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First of all: Belize Tourist Visa
Before buying a property we strongly recommend you see it first. What’s more, if you are planning on moving to your overseas property we advise you to spend some time in the country before taking such an important decision. Traveling in Latin America is easy for American and most European Countries passport holders. Tourist visas are not always necessary and, if they are, getting one is not a problem. In this section we provide some general information on visas and residence permits. Since this information might change, particularly regarding red tape and form filling, in January First Real Estate we are always ready to answer your questions and provide research in order to give all necessary answers with up-to-date information. Once you have been in the country and decided to become a resident the staff in January First Real Estate will gladly help you out finding out requirements and most advantageous choices for your residence status.
Tips on applying for a visa
Several things need to be considered here, including whether you’re living part-time or full-time in the country, and what you intend to do there. There are many kinds of visas, but here are a few common elements that may be required of you:
- Verify that your passport is valid for the required length of time.
- Some countries require that you have a passport valid for at least six months when the visa is granted.
- Find a notary (or other approval authority) acceptable to the consulate.
- Get a physician’s health certification.
- Most countries require some sort of health certification. Find out what they need, and make sure the doctor addresses it specifically.
- Visa photos will likely be a different size than any photo you have so far, so check this in advance.
- Criminal record checks are required in many cases. Allow plenty of time for this, as the process to get one from your state police or other law enforcement agency may not be quick.
- Pension verification is your most important document if you’re applying for a pensioner’s visa, while your foreign property deed will be needed if you’re getting a visa based on property ownership.
- In some cases the copy of the property deed needs to be notarized in the country where the property is located, so allow time for this if it hasn’t been done already.
- Document certification: Be sure to allow enough time to notarize or certify all required documents—and resolve any issues your country’s notary may have—and then submit your visa application.
It is helpful to make an interim stop or two at the consulate to have them review how you’re processing the required paperwork. This can help to avoid any surprises at the end when you turn in your final visa application for approval.
In case you need more information or have doubts on any of these issues, the specialised staff in January First Real Estate will be glad to answer all your questions, click here.
Entrance and exit
Passport: Your passport must be valid up until time of departure from Belize.
Ticket: You need to have a ticket for return or onward travel.
Fees: Departure fees: by air US$35.00, by land US$ 18.75, by sea US$ 3.75.
Visa not required
Nationals of the following countries can stay up to 30 days in Belize without a visa: United States, Canada, Caricom countries, European Community member nations (Belgium, Germany, France, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Denmark, Ireland, UK, Greece, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Finland, Sweden).
Visas required
Visas are required for nationals of the following countries: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bangladesh, Bolivia, Bosnia, Brazil, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Columbia, Cuba, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, India, Japan, Korea (North and South), Libya, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, and Zaire.
Belize Immigration and Nationality Department
Belmopan, Cayo District
Belize, Central America
Telephone 011-501-822-2423
Fax: 011-501-822-2662
Retire in Belize Residence Permit Programme
Qualifying Process
Anyone forty-five years and older can qualify for the program. A person who qualifies can also include his or her dependents in the program. Dependents include spouses and children under the age of eighteen. However, it can include a person up to the age of twenty-three if enrolled in a university.
Income form pension or other source
1. Qualified Retired Persons
To be designated a Qualified Retired Person under the program, applicants must receive a monthly income of not less than US $2,000 through a pension or annuity that has been generated outside of Belize.
2. Certification
i) When a company grants a pension, that company has to prove that it has been in operation for at least 20 years by submitting proof of registration.
ii) The company that grants the pension shall certify that the pension of no less than US $2,000.00 per month will be forwarded to a reputable financial institution within Belize. This letter must be signed by the manager, president, or by a legal representative of the company.
iii) Certification by a Certified Public Accountant independent of the company:
-Stating the date the company was established
-Verifying the authenticity of the above mentioned letter
-Certifying that the obligation signed in favor of the beneficiary is not less than US $2000.00 per month.
iv) The applicant must present two (2) bank references from the company that is sending the pension.
v) The company granting the pension must present a document outlining its pension scheme.
Requirement ii, iii, iv could be omitted where the company sending the pension is considered to be a Fortune Five Hundred Company.
3. Background Check
All applications are subject to a background check to be carried out by the Ministry of National Security.
Incentives
All persons who have been designated a Qualified Retired Person shall be entitled, on first entering Belize, to import his or her personal effects and an approved means of transportation free of all import duties and taxes.
A Qualified Retired Person shall be exempt from the payment of all taxes and duties on all income or receipts which accrue to him or her from a source outside of Belize whether that income is generated from work performed or from an investment.
Regulations
All privileges, exemptions and regulations herein included are governed by the Retired Persons (Incentives) (Amendment) Act, 2001 and the ACT will serve as the basis for all purposes of interpretation.
