Menaje de Casa: How to Import Household Goods Duty-Free to Mexico

The menaje de casa program is one of the most practical benefits of becoming a legal resident of Mexico, and most people moving from the US or Canada have never heard of it until they start packing. In short, it allows you to ship your used household belongings across the border without paying Mexican import duties. Without it, you could be looking at 16% VAT or more on the declared value of your entire shipment. That adds up fast on a houseful of furniture, electronics, and kitchen gear. This guide walks you through exactly how it works, who qualifies, what you can bring, and how to get through the consulate process without unnecessary delays.

What Menaje de Casa Actually Means

The phrase translates roughly as "household furnishings" or "household effects." As a customs program, it's the official mechanism through which Mexico allows qualifying residents to import their personal belongings as part of a genuine residential relocation, not as a commercial shipment.

The key word is "genuine." Mexican customs takes seriously the idea that this exemption exists for people actually moving their lives to Mexico, not for importing goods to sell. Your shipment needs to look like a real household move: a reasonable amount of furniture, boxes, personal items, and everyday appliances. A single pallet of electronics or a handful of boxes won't meet the spirit of the program.

The financial benefit is real. Standard Mexican import duties can be significant, and 16% VAT applies on top of them. For someone shipping a three-bedroom home's worth of goods, the menaje de casa exemption can save thousands of dollars.

Who Can Use Menaje de Casa: Residency Requirements

This is where many people run into trouble early. Only individuals holding a valid Mexican temporary resident visa or permanent resident visa can use the menaje de casa program. Tourists on a 180-day FMM or standard visitor stamp are not eligible, full stop.

If you're an American or Canadian who plans to enter Mexico first on a tourist stamp and then convert to residency later, this matters a lot. Your residency visa needs to be approved at a Mexican consulate in the US or Canada before your goods arrive at a Mexican port of entry. If you're still figuring out the residency process, our guide on how to apply for Mexico residency from the US is a good place to start.

There's also an important distinction between temporary and permanent residents under this program. Temporary residents are essentially borrowing their goods into the country. Your belongings are tied to your visa status. If you leave Mexico and don't renew your residency, those items are technically supposed to leave with you. Permanent residents, by contrast, are importing their goods permanently. If you're weighing which visa type makes more sense for your situation, take a look at our breakdown of temporary residency vs permanent residency before you commit.

The 6-Month Window You Cannot Miss

This is the single most important logistical detail of the entire process. You have exactly six months from your first official entry into Mexico under your residency visa to complete everything. Every step, from getting the consular certificate to the physical crossing of your shipment at a Mexican port, must happen within that window.

Your clock starts on your entry date, not when your visa was issued and not when you started planning your move. Miss the deadline and your shipment loses its duty-free status entirely. You would owe standard import taxes on everything in the container.

Sea freight from California to Mexico typically runs 7 to 9 weeks door to door under normal conditions, though port congestion can push that to 12 weeks. Air freight is faster at around 2 to 3 weeks, but it's only economical for small shipments. Either way, you need to factor in the time to get your consular certificate, hire a customs broker, and let your freight company coordinate the crossing. Starting the process within the first couple of months of your entry date gives you a reasonable buffer.

What You Can and Cannot Bring

Items That Qualify

The menaje de casa covers the kinds of things you'd find in any family home. Furniture, clothing, bedding, curtains, books, kitchenware, art, decorative items, mirrors, children's toys, bicycles, musical instruments, and personal collections all belong in the inventory. Electronics and home-office equipment are allowed too, including computers, televisions, and standard appliances.

Professional tools and hobby equipment can also be included, provided they're genuinely for your personal use or profession. Medical equipment such as wheelchairs, blood pressure monitors, oxygen generators, and similar items are permitted duty-free as well.

The Used-Items Rule

This is a rule that catches people off guard. Every single item in your menaje de casa shipment must be at least six months old and must have been in active household use for that period. Items cannot be in their original packaging or boxes.

This means you cannot buy a new TV, throw it in the container, and call it a household good. Customs can and does question items that appear new. If something looks like it just came off a store shelf, be prepared for scrutiny or rejection of that item from the exemption.

What's Not Allowed

The exclusions are firm. You cannot include cars, motorcycles, boats, firearms, ammunition, weapons of any kind, live plants or animals, fresh or frozen food, spices, seeds, beverages, drugs, or pornographic material. Fine antiques and fuel-powered engines are also excluded.

New items or items with less than six months of use don't qualify, even if they would otherwise be a normal household item. And used items packed in original factory cartons are also excluded, so unbox everything before it goes into the container.

