If I want to live in Belize, do I have to become a permanent resident?
Kate Corrigan - Caye International Bank
You do not have to be a resident of Belize in order to live in Belize. I know people who have been here for seven, eight, or nine years and still going to immigration once a month to get their passports stamped. They do leave the country very frequently, every two or three months, in order to go back to the States, Canada or wherever they are from. The government changes rules change all the time, though. I have been living here for four years, so I have not kept up with that because...
You do not have to be a resident of Belize in order to live in Belize. I know people who have been here for seven, eight, or nine years and still going to immigration once a month to get their passports stamped. They do leave the country very frequently, every two or three months, in order to go back to the States, Canada or wherever they are from. The government changes rules change all the time, though. I have been living here for four years, so I have not kept up with that because it does not affect me personally at all.
Posted December 1, 2014
Christian Burn
You don’t need to be a resident in order to live in Belize. You can come to Belize as a qualified retired resident or you can be a tourist. But as a tourist, you can only get a 30-day tourist visa that is renewable every 30 days up to 6 months, or something like that. If you want to stay in Belize long term, certainly, the retired residency or the Permanent Residency Program is what you want to have.
The Permanent Residency Program is pretty straightforward. You have to...
The Permanent Residency Program is pretty straightforward. You have to...
You don’t need to be a resident in order to live in Belize. You can come to Belize as a qualified retired resident or you can be a tourist. But as a tourist, you can only get a 30-day tourist visa that is renewable every 30 days up to 6 months, or something like that. If you want to stay in Belize long term, certainly, the retired residency or the Permanent Residency Program is what you want to have.
The Permanent Residency Program is pretty straightforward. You have to obtain a work permit for an entire year and not leave the country for more than 14 days within that first year. Then, after a little bit of paperwork, which includes a police report and some blood work, you will get your work permit.
There are two kinds of work permits: the employer work permit and a self-employed work permit. The self-employed work permit allows you to operate as a consultant or an independent whereas an employer work permit means you own something like a farm, or you’re working in a bar, a restaurant, or a hotel, etc. The employer work permit could translate into the first step of the residency process for permanent residency. With your work permit intact you can then apply for residency. There is a little bit of fee involved but the paperwork is essentially the same and, once you become a permanent resident, you do not need any more visas because as a permanent resident, you are entitled to live and work in Belize.
The Qualified Retirement Residency Program is for people who are 45 years and older, who are interested in not working in Belize, but in retiring in Belize. It allows people moving to Belize to bring in their goods and their personal items without any duty for up to a year.
The Permanent Residency Program is pretty straightforward. You have to obtain a work permit for an entire year and not leave the country for more than 14 days within that first year. Then, after a little bit of paperwork, which includes a police report and some blood work, you will get your work permit.
There are two kinds of work permits: the employer work permit and a self-employed work permit. The self-employed work permit allows you to operate as a consultant or an independent whereas an employer work permit means you own something like a farm, or you’re working in a bar, a restaurant, or a hotel, etc. The employer work permit could translate into the first step of the residency process for permanent residency. With your work permit intact you can then apply for residency. There is a little bit of fee involved but the paperwork is essentially the same and, once you become a permanent resident, you do not need any more visas because as a permanent resident, you are entitled to live and work in Belize.
The Qualified Retirement Residency Program is for people who are 45 years and older, who are interested in not working in Belize, but in retiring in Belize. It allows people moving to Belize to bring in their goods and their personal items without any duty for up to a year.
Posted December 2, 2014
Ryan Wrobel - Wrobel & Co., Attorneys-at-Law
You don’t have to become a permanent resident in Belize if you didn’t want to. What would make the most sense for you would depend on your goals. If, for example, you decide to live here in Belize for the remainder of your life, you would enter with a tourist visa and you have to update that visa on a monthly basis at the immigration department. After you are in Belize legally for one year by updating that tourist visa, then, if you so desire, you can apply for...You don’t have to become a permanent resident in Belize if you didn’t want to. What would make the most sense for you would depend on your goals. If, for example, you decide to live here in Belize for the remainder of your life, you would enter with a tourist visa and you have to update that visa on a monthly basis at the immigration department. After you are in Belize legally for one year by updating that tourist visa, then, if you so desire, you can apply for residency. Being a permanent resident provides several benefits, including no longer having to update your tourist visa. (Kayaks on a Caribbean beach in Belize, pictured.)
Posted November 5, 2015
Virginia Krohn - Villa Cayo Belize
You can be a permanent resident of Belize without having to go for Belizean citizenship. If you come here with residency in mind get somebody to help you and immediately apply for a work permit even if you don’t plan to get a job. With a work permit, you can get your residency much easier. You will need a work permit even if you are going to open a business.
In order to qualify for the qualified...
You can be a permanent resident of Belize without having to go for Belizean citizenship. If you come here with residency in mind get somebody to help you and immediately apply for a work permit even if you don’t plan to get a job. With a work permit, you can get your residency much easier. You will need a work permit even if you are going to open a business.
In order to qualify for the qualified retirement program, you have to prove that you make US $2,000 a month and that you’re going to bring that income into this country. Also, if you are coming in under the QRP, you cannot work or donate your time. One thing I recommend is that if a couple is coming into Belize and one of them wants to have a business, don’t both come in under the QRP. One should come in as a tourist and apply for residency and the other partner comes in under the QRP. What that does for you is that one of you can have a business or work (once you have a work permit) while still qualifying for the QRP benefits.
(Cayo Espanto, Belize, pictured.)
Posted August 10, 2016