Cathie Smith Insurance

23/04/2026

14/04/2026

New prices for the Toll Road Los Cabos

13/04/2026

Important Talk of the Town: Labor Legal Relations ⚖️

Dear Foreign Residents,

We invite you to our next "Talk of the Town" meeting to discuss Employee Labor Legal Relations. This session is essential for understanding local regulations and ensuring a fair and legal relationship with your employees.

📅 Date: April 22nd, 2026
🕙 Time: 10:30 A.M.
📍 Location: To be confirmed (TBC)

RSVP REQUIRED:
Please confirm your attendance via WhatsApp at +52 624 171 2843 or email at [email protected].

I look forward to seeing you there!

Nohemí Romero Guzmán
Municipal Coordinator of Attention to Foreign Residents

08/04/2026

Most U.S. citizens 18 years and older are eligible to vote absentee from abroad.

03/03/2026

Why we celebrate St Patrick’s Day in Mexico

The “San Patricios” were largely Irish natives who defected from the U.S. Army during the Mexican-American War

03/03/2026

Pass this on to young people visiting over spring break

Heading to Baja for Spring Break? Behind the luxury resorts and massive beach parties, Los Cabos operates on a strict set of unwritten rules. Here is how to navigate the crowds, avoid the scams, and stay safe.

28/02/2026

Baja California Sur is NOT this cartel’s territory.

19/02/2026

DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!
Hi Cathie,
My husband and I have bought travel insurance from you previously. Unfortunately, we didn’t purchase it when we went to Cabo last October, and I ended up paying almost $60K out of pocket to hospitalize and medically evacuate him home. He subsequently passed away. I’m now dealing with Kaiser for reimbursement, and it’s not easy.
INSURE YOURSELF! www.cathiesmithinsurance.com/travel

15/02/2026

My insurance client appreciation party, Mardi Gras theme was a great success Friday night! I had to draw names for invitations since the capacity at the Marina Sol clubhouse is only 60. If you are one of my Insuranceclients in Los Cabos, please private message me so I can put you on my list for my next event!

07/02/2026

Most U.S. citizens 18 years and older are eligible to vote absentee from abroad.

04/02/2026

VA**NG DEVICES NOW FORBIDDEN IN MEXICO

Los CabosAs of January 16, 2026, a strict prohibition regarding va**ng devices (e-cigarettes) has gone into effect.

It is essential to keep the following points in mind:

🚫 Import Ban

Bringing va**ng devices into the country is strictly prohibited, even for personal use. Under current Mexican law, this is now classified as illegal importation.

⚠️ Customs Consequences

While the law provides for severe penalties in extreme cases, the current reports for tourists and residents entering through airports include:

Immediate confiscation of the device and its accessories.
Administrative fines typically ranging from $50 to $500 USD (or more, depending on the authority's discretion).
Significant delays during your arrival process.
💡 Safety Recommendations

To avoid costly fines or uncomfortable situations with customs authorities:

Do not attempt to bring new or used va**ng devices on your international trips to Mexico.
If you are already in the country with a device, we strongly suggest keeping its use strictly private and avoiding carrying it in airport areas or public spaces.
Do not risk your peace of mind over these items; authorities are systematically conducting seizures at all points of entry.

21/01/2026

I attended this meeting last week regarding foreign plated vehicles and permanent residents. Here are the key points of the meeting.

From our last Talk of the town: “Foreign vehicle Registration in BCS”
🚗 Foreign-Plated Vehicles in Mexico — Key Takeaways

• Foreign-plated vehicles in Mexico are regulated by federal customs law, not state or municipal traffic rules.

• Only foreign tourists and Temporary Residents may temporarily import a foreign-plated vehicle.
Mexican citizens and Mexican Permanent Residents are not eligible.

• Only the person who imported the vehicle may drive it.
Lending, sharing, or allowing anyone else to drive the vehicle is a violation.

• Possession matters more than ownership.
Customs enforcement is based on who controls or uses the vehicle, not whose name is on the title, trust, or LLC.

• Mexican citizens and Mexican Permanent Residents may NOT legally possess or operate a foreign-plated vehicle, even if it belongs to a spouse, friend, trust, or company.

• The “Free Zone” does NOT exempt foreign-plated vehicles.
Any tax benefits apply to certain commercial imports — not personal vehicles.

• Unauthorized possession alone can trigger enforcement, including administrative seizure of the vehicle.

• Vehicle seizure is an administrative action, not a criminal arrest, but it can still result in fines, loss of the vehicle, or forced export.

• What to do if stopped: stay calm, present ID and immigration status, don’t argue the law roadside, request written documentation, and seek professional customs guidance.

• There is no legal shortcut.
Lawful options are limited to exporting the vehicle, nationalizing it, or replacing it with a Mexican-plated vehicle.

📌 This information is educational and based on current federal customs

One more point not listed here, if you had your car nationalized down here instead of formally, importing it at the border, it is now legal in Mexico, but only for YOU! You cannot sell it, and you cannot take it north of the border. Because by nationalizing it inside of Mexico, instead of legally importing it at the border, you confessed that the vehicle was illegally in Mexico and you wanted to legalize it. So if you try to cross the border into the United States, your VIN number is in a system and they can confiscate it.

So I guess if you die here you might as well have your co**se or your ashes stuck inside of it and bury it in the cemetery lol.