A GUIDE TO FOREIGN TRADE

Living in a country with a privileged location that attracts FDI and with a growing market full of opportunities such as Mexico, it is essential to have clear requirements for importing and exporting products.

One of the advantages of Mexico is that it has trade agreements with more than 40 countries, which gives an advantage in the exemption of payment of taxes or certain requirements to be met in the import and export.

Although at first these requirements may sound very technical and tedious, everything becomes simpler when you know exactly what requirements you must comply with, thus avoiding the payment of fines, delays in the arrival of your merchandise, or even the loss of commercial opportunities.

Remember that each product to be imported or exported is completely different, it is not the same to import or export a pen or heavy machinery for construction.

Knowing your product is the first step to follow, since, depending on the origin of the components of your merchandise, it will be the tariff classification that will determine the tariffs to be paid and requirements to be met.

Importing into Mexico

The import process consists of the purchase of goods or services from a foreign country or market for use in Mexico. This involves the movement of goods across national borders and is regulated by customs and tax regulations. Here are the requirements for importing into Mexico this 2025.

For the registration and documentation, it will be necessary:

· To be registered in the SAT and have your Electronic Signature (FIEL, by its acronym in Spanish). At the same time, to have the validation by the organism.

· To be registered in the Importers Register. Depending on the merchandise to be imported, it may also be necessary to be registered in the Importers Registry of Specific Sectors.

· Determine the tariff classification of your merchandise.

· Submit the customs declaration and required documentation.

In order to comply with the regulations, it will be necessary:

· Verify and comply with permits, certifications or special restrictions to which the merchandise is subject.

· Comply with the payment of applicable taxes and duties (tariffs and taxes).

Some additional procedures you must comply with are the following:

· Keep the inventory control systems with the updated registry.

· Have the services of a customs broker or customs agency.

Exporting from Mexico

We understand the export process as the sale of goods and services to another country or foreign market. The process involves moving goods out of Mexico across borders, which are regulated by customs and tax regulations specific to each country.

The requirements are practically the same for importing and exporting, only the registration in the Exporters Registry changes.

For the registration and documentation, it will be necessary:

· To be registered in the SAT and have your Electronic Signature (FIEL, by its acronym in Spanish). At the same time, to have the validation by the organism.

· To be registered in the Exporters Register.

· Determine the tariff classification of your merchandise.

· Have the required documentation such as: Commercial Invoice, CFDI, foreign trade complement, order, letter of instructions to the customs broker, packing list, certificate of origin, transportation documents.

In order to comply with the regulations, it will benecessary:

· Verify and comply with permits, certifications or special restrictions to which the merchandise is subject.

· Comply with the payment of applicable taxes and duties (tariffs and taxes).

Some additional procedures you must comply with are the following:

· Keep the inventory control systems with the updated registry.

· Have the services of a customs broker or customs agency.

Once you know the general requirements that you must comply with to perform foreign trade activities such as import and export, were commend you consult the General Rules of Foreign Trade for 2025 whenever you are going to make the exchange, as these are subject to changes and updates that may affect the process of importing and exporting your merchandise.