YOU DO NOT HAVE TO MOVE EVERYTHING AT ONCE

Your first arrival in Mexico can be:

• A suitcase move

• A staged move

• A partial shipment

• A full household move

For a trial or seasonal move, a furnished rental and a few suitcases may give you everything you need to test daily life without making expensive permanent decisions.

If you later import household goods, Mexico has specific customs processes. The rules depend on your residency status and the type of import. A shipment may require a detailed inventory, a consular certificate and customs assistance.

Pet travel also involves more than one rulebook. You need to check:

• Mexico’s current entry requirements

• Your airline’s or carrier’s rules

• The rules for every transit country

• Canada’s requirements if the pet returns

Always confirm these rules again close to the travel date.

TEST YOUR MOST LIKELY MOVING METHOD

Choose the option that currently feels most realistic:

If You Would Arrive With Suitcases, check one possible airline and note:

• Number and size of bags permitted

• Additional-bag fees

• Oversize or overweight fees

• Rules for anything unusual you may bring

If You Would Store Belonging, look at one local storage option and note:

• Monthly cost

• Insurance

• Access

• Minimum commitment

• Your proposed review date

If You Would Ship Belongings, search:

“international household mover Canada to Mexico”

or:

“mudanza internacional Canadá a México”

Look for companies with specific Mexico customs experience.

Questions to ask include:

• Is the quote door-to-door?

• Who completes customs clearance?

• Are duties, brokerage and local delivery included?

• What could create storage or delay fees?

• What insurance is included?

• What items are prohibited?

• What documents and inventory are required?

You do not need to request a quote today unless you want to.

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If You Are Bringing a Pet

Check:

1. The current SENASICA or CFIA requirements

2. One possible airline’s pet policy

3. The location of a veterinarian near your possible Mexican home

Useful searches:

“[Airline] pet in cabin Mexico”

“[Airline] pet cargo Mexico”

“veterinarian in [location] Mexico”

“veterinario en [location]”

*** Notice What You May Be Trying to Recreate ***

Look around your current home and choose three things you immediately assume you would need to bring.

For each one, ask:

• Do I truly need this—or does it simply represent familiarity?

• Would bringing it support my new life or help me avoid engaging with it?

• Could I wait until I have lived in Mexico before deciding?

• Is the Mexican alternative something I could be curious about?

• Have I confirmed that its measurements, parts and requirements will work there?

This is not about forcing yourself to give away meaningful possessions.

It is about noticing the difference between bringing a few pieces of home and trying to transport your entire way of life.

CREATE YOUR FIRST-STAGE MOVING PLAN

Today, you’ll decide what needs to happen for your initial move—not for every possible future version of your life.

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Steps

1. Open your Can I Really Move to Mexico? Notes folder.

2. Create a new note.

3. Copy and paste the prompt below into your note.

4. Choose the moving approach that currently fits you best.

5. If a pet is coming, complete the pet section separately.

6. Choose one logistical question to investigate next.

COPY-AND-PASTE PROMPT

DAY 11 — MY FIRST-STAGE MOVING PLAN

My likely first-stage approach is:

Suitcases / Staged move / Partial shipment / Full household move / I’m not sure yet

The five things I would genuinely need to bring first are:

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

The things I could leave, store, sell or give away are:

The things that may be easier to buy in Mexico are:

Before shipping anything, I need to verify:

Measurements / Electrical requirements / Climate suitability / Shipping and customs costs / Other

If a pet is coming with me, the most important detail I need to investigate is:

What part of my Canadian life might I be trying to recreate in Mexico?

What am I willing to leave behind or experience differently?

One part of Mexican life I want to approach with curiosity is:

My next moving step is:

OPTIONAL DEEPER QUESTION

If you knew that you could leave most of your belongings behind for the first six months, would moving to Mexico feel lighter—or would being separated from those things make it harder to feel at home?

What does your answer tell you about what “home” means to you?

HELPFUL RESOURCES

• CFIA: Exporting dogs and cats from Canada to Mexico

• CFIA: Travelling with a pet

• SENASICA: Current pet-travel information

• Mexico Customs: Passenger baggage and allowances

• Mexico Customs: Household-goods procedures

• Embassy of Mexico in Canada: Services for foreigners

Important Pet Note

Current CFIA guidance states that a health certificate is no longer required for a dog or cat travelling directly from Canada to Mexico. The animal must still be presented for inspection upon arrival.

Because animal-entry rules can change—and because airline and transit-country rules are separate—participants should verify all requirements shortly before booking and again before departure.

Heat Embargo

Many parts of Mexico have heat embargo that takes place during the hottest months of the year for airline travel. This means that there are no animals allowed within the hold of the plane. This is important to review ahead of time as you will need to address how you might get your pet to and from Mexico if they do not fit in cabin airlines requirements.

There are many companies that do ground transport as a stand alone service. It is worthwhile investigating these companies if you have a larger dog to know your options in event of emergency or a need to travel between Canada and Mexico with your pet. Its also important to note that additional health documents may be required in this instance due to travel through the US.

Important Household-Goods Note

Personal luggage and an international household shipment are not treated the same way.

Requirements can depend on immigration status, timing, the type of goods and whether the import is temporary or permanent. Confirm the process with the Mexican embassy or consulate responsible for your area before shipping anything.

Day 11 is complete when you have:

• Chosen a likely first-stage moving approach

• Created a short Bring Now list

• Identified what can wait

• Listed the pet requirements you need to verify, if applicable

• Chosen one logistical question to investigate next

You do not need to book transportation, hire a moving company or decide the future of every possession today.

Tomorrow, we’ll explore transportation in Mexico and answer another important question:

Would you actually need a car?