs from previous owners. Latitude 38 is a good source of info as they've been sailing Baja for over 30 years.

https://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/best-solution-for-canceling-old-tips/

 

[Mengering]

Resolved (maybe)

Thank you all for the great advice. My clever wife ended up calling the CBP 619-685-4312 and found that our problems are caused by the previous owners not only not closing their TIP but failing to notify Mexican customs the last time they left (I didn’t even know you had to do that). So Mexico is under thee impression the boat never left Mexico. Apparently we can go to terminal 2 at the San Diego airport, get some form we take with us that proves the boat is in the US, and we should be good to go. One weird stipulation is that we need to get the form exactly two days before we head to Ensenada.
I’ll update this whether or not we have success in case it helps anyone out in the future.

 

[BandB]

Thank you all for the great advice. My clever wife ended up calling the CBP 619-685-4312 and found that our problems are caused by the previous owners not only not closing their TIP but failing to notify Mexican customs the last time they left (I didn’t even know you had to do that). So Mexico is under thee impression the boat never left Mexico. Apparently we can go to terminal 2 at the San Diego airport, get some form we take with us that proves the boat is in the US, and we should be good to go. One weird stipulation is that we need to get the form exactly two days before we head to Ensenada.
I’ll update this whether or not we have success in case it helps anyone out in the future.

Where was the boat when you first became aware of it and then when you purchased it?

 

[Mengering]

We bought it in San Diego in March of 2019 and became aware of the TIP issues in December 2020. It lives in San Diego still.

 

[BandB]

We bought it in San Diego in March of 2019 and became aware of the TIP issues in December 2020. It lives in San Diego still.

They will likely be very interested in the Bill of Sale and registration or documentation. Might want to gather history of slip rental as well. They'll need to be convinced it wasn't sold from Mexico and taxes are not due on the sale.

 

[Mengering]

You may want to reach out to Michelle Aquillar. She has a small company assisting cruisers with logistics and paperwork in Ensenada. She used to work ar Cruiseport Marina doing this type of work, then hung out her own shingle a few years ago.

Michelle Aquillar
Info@bcconnection.com
+52 1 646 121 8494
+1 619-305-9385

Good luck.

Peter

Thank you so much. I gave Michelle a call. It is $260 for a new TIP. $185 to cancel an old one from the previous owner. And $150 to find the missing departure from the previous owner.
If our old 1986 trailer doesn’t give it away, we don’t have a lot of money, so this is our fallback plan if we can’t sorted out through border patrol.

 

[rjwilliams11741]

Thank you so much. I gave Michelle a call. It is $260 for a new TIP. $185 to cancel an old one from the previous owner. And $150 to find the missing departure from the previous owner.
If our old 1986 trailer doesn’t give it away, we don’t have a lot of money, so this is our fallback plan if we can’t sorted out through border patrol.

I understand that you may be living with a limited budget but, based on my experience from cruising in Mexico for a total of 11 years and dealing with Banjercito, Port Captain's and Customs, $600.00 to deal with your problem is a bargain.

 

[mvweebles]

I understand that you may be living with a limited budget but, based on my experience from cruising in Mexico for a total of 11 years and dealing with Banjercito, Port Captain's and Customs, $600.00 to deal with your problem is a bargain.

This is good guidance. OP: sometimes figuring stuff out in Mexico goes smoothly and easily. But when it goes badly, if goes really bad. Orphan TIP is a perfect prologue to the latter. My observation is that Americans who think they understand their rights suffer the most brutal education in third world countries.

Good luck.

Peter

 

[BandB]

This is good guidance. OP: sometimes figuring stuff out in Mexico goes smoothly and easily. But when it goes badly, if goes really bad. Orphan TIP is a perfect prologue to the latter. My observation is that Americans who think they understand their rights suffer the most brutal education in third world countries.

Good luck.

Peter

I'll give one of the simplest examples in one Mexican port. We engaged a local agent. There were tables set up of the different areas you needed to clear including one off sight location you needed to go to. Something like four authorities. We were completely processed in less than an hour. We saw others take all day and some had to make multiple trips to town. They encountered waiting in line, waiting for someone to return from a long lunch, needing currency, needing receipts. I don't know all they encountered but the agent just smoothly walked it all through. The others may have saved money although not always because occasionally got hit with bogus fees. For us it was easy and cost very little extra if any.

