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Should I be worried about traveling to Mexico with my iPad?

P

pshady

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Mar 10, 2005
272
204
los angeles
Hi,
I will be going on business to Mexico City in a couple of weeks. The last time I was in Peru, I had the national police stop me in the airport and they essentially asked for a bribe.

I would like to take my iPad with me on the trip but am worried that it's too attractive of a target and might be confiscated from me by immigration, etc. Am I being paranoid?

Anyone have success traveling with it to Mexico?
 
Most of the negativity and paranoia surrounding Mexico is due to the border towns and morons that go looking for trouble in TJ. Mexicans are an extremely nice people, even to a McGringo like myself (Curly brown hair, green eyes, and a red beard usually makes you stick out down there ;)).

You're a stranger so use an appropriate level of heightened situational awareness and you should be fine. As a rule of thumb, I don't bring anything unnecessary with me when I travel. If the iPad is for pleasure, don't bring it. Don't bring it if you can just bring your materials on a key drive. If you have an older laptop, bring that instead. I'd be more worried about damage than theft.

Being a larger city, Mexico city is not as impoverished as the border towns so you might run into another iPad owner along the way.
 
As stated above, bring as little with you as you can, and insure what you do bring.

Also, I highly recommend considering a K&R (kidnap and ransom) insurance policy with a well known company if traveling to Mexico. This way, there is a good chance you get to keep your fingers, ears, and toes if taken hostage, especially if people know you are down there for company business.
 
Mac_Max said:
Most of the negativity and paranoia surrounding Mexico is due to the border towns and morons that go looking for trouble in TJ.
Click to expand...

Actually most of the negativity and paranoia surrounding Mexico is because of the drug cartels and the potential for violence to break out pretty much anywhere in the country.

Your statement about Mexicans being nice people is true everywhere. Even Afghanis are nice people. I just wouldn't go for a walk in downtown Kabul right now. It has less to do with the people being nice and more to do with the threat of violence, especially against American citizens.
 
pshady said:
Hi,
I will be going on business to Mexico City in a couple of weeks. The last time I was in Peru, I had the national police stop me in the airport and they essentially asked for a bribe.

I would like to take my iPad with me on the trip but am worried that it's too attractive of a target and might be confiscated from me by immigration, etc. Am I being paranoid?

Anyone have success traveling with it to Mexico?
Click to expand...

You got nothing to worry about, you will follow the same rules as when you vist anywhere else, like any other place, you there are places you don't want to go, make sure you ask the local and keep and be alert, don't advertise what you got and you will be fine. It is as dangerous as visiting Atlanta or Miami. There are good places and bad places, no reason to be paranoic about it.
 
Way too much paranoia!, if you´re travelling to Mexico City you´ll be fine as in any other major city of the world, I think you won´t be using the subway or the bus, where most of the tech robberies happen, also I think you´ll be surprise of how many mexicans owns an Iphone or an Ipad, so don´t hop in the paranoia train! Just keep an eye in your surroundings! Have a nice day!
 
Seriously, Mexico is hardly comparable to Afghanistan. There are a lot of problems right now, but it's a warm, comfortable, inviting country that is a great place to visit.

Yes. Be careful. That does mean beware of pickpockets, and that also means avoid ostentatious displays of wealth. Don't start tapping away on your expensive laptop or iPad in a place where you don't feel particularly safe.

No, it's not a problem. Customs is much more friendly than JFK, and much more professional.
 
To answer your question, no, immigration will not confiscate your iPad. It's the job of customs to stop people from bringing illegal items into a country, and the iPad is perfectly legal in Mexico. My iPad has been to Mexico twice now and customs couldn't care less.

DO NOT attempt to bring any illegal drugs into Mexico, as their laws regarding possession are far more strict than in the US. (Which is of course ironic, given they produce most of the illegal drugs purchased every year in the US.)

