How Mexico Limits Number of Electronic Devices Travelers Can Take Through Airports

According to the Riviera Maya News, reports are on the rise from tourists being charged an average of $190 for arriving at airports with more than one larger electronic device, such as laptops and tablets.

Mexico’s Servicio de Administración Tributaria reportedly limits the number of larger electronic devices travelers can bring through customs without paying a fee to just one, but they are permitted to have as many as three cell phones or other wireless devices.

If travelers cannot or will not pay the tax, customs agents will confiscate the devices.

Tourists arriving from the United States do not face the same electronic limitations from Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents, which can cause potential issues when going through customs in Mexico.

Tulum Hotel Association President David Ortiz Mena told the Riviera Maya News that despite the efforts of local tourism officials to attract more visitors, issues like the electronic device limitations could be detrimental to the destination’s public perception. “If we want to be a tourist powerhouse, let us be consistent,” Ortiz Mena said. “This practice of traveling with more than one electronic device is not usual and, yes, it hurts our image.”

Elite Travel President Tammy Levent shared her ordeal with customs at Cancun International Airport, who allegedly faced a similar fee for bringing in additional electronic devices. Levent claims she was “coerced into compliance under threat” and forced to pay $170 to bring her Apple iPad into the country.

VIP Vacations Inc. President Jennifer Doncsecz shared a similar incident at Cancun International and how she avoids potential issues with Mexican customs agents:

“I was pulled aside when I hosted an event a few years ago because I packed every t-shirt and program in one suitcase. The t-shirts had the event logo on them and the programs were for the event (clearly, I wasn’t selling either). I tried to argue with them, but they insisted on charging me a customs fee for the T-shirts. From that point on, I spread out the materials/items I am bringing down between two checked bags and my carry-on and I haven’t been picked out since that time a few years ago.”