Compliance October 5, 2026
COFEPRIS, SEMARNAT and SEDENA permits: when your import into Mexico needs one
Health, environment and defense authorities also decide what enters Mexico. Which kinds of goods tend to fall under each agency, how to check whether your tariff code requires a permit, when to apply and what happens if cargo arrives without one.
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Compliance September 3, 2026
Steel and aluminum: Mexican customs now asks where your metal was melted
The automatic import notice for aluminum landed in 2026 and the steel one tightened: mill certificates with a verifiable QR code, wet signature, and an explicit split between country of melt and country of transformation. What to demand from your supplier before shipping.
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Programs September 2, 2026
Import quotas in Mexico: the legal way to pay less duty (and why almost nobody uses it)
With Mexico's 2026 tariffs on non-FTA countries, quotas stopped being a niche topic. What a quota is, direct allocation versus public auction, how the quota certificate works in VUCEM, and why most importers find out after the call has closed.
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Programs August 28, 2026
The Rule Eight permit: how to apply and why it runs out early
The permit doesn't authorize an input — it authorizes a quantity of it. Every entry draws against that balance, and when it's gone it's gone, even if the permit is still valid. How to apply through VUCEM, what the application asks for, and how to size the quantities.
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Compliance August 26, 2026
Mexico's electronic value declaration starts October 1: what you transmit, what you don't
The same resolution that postponed the MVE brought documentary relief through December 31, 2026: not everything gets transmitted, and contracts can be summarized. What each relief means and what to have ready before October.
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Programs August 24, 2026
The annual operations report: the filing that suspends the most IMMEX programs
A report filed once a year with Mexico's Ministry of Economy decides whether your program stays alive. What the RAOCE is, the full suspension and cancellation calendar, what breaks while you are suspended, and how to fix it.
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Operations August 12, 2026
The import file: what each document does and which one stops the shipment
Commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or air waybill, certificate of origin, permits, customs authorization and the pedimento. Who issues each document, what it proves, and exactly what happens when it's missing or doesn't match.
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Compliance July 14, 2026
Mexico import permits and automatic notices: when you need them and how to keep cargo moving
Prior permits, automatic notices and automatic permits are different requirements. Learn how to identify the one tied to your tariff code before customs clearance.
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Operations June 15, 2026
VUCEM: the single window and why your operation is already 100% digital
Mexico's VUCEM single window centralizes permits, certificates and invoices (COVE) on one platform linked to your customs entry. What it is, how the e-document and e-signature work, and why a badly digitized document stops your clearance.
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Compliance May 27, 2026
Electronic customs value declaration: postponed to October 1, 2026 — what to do now
Mexico's MVE was postponed again: it becomes mandatory via VUCEM on October 1, 2026 (fourth extension, published July 31). What it is, who's responsible, how customs value is determined, and what to do with the extra time.
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