I've witnessed a DR port where customs held their hands out for tips. We tipped. Another boat right behind us not only didn't tip but made a huge issue of the outrage and corruption. When they got ready to leave it took them from Friday to Monday to get a customs agent. They requested one mid afternoon Friday and were told too late. They refused to "pay a premium" for the weekend. Instead they paid a premium in three additional days of dock fees. When we got ready to depart we got an agent when requested. Is any of that right or proper? No, but it's the reality.

Some get good results by being obstinate and stubborn and even arguing rights but I've found as mvweebles indicates you don't get far arguing law with the person in charge. That's not just true in other countries. It doesn't work with police in the US and definitely doesn't work with the clerks at city hall or other places. You have to decide which battles to fight and weigh expediency vs. proving you're right.

 

[Corky Row]

I ran an event that took 40+ power boats (CUBAR) from San Diego to La Paz in 2015 and 2017 and nearly each boat had its own unique issues with TIPs. Best person to deal with these types of issues is Fito Espinoza who is the dock master at Coral marina in Ensenada. Beyond the charges from the government to process the paper work, he typically charges a minor processing fee while staying at the marina. He can be reached at 866 302 0066. Also, be sure to include your dinghy when getting your new tip.

 

[rjwilliams11741]

I ran an event that took 40+ power boats (CUBAR) from San Diego to La Paz in 2015 and 2017 and nearly each boat had its own unique issues with TIPs. Best person to deal with these types of issues is Fito Espinoza who is the dock master at Coral marina in Ensenada. Beyond the charges from the government to process the paper work, he typically charges a minor processing fee while staying at the marina. He can be reached at 866 302 0066. Also, be sure to include your dinghy when getting your new tip.

Wow, I first dealt with Fito back in 2001. Didn’t know he was still there. Yes, he also a great source. Regards a TIP for your dinghy, I never had a separate TIP for my dinghy. My understanding is that one is not needed if your dinghy is under 15 feet (4.5 meters).

 

[Corky Row]

You're correct regarding not needing a separate TIP for your dinghy under 15 feet, but you must include your dinghy on the list of equipment for the main boat. The most recent TIP form does not specifically mention this but several of the boats that went down with us did not include their dinghy and ended up having to update/revise the main boat tip once they arrived in Ensenada.

 

[Bryant]

Tip

We bought our boat, the previous owner was MIA. Aside from numerous mechanical issues we've resolved, it seems there is an outstanding Temporary Import Permit (TIP). We planned a trip to Ensenada last June, cancelled by COVID. But have another attempt planned for this June.
We became aware of an existing TIP when we went to the Banjercito consulate in Denver. The woman there was very helpful, even calling her counterpart in Ensenada and she told us that they could issue a new TIP, but not if there was an existing one. For that, she told us, we had to sail to Ensenada, go to customs and get the old one cancelled.
Now, our contact in Hotel Coral in Ensenada has told us we need to cancel the old one prior to departing.
This information is contradictory.
Does anyone have any experience cancelling a lingering TIP when the previous owner cannot be located?
My approach is to just go to Ensenada and find out what happens. My wife is smarter and more cautious than I am and is not up for that.
Please provide any tips if you have any.
Thanks
Glenn & Jessica
El Viaje
San Diego CA

Under no circumstances would I take ANY boat into Mexico if there were legal/customs clearing issues. Once there, you are at their mercy and they could impound your boat for years (at your expense) while sorting things out. Hire an attorney or a representative in Ensenada to represent you and if possible, go there and accompany them while they have this issue resolved. You do not ever go into Mexico with unsolved pre existing legal issues of any kind.

 

[Terry Wilkinson]

A suggestion from Fito at Marina Coral when I had the same problem was to get a Coast Guard Auxiliary inspection to prove your boat was returned to US

 

[mvweebles]

Under no circumstances would I take ANY boat into Mexico if there were legal/customs clearing issues. Once there, you are at their mercy and they could impound your boat for years (at your expense) while sorting things out. Hire an attorney or a representative in Ensenada to represent you and if possible, go there and accompany them while they have this issue resolved. You do not ever go into Mexico with unsolved pre existing legal issues of any kind.

Of the OP does encounter legal jssues while in Ensenada, a good attorney there is

José Luis Pérez Rocha
jlpr@jlprl.com
+52 646 197 3822

He is familiar with marine issues and topics.