« Setting the Clocks | Main | Left Hand Guard and Clutch Lever for 2017 Africa Twin »
November 7, 2017
Banjercito Temporary Vehicle Import Permit
Dial 011 52 55 5626 0500. Then, a recorded voice says blah blah blah "markey ahora". You enter the extension now: 2637.
Then, they'll say..."blah blah blah for English, press 2 ?
"Thank you for holding."
"If you know what the requirements of obtaining a Banjercito Temporary Vehicle Import Permit are, but wish to make an appointment, press" 3.
For information on importing
For information on appointment press 3
For info on requirements press 1.
To schedule an appointment, press 2.
Press 2.
To schedule you must write down the appointment number.
We will transfer you to one of our agents.
9:42 a.m. tomorrow morning - November 8th.
Confirmation Number: 131 156 841 118 181 027.
So, tomorrow will be my 3rd (and hopefully final) trip to the Mexican Consulate in Denver. I swear it's like my second home. The problem I have now is that, when I go online to fill out the Temporary Electronic version of the FMM - when I fill out the online form, the "NAMES" section is confusing to me. People in Latin America tend to have more than the standard first, middle, last that is common in civilized countries. So, when I'm filling out NAMES section of the form, you'll understand that there is going to be some room for error here. Also, consider that the form and directions are all in Spanish, and you'll begin to grasp why I keep getting the "name" section filled out incorrectly.
Let's see if I can provide a link to the offending section of the online temporary version of the FMM form:
Here's the form when you first start to fill it out. So, obviously, no one can read this because it's not in English. That's the first problem, obviously.
But if you go back to the top right section of the form, you'll see you can choose "ES" (Spanish), or "EN" (English). So, click on the grey "EN" box, and it changes to English.
So, now we see the first box on the form is labeled "Name(s)". Now, what you're supposed to put in here,"FIRSTNAME MIDDLENAME" apparently. Who would have guessed? Christ.
The asterisks mean "Data Required" (this is at the bottom left of the form).
Birth date Format: dd/mm/yyyy o ddmmyy
Passport Issuing Date: dd/mm/yyyy o ddmmyy
Passport Expiration Date: dd/mm/yyyy o ddmmyy
Also, it's nearly impossible to get the dates correct, and there are several you have to enter.
You have to enter your Birthdate, the Issue Date of your passport, and the Passport Expiration Date. Now, normally, this wouldn't be very hard. But the date format we use and the date format they use are not the same.
If I said today is 11/7/2017, like it says in the corner of my computer screen, no one in America would think today is July 11th. But that's how their date formats work.
So, this online electronic TEMPORARY FMM VISA Application has to match EXACTLY what your passport says. But, I kept getting my name wrong on the FMM. And I've also managed to the the Passport dates wrong as well. Once you get your name right on the FMM, and you manage to get the dates hammered in backwards so the dates are correct, then you have to schedule an appointment with the Mexican Consultate in Denver. Then, once you have your appointment, then you go to the Mexican Consulate Office in Denver. The address is:
5350 Leetsdale Dr #100, Glendale, CO 80246
Phone: (303) 331-1110
Now, keep in mind, these people aren't open very long. They close every day at 2:00 p.m. like clockwork. And they don't have a copier. Or a printer. Or internet access. And cell phone use is prohibited in the building. And, when you get there, you'd damned sure better have all of your paperwork. This includes the originals, and copies of, the following:
o Appointment Number Issued by the Mexican Consulate in Mexico City.
Confirmation Number: 131 156 841 118 181 027.
o Passport (Original)
o Copy of Passport. (We told you to bring this, remember?)
o Printed copy of Temporary Online VISA (FMM) that matches Passport EXACTLY.
o Vehicle Registration
o Copy of Vehicle Registration. (We told you to bring copies, didn't we?)
So, you show up with all of this documentation, at the time of your appointment, and then they'll tell you what else is wrong. And, oh, by the way, we close at 2:00. Wash. Rinse. Repeat.
All of this bureaucracy makes me remember that the border crossings always took at least half a day. This is the part of the trip I like the least, obviously.
Yesterday, they kept sending me back to the Office Depot on Colorado Blvd near the Mexican Consulate office, as the Office Depot has computers with internet access, and they'll allow you to go online, fill out the Temporary Electronic FMM form, make copies of your documents, etc. Obviously you can't expect the Mexican Consulate to have internet access, printers, or copiers. That would be absurd.
Posted by Rob Kiser on November 7, 2017 at 9:20 AM
Comments