YOUR TRANSPORTATION NEED MAY DETERMINE WHERE YOU LIVE

Transportation in Mexico is highly location-specific.

A central neighbourhood may allow you to walk, use public transportation and take occasional taxis. A home outside town may require a vehicle for groceries, healthcare and everyday activities.

If you bring a Canadian vehicle, understand that:

• A Temporary Vehicle Import Permit may be required

• Eligibility is connected to immigration status

• The vehicle must be legally returned within the authorized period

• Temporarily imported vehicles cannot legally be sold in Mexico

• Permanent residents should not assume they can retain a Canadian-plated vehicle under a temporary permit

• Mexican liability insurance is mandatory

• Canadian automobile insurance does not replace Mexican liability coverage

Check the official requirements before bringing a vehicle across the border.

TEST ONE ORDINARY WEEK

Choose one location and one possible neighbourhood from your earlier research.

Use Google Maps or another map service to locate:

• A grocery store

• A market

• A pharmacy

• A hospital or clinic

• A bank or ATM

• A café or social activity

• An airport or bus station

• A veterinarian, if applicable

For each place, compare:

• Walking time

• Driving time

• Public-transportation options

• Approximate taxi or rideshare availability

• What the route looks like at street level

Then search:

“public transportation in [location] Mexico”

“autobús urbano en [location]”

“taxi fares in [location] Mexico”

“Uber or DiDi OR INDRIVE in [location] Mexico”

Remember that rideshare availability and local regulations can change. Open the relevant app and check the actual location rather than relying only on an old article.

If You May Bring a Canadian Vehicle

Also investigate:

• Whether your route requires a Temporary Vehicle Import Permit

• Whether your immigration status permits temporary importation

• Whether your financed or leased vehicle can legally leave Canada

• The cost of Mexican insurance

• Whether your vehicle could ever qualify for permanent importation

• How and where the permit must be cancelled when you leave

CREATE YOUR TRANSPORTATION PLAN

Today, you’ll build a first-draft transportation plan for one ordinary week.

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Steps

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

2. Create a new note.

3. Copy and paste the prompt below.

4. Complete it using one possible location and neighbourhood.

5. Choose the transportation approach that appears most realistic.

6. Identify one question that must be answered before you make a vehicle decision.

COPY-AND-PASTE PROMPT

DAY 12 — MY MEXICO TRANSPORTATION PLAN

The location and neighbourhood I’m exploring are:

The places I would need to reach in an ordinary week include:

☐ Groceries
☐ Healthcare and pharmacy
☐ Bank or ATM
☐ Work or coworking space
☐ Social activities
☐ Airport or bus station
☐ Veterinarian
☐ Other:

The transportation options available appear to be:

Walking / Public transportation / Taxi or rideshare / Car rental / Personal vehicle

The possible challenges I noticed are:

Heat / Hills / Sidewalks / Traffic / Distance / Nighttime travel / Mobility / Other

Could I comfortably live here without owning a car? Why or why not?

The transportation approach that currently feels most realistic is:

No car / Occasional rental / Buy in Mexico / Bring my Canadian vehicle / A combination / I’m not sure

The most important transportation detail I still need to verify is:

My next research step is:

OPTIONAL DEEPER QUESTION

Would living without a vehicle feel freeing to you—or would it make you feel dependent and restricted?

How much of your desired Mexican lifestyle depends on being able to come and go entirely on your own schedule?

HELPFUL RESOURCES

• Government of Canada: Mexico travel advice, roads and driving

• Mexico Customs: Temporary vehicle importation

• Banjercito: Vehicle permit information and online services

• Government of Canada: International Driving Permit

• Embassy of Mexico in Canada: Visas and services for foreigners

Important Vehicle Note

Vehicle-import requirements can change and depend on immigration status, the vehicle, the route and where it will be driven.

Before taking a Canadian vehicle to Mexico, confirm the current requirements directly with Banjercito or Mexican customs. If permanent importation is being considered, consult a qualified customs broker before the vehicle enters Mexico.

Important Insurance Note

Mexican liability insurance is mandatory. Canadian automobile insurance is not a substitute for Mexican liability coverage.

Ask the insurer to confirm in writing:

• Who may drive

• Where the policy is valid

• Liability limits

• Collision and theft coverage

• Deductibles

• Legal assistance

• What to do immediately after an accident

Day 12 is complete when you have:

• Mapped the places you would need during an ordinary week

• Tested whether the neighbourhood is realistically walkable

• Identified local transportation options

• Chosen a likely first-stage transportation approach

• Identified one legal or practical vehicle question to investigate

You do not need to buy, rent or import a vehicle today.

Tomorrow, we’ll explore whether it makes more sense to rent first or consider buying property in Mexico.