Residency and Retirement Options In Beautiful Belize:

Permanent Residency

ABOVE: Working up a tan at a beach near Belize City.

By Lan Sluder:

3. OFFICIAL PERMANENT RESIDENT: Requirements and benefits are similar to those of the Retired Persons Incentive Act. The application process and supporting documents needed are virtually the same as for retired residency. Here are the main differences:

As a regular permanent resident, you do not have to deposit any particular sum in a bank in Belize. However, you do have to show financial resources sufficient to obtain residency status.

You can work for pay in Belize.

You must live in Belize for one full year before you can apply for regular permanent residency. During this period, you cannot leave the country for more than 14 consecutive days.

It is more expensive to apply for regular permanent residency than for retired permanent residency. Application fees vary according to your country of origin, ranging from US$125 (citizens of Mexico and Guatemala) to US$2,000. Citizens of the U.S. pay US$1,000, and most Commonwealth country residents also pay US$1,000. CARICOM citizens pay US$250. Once residency is granted, you pay a fee of US$62.50 for a residency card. Note that these fees are per-person, not per-application, as is the case for the Qualified Retired Persons program. For example, a married couple applying for permanent residency would pay US$1,250 with the application and US$125 for residency cards after approval.

You apply to the Belize Immigration and Nationality Department rather than through the Belize Tourist Board. For information and application form, contact:

Immigration and Nationality Department
Ministry of National Security and Immigration
Belmopan, Belize
Tel.: 501-222-4620
Fax: 501-222-4056

The controversial Economic Citizenship program, under which foreigners were able to buy a Belize passport and residency rights for a fee of US$25,000 to $50,000 was discontinued in 2002.

In addition to these programs, regular citizenship in Belize is a possibility for those living in Belize over a long period. To acquire citizenship, applicants must have been a resident or have permanent residency status for a minimum of five years. Applicants for citizenship need to provide essentially the same supporting documentation as those applying for permanent residency.

Each option has pluses and minuses. The main advantages and disadvantages are:

Tourist Card
Pros: No commitment, no financial requirement, flexibility, little red tape.
Cons: No tax advantages, no official status, inconvenience of having to renew and leave the country periodically, possibility rules may change, can’t work for pay in Belize, cost has increased.

Qualified Retired Persons Incentive Program
Pros: Usually quick approval (about three months), application through Belize Tourist Board rather than Immigration Department, some residency rights (except voting), tax-free entry of household effects, car, boat and airplane; after acceptance, only have to stay in Belize one month a year.

Cons: Must deposit US$2,000 a month in a Belize bank, modestly costly application process, can’t work for pay in Belize (though some QRPs do), must be 45 or over (if a couple, only one partner has to be 45).

Official Residency
Pros: Full residency rights (except voting), can work, open to anyone regardless of age, tax-free entry of household effects and car; pay 5% stamp duty on real estate purchases, rather than 10%
Cons: Year-long residency before applying, more red tape, somewhat higher application costs.

NOTE: The rules for the Qualified Retired Persons Incentive Program have changed a number of times, and, this being Belize, you can expect the rules to change in the future. The BTB personnel responsible for the program have also changed. Latest reports (early 2004) are that it is taking longer to get approval.