For those of us who work online, vacation mode often means reduced or no screen time. That said, it’s rare for me not to travel with at least one laptop if not two — even if I’m on PTO. And I’ve never considered for a second (other than for my mental health) that this would be an issue. But this week, USA Today reported that a seasoned traveler named Tammy Levent was fined approximately $200 for possessing multiple electronic devices upon entry into Cancun International Airport.
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You Could Be Fined for Bringing Too Many Electronic Devices Into This Country
Levent’s recent experience at Cancun aiport highlights a seemingly growing trend: the imposition of strict limitations on the number of electronic devices that can be brought into Mexico. This regulation, often unknown by visitors from the US, can result in significant fines.
According to Mexico’s General Rules for Foreign Trade, under the baggage allowance section, foreign arrivals are permitted to bring only one portable computer per person. This restriction applies to both laptops and tablets. Travelers who violate this rule may face taxes of up to 19 percent of the deemed value of the device, with a maximum value of $4,000. The law is designed to prevent the smuggling of electronic goods for resale and to discourage the establishment of personal electronics manufacturing facilities within Mexico.
But this is the first I’ve heard of it. I’ve been to Mexico a handful of times with either two laptops or a laptop and iPad and never had an issue. It was news to Levent, too. She has visited two to three times a year on work trips over the past decade and had never encountered this before.
“At the end of the day you want tourism but you’re driving people away,” Levent says to USA Today. “You have huge companies like pharmaceutical companies…(bringing bring groups in) and they’re coming with laptops and iPads.”
Cancun International Airport is the busiest airport in Mexico, serving over 13 million passengers annually. With such a large volume of travelers, it is likely that many are unaware of the electronic device restrictions. As a result, the airport has seen an uptick in the number of cases where travelers have been fined for possessing multiple devices says the Riviera Maya News.
Considering my personal experience traveling into Mexico, and specifically Cancun airport, it seems these checks and the follow-through with fines are happening at random. And that’s exactly what furious Levent claims, too. Levent has followed up this experience with a letter of complaint to Mexican officials. USA Today contacted Cancun Customs Administration for a statement, but at the time of publication, they have not had a response.
Although these regulations seem outdated, they are legal and travelers to Mexico should adhere to the one permitted electronic device rule to avoid the possibility of a fine. 