If you want to bring something into Mexico, you'd better talk to Aimée first. Who's Aimée? She's Aimée Diaz Noriega, a customs broker with Asociados de Sonora in Sonoyta, Sonora. The telephone number is 011-52-651-2-13-87.

I'm sitting here looking at my notes and wondering where to begin. I interviewed Aimée the last time I was in Sonoyta and have pages and pages of notes, but it's all so complicated I can't understand it myself, let alone try to explain it to others.

A few points did emerge from the swamp of words and numbers:

• If tourists bring items into Mexico which have a value of over $1000, there are 3 taxes to pay--an ad valorem tax of 20%, another 15% tax for IVA (the Mexican equivalent of IRS), and an 8% DTA tax--I've forgotten what that stands for.
• The items most heavily taxed are TVs, radios, furniture, and new clothing.
• It's possible to import items for personal use without paying taxes.
• Certain items cannot be imported if they are used, but only if they are new; mobile homes and copiers are two examples.
• Taxes on imports can be reduced in two ways:

1. By a permit for tax reduction, which must be applied for and picked up in San Luis from SECOFI. This is an agency of the national government which regulates importing and exporting. It's the equivalent of the U.S. Commerce Department. I got a permit from SECOFI, and it took me about 6 months to have it approved. Then I found out that some of the items listed on my permit require an additional permit for me to import them. If I had talked to Aimée in advance, I could have saved a lot of time.
2. Through a discount on goods from the NAFTA countries of Mexico, Canada, the U.S. (including Puerto Rico), and Chile. This requires an accompanying certificate of origin, showing where the items were produced.

I came away from this interview with two convictions:

1. that these regulations were just too complex for me to grasp
2. that they were all within Aimée's grasp. She amazed me with her knowledge and assurance. Whatever questions I asked, she had the answers. Being a good customs broker is a full-time job. Why was I ever so naive as to think I could do it on my own?

The fees charged by customs brokers are quite reasonable, well worth paying. There's a fixed amount, which depends on the value of the item, plus a percentage. For example, let's say you want to import a $1000 refrigerator. The fixed fee is 220 pesos (about $30, depending on the exchange rate) + .6% (six-tenths of a percent) of the value ($6). So it will cost you about $36. For items with a value of from $1,001 to $3,000, the fee is 350 pesos (about $50) + .6% of the value. From $3,001 to $6,000 it's 450 pesos + .6%, and over $6,000, it's 550 pesos + .6%.

Aimée is one of the "new" Mexican women, a highly intelligent, educated, competent professional. She deals with the public in a very calm and composed way. Nothing flusters her. She is willing to take as much time as necessary to explain the regulations. I had a hard time grasping many of the details, but she was willing to go back over the same material again and again, trying to get it through my thick head.

The major message that got through my thick head is that if I ever have a question about importing anything, I'll call Aimée first. I know she'll be able to advise me on the easiest and least expensive way to do it, tell me how much it will cost and what papers I will need.

Don't take anything I've said here as fact. I may have misunderstood, or the regulations may have changed, or there may be exceptions or other regulations I didn't know about. But Aimée keeps up with all this, so with her help I know I can do everything right.

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