Do take your common sense and leave any ignorance you may or may not have about the country at home. If you know any Spanish at all, use it, even if it is only Gracias. You will find it is very much appreciated.

Despite what you may have read here, Americans are not singled-out for acts of violence. However, as with visiting any big city that you are not familiar with, I would leave the Rolex at home.

I think if you approach your trip with an open mind, you will find yourself pleasantly surprised.
 
pshady said:
Hi,
I will be going on business to Mexico City in a couple of weeks. The last time I was in Peru, I had the national police stop me in the airport and they essentially asked for a bribe.

I would like to take my iPad with me on the trip but am worried that it's too attractive of a target and might be confiscated from me by immigration, etc. Am I being paranoid?

Anyone have success traveling with it to Mexico?
Click to expand...

Dude. I lived in Mexico City for 9 years.
Will they ask for bribes? yes they will.
How much? 5 dollars.
Will they detain you for having an ipad? Hahaha no.
Are you being paranoid? Yes you are.
 
Visiting Mexico City is like visiting any large city like New York or Barcelona or whatever... just stay in lighted, populated areas.

We vacation in Mexico every year, and have no problem taking the latest tech gear with us.

The only bribe situation you might encounter would be if you rented a car and got stopped for speeding. Bribes are a common way to avoid a ticket.

As for violence, that's almost all confined to border towns and/or Mexican officials in other towns. Again, stay near other tourists and you'll be fine.

As others have said, Mexicans are a good and friendly people. Even the poorest are hard working and have pride and manners, unlike a lot of the poor in some other countries. I feel safer there than many places.

Your wife is going to have a great time.
 
You should be more than fine. There's many authorized Apple retailer stores in Mexico City, and they're not new to Apple products. In fact, the airport's new terminal is nicer than the semi-new terminal up here in Toronto (and probably even safer). And I'd consider Mexico City is just as safe as major US cities like the other poster said, but with a considerably larger population.

...just don't wip it out in the middle of a rural cafe if you're the only person there, and be generally street smart just like you would anywhere else. I'd say you should be more worried about the safety of the food you eat than your iPad.

sources: travelled there 5 times.
 
I have gone to El Salvador with my 3G iPad and yes, I was worried about the gangs (aka the worlds most dangerous gang: MS-13) and crazy people out their (bums, cops). I never took it out from my home. I only took it out in the airport for free wifi (and immigration never even saw it, it was a carry-on inside the plane inside my backpack) and I played with it personally at my home in San Salvador but never took it to the streets, markets, or my families homes. I actually considered my iPad like a president would protect the football in El Salvador.

Glad I'm back in california! :D
 
I live in Mexico City, I have an iPad, many people do too and use them in public. My recomendation is to use your iPad when you are at a mall or someplace safe like that. Regarding your concern about being stopped at customs, the iPad was released here a long time ago so they shan't stop you for bringing such a device. Mexico city is a safe as any other huge city, the north of Mexico is the part where all the violence is taking place and if you aren't going there you really don't have anything to worry about.

Writen from my iPad
 
Take it easy...

Enjoy the sun, soak up some culture, take the wife for a dance. Don't let the media misrepresentation of a specific drug cartel conflict in another part of the country misguide you. Dare I ask, but why are some societies so fearful and suspecting of others when they travel ravel abroad? The perception of self-importance will only further stand you out as the 'valuable tourist'.

Have a great trip, but do mind the water.
 
I bring my iPad to east Africa without issue and use my iPhone there as well. Just don't flaunt your **** man and always keep a small amount of money in your pocket to pay people off if you get pushed for a bribe. Just say it is all you have and never take out your wallet or wear nice things like a fancy watch.
 
leave it

i wouldn't go to southern California because of its proximity to mexico and you want to go with your ipad. I supposed I'm biased because of getting threatened to get my hand chopped off in Mexico city if i didn't hand over my wallet. If i were you, I'd find another job that doesn't involve going to that barbaric place.
 
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