What is the Register of Importers?

If you are interested in expanding your business and would like to import into Mexico, you should know that the Mexican Ministry of Finance and Public Credit  requires individuals and companies who would like to introduce merchandise to Mexico for commercialisation purposes to register in the Register of Importers.

This register was created with the aim of controlling foreign trade operations in Mexico, and helping the Tax Administration System (Spa. Sistema de Administración Tributaria, SAT) prevent tax evasion through the identification of customs fraud and smuggling.

Registration in the Register of Importers is easy and free, and can be done online through the SAT web site.  In order to get your registration authorised, you need to be up-to-date on your tax duties, and be able to proof that you are registered in the Mexican tax registration system (Spa. Registro Federal de Contribuyentes, known as RFC). You should also have a SIEC passcode  (Passcode that is assigned to each tax registration number to comply with tax duties), and the two files of your tax  e-signature known as FIEL (.ce – .key).

While completing the “Application to register in the Register of Importers” (Spa. Solicitud de Inscripción al Padrón de Importadores), it is important to know that you must have all the documents related to your tax registration or RFC in hand, and that you must type in the requested information exactly as it appears in the documents. To finish the application, you shall have the patent number of the customs broker that you will work with to handle your import operations.

Who should register

All individuals who would like to import goods in a definitive manner must get registered in Register of Importers.  The Regulations of Mexican Customs Law consider that individuals and income-tax exempt entities can also register, as long as they can prove that they perform a business activity in accordance with the Mexican Income Tax Law.

Register of Importers for Specific Sectors

If your cargo is integrated by products such as cigarettes, footwear, and textiles, it will be classified under a special category; so your request must be entered into the Register of Importers of Specific Sectors, and you must indicate your name or business name, your tax registration number and tax-purpose address. Also, based on the sector and the tariff fraction corresponding to your products you should indicate the address of the storage and distribution centres where your imported merchandise will be at. And finally, you must indicate the name of the sectors under which you would like to register, and after a careful classification, you must indicate the corresponding tariff fractions.

Keep in mind that your merchandise can also be considered under this special category when it directly affects the Mexican economy or the populations´ health, as it is the case of chemical, radioactive, and nuclear materials and firearms and its derivatives (machinery and pieces, explosives, Fireworks, etc.)

Knowing the outcome of the Register of Importers registration process

EThe Tax Administration System provides the outcome of your request through their web site, using your FIEL e-signature and passcode. If you need advice or need to clarify something, you can also do it through the web site. In the event your request has been rejected, you could re-submit it by reviewing and correcting mistakes as pointed out by your appraiser.
Our team of of foreign trade experts counts with extensive tariff classification experience and will provide you with up-to-date advice for all your procedures and requests making sure that your merchandise has the right documentation when entering customs; optimizing transportation timeframes and preventing delays during your transit processes.