The Consulate Process: Documents You Need

Before your goods can cross the border duty-free, you need a certification from a Mexican consulate. This appointment must happen in person, Monday through Friday between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., and the certificate will be ready the following business day.

The consular fee is $195 USD, payable in cash or by money order.

Here's what you need to bring:

• Your valid temporary or permanent resident visa or resident card, plus 4 photocopies
• A typed letter in Spanish addressed to the Consulate General of Mexico, requesting certification of your household goods list. The letter must include your last address in the US or Canada, the duration of your stay there, and your new address in Mexico. You need 4 original signed copies.
• A typed, itemized inventory list in Spanish of all your household goods. This list must specify the quantity and description of each item, plus the brand, model, and serial number of every electronic appliance. You need 4 original signed copies of this as well.

The inventory list is genuinely the backbone of the process. A sloppy, incomplete, or poorly organized list is the most common reason applications stall or get sent back at the consulate. Every electronic device needs its serial number. Every category of item needs to be clearly described. Taking your time with this document pays off.

If you're still working on getting your consulate appointment scheduled for your residency visa in the first place, our guide on how to schedule a Mexico residency consulate appointment covers that process in detail.

Working with a Mexican Customs Broker

Once you have your consular certificate, you'll need a licensed Mexican customs broker (called an agente aduanal) to actually move your shipment through Mexican customs. This is not optional. Only licensed brokers can file the required customs declarations on your behalf.

Your international moving company will typically help you find a broker, or they may have one they work with regularly. Either way, you'll provide the broker with your consular certificate, a copy of your resident visa or card, and the itemized inventory. The broker handles the customs declaration and coordinates the physical clearance of your shipment.

Budget for broker fees as a separate line item. They typically charge a few hundred dollars, though the exact amount varies depending on the size of your shipment and the port of entry.

How Menaje de Casa Fits Into Your Overall Move

The menaje de casa process is just one piece of a larger relocation puzzle. Before you can use it, you need your residency visa approved and in hand. After you arrive in Mexico, you'll need to complete your INM canje appointment to get your physical resident card. Our guide to the Mexico temporary resident card canje process explains what that appointment involves.

If you're not sure yet whether you qualify financially for a residency visa, our post on Mexico temporary residency income requirements for 2026 breaks down the current numbers.

The timing of everything matters. You want your residency visa approved and your consulate menaje appointment done before your goods ship, so the paperwork is ready when the container arrives. Getting the sequence wrong can mean your shipment sits in a Mexican port while you scramble for documents, and port storage fees add up quickly.

If you want to think through the full timeline before committing, you can book a free intro call with our team and we'll walk through your specific situation together.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use menaje de casa if I entered Mexico on a tourist stamp?

No. You need a valid temporary or permanent resident visa to qualify. Tourists on a 180-day FMM are not eligible for the duty-free exemption. Your residency visa must be approved at a Mexican consulate before your goods arrive at a Mexican port of entry.

What happens if my shipment arrives after the 6-month window closes?

Your shipment loses its duty-free status. You would owe standard Mexican import duties and VAT on the declared value of everything in the container. The six-month deadline is firm and there is no grace period, so planning your shipping timeline early is essential.

Do I need to have my resident card in hand before doing the consulate appointment?

You need either your resident visa (the sticker in your passport, issued by the consulate) or your resident card (the physical card issued by INM after your canje). Most people do the menaje consulate appointment while still in the US, using their consulate-issued visa, before they've completed their INM canje in Mexico.

How detailed does the inventory list need to be?

Very detailed. Every item needs a quantity and description. Every electronic appliance, including TVs, laptops, tablets, audio equipment, and kitchen appliances, needs the brand, model, and serial number. The list must be typed, in Spanish, and you need 4 original signed copies. A thorough list prevents delays at both the consulate and customs.

Can I include a car in my menaje de casa shipment?

No. Vehicles including cars, motorcycles, and boats are explicitly excluded from the menaje de casa program. Importing a vehicle to Mexico is a separate process with its own rules and import taxes.

Does everything in the shipment need to be used?

Yes. Every item must be at least six months old and have been in active household use for that period. New items, or items still in original packaging, do not qualify for the duty-free exemption. If something looks new, customs may flag it.

Do I need a customs broker, or can I handle it myself?

You need a licensed Mexican customs broker. Only an agente aduanal is authorized to file customs declarations at Mexican ports of entry. Your international moving company can typically connect you with one, or you can find one independently.

Getting your Mexico resident card is far less stressful when someone handles the apostilles, consulate booking, and INM filing for you. Book a free 15-minute intro call and we'll map out exactly what your situation needs.