1. Personal Household Effects
Qualified Retired Persons have one year from the date that they officially enter the program to import their personal and household effects free of duties and taxes as determined by the Customs Department. Numerous entries are permitted within the one year period; however, your detailed master list of household and personal effects must be submitted to the Belize Tourism Board upon approval into the Program. After the year has elapsed, you will be subject to all duties and taxes under the Customs Department.
2. Transportation
a. Motor Vehicle
Qualified Retired Persons are strongly encouraged to procure a vehicle in Belize. However, we will facilitate duty and tax exemption on an imported vehicle.
b. Light Aircraft
A Qualified Retired Person is entitled to import a light aircraft less than 17,000 kg. A Qualified Retired Person is required to have a valid Private Pilot license to fly in Belize. This license can be obtained by passing the requirements set by the Civil Aviation. However, if the participant has a valid pilot's license, that license only has to be validated by Civil Aviation Department in Belize.
c. Boat
Any vessel that is used for personal purposes and for pleasure will be accepted under this program.
3. Disposal of Duty Free Items
If for whatever reason a qualified retired person decides to sell, give away, lease, or otherwise dispose of the approved means of transportation or personal effects to any person or entity within Belize, all duties and taxes must be paid by the qualified retiree to the proper authorities.
Qualified Retired Persons must note that only after 3 years and upon proof that the vehicle previously imported into Belize under the Program has been disposed of according to regulations, will another concession be granted to import a new transportation.
4. Offenses & Penalties
Any person who knowingly makes any false declaration or entry in order to qualify for or renew any exemption or privilege granted under the Retired Persons (Incentives) (Amendment) Act, 2001 commits an offence and shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding one thousand dollars.
5. Fee Structure
a. A non-refundable application fee in the sum of US $150.00 payable to the Belize Tourism Board must be submitted with the application.
b. A Program fee in the sum of US $1,000.00 payable to the Belize Tourism Board must be submitted upon acceptance into the Program.
c. Upon acceptance into the Program a fee of US $200.00 must be paid to the Belize Tourism Board for the issuance of the Qualified Retired Person Residency Card.
d. Each dependent is required to pay a Program Fee of US $750 to enter the Program.
NOTE: All payments must be made payable to the Belize Tourism Board and be in the form of US cash, US bank draft or US cashier's check. Personal or comapny checks will not be accepted.
Terms & Conditions
1. All Qualified Retired Persons must adhere to the general procedures cited by the Customs Department for the clearing of all personal and household effects including 'Mode of Transportation'.
2. Qualified Retired Persons are not allowed to seek employment or work for pay while in this program or in Belize.
3. Qualified Retired Persons within this program must inform the Belize Tourism Board regarding any changes stated on the application form. Failure to do so may result in the revocation of applicant's status.
4. Qualified Retired Persons must adhere to all existing laws of Belize, in addition to the Retired Persons (Incentives) (Amendment) Act, 2001.
5. All benefits provided by this program will be exclusively used by the Qualified Retired Persons and his or her dependents.
6. The Belize Tourism Board has the authority to carry out any investigation with respect to the validity of any document provided by the applicant under this program.
7. Participants within this program must inform the Belize Tourism Board prior to leaving the country indefinitely so that the assets purchased under this program can be liquidated.
8. All documents presented to the Belize Tourism Board become the property of the Board.
9. The applicant must not have any criminal matters with the law at the time of application.
10. Applicants must present a listing with all the necessary information with regards to his or her dependents. If the applicant has a dependent over eighteen and in school, then he or she must present a proof of enrollment from that institution.
11. Qualified Retired Persons must submit a yearly bank statement showing compliance with the financial requirements of the program.
12. Qualified Retired Persons must spend an equivalent of one month in Belize annually to maintain their status as a Retiree Resident.
Acceptance of these terms and conditions must be endorsed with the signature of the applicant in the presence of a witness.
Application Process
Each application for the Retirement Program will be processed by the Belize Tourism Board and forwarded to the Department of Immigration and Nationality. Persons interested in the program must submit completed applications to the Belize Tourism Board with the following supporting documentation:
Birth Certificate: A copy of a certificate for the applicant and each dependant
Marriage Certificate: (if married and spouse is a dependant)
Authentic Police Record: An authentic police record from the applicant’s last place of residency issued within one month prior to this application
Passport: Clear copies of complete passport (including all blank pages) of applicant and all dependents that have been certified by a Notary Public. The copies must have the passport number, name of principal, number of pages and the seal or stamp of the Notary Public.
Proof of Income: An official statement from a bank or financial institution certifying that the applicant is the recipient of a pension or annuity of a minimum of Two Thousand United States Dollars (US $ 2 000) per month.
Medical Examination: Applicants should undergo a complete medical examination including an AIDS test. A copy of the medical certificate must be attached to the application.
Photos: Four front and four-side passport size photographs that have been taken recently of applicant and dependents.
Belize, make your dream investment come true. |
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