Ports of Entry By Sea: Boats may clear customs and entry at Belize City, Dangriga, Big Creek, Punta Gorda and San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye. There is now regular water taxi service between Mexico and San Pedro Ambergris Caye with customs officers on site to process arriving mariners.
Bus Services
Crossing the western border with Guatemala
West Line, Venus, Belize Bus Owners Cooperative and others depart out of Belize City for most of the major towns (Corozal, Orange Walk, San Ignacio, Benque Viejo del Carmen, Belmopan, Dangriga, Punta Gorda) and border towns in Mexico and Guatemala. Most bus companies also offer runs into Chetumal, Mexico, and Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala. Guatemalan bus lines such as Linia Dorada operate comfortable air-conditioned buses from Guatemala and Mexico. Smaller tourism vans from Guatemala also ply this route.
ADO Buses To Belize
Mexican based Auto Transportes De Oriente, ADO, began twice daily runs between Belize City and Cancun and Merida on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. These runs originate in Belize City every evening with stops in Orange Walk and Corozal Towns. ADO uses first class, air conditioned buses with sanitary facilities on board. As of September 2012 the schedule looks like this:
Tulum / Playa / Cancun
Belize City (7:30 pm) – Orange Walk (9:00 pm) – Corozal (10:00pm) Tulum (4:00am)– Playa del Carmen (5:00am)- Cancun Airport (6:30am) – Cancun Bus Terminal (7:00 am)
Hospital Route (Merida)
Belize City (7:00pm) – Orange Walk (8:30pm) – Corozal (9:30pm) – Merida (6:00am)
At this writing ADO Bus has no permanent offices in Belize. That is why information can be a little difficult to find. The buses pick up and drop off passengers at the existing local bus terminals in Belize City, Orange Walk and Corozal. ADO representatives show up at these bus stations a couple of hours before each departure to ticket passengers. You can purchase tickets in advance from them at that time as well. See our page on the ADO Bus To Belize for more details.
The local bus schedules are continually being altered often without much public notice. You should call the bus company to double check the schedules for your intended trip. The important thing for travelers to know is that there are two classes of bus runs, Regular and Express. Most buses in Belize are used school buses imported from the U.S. and generally they are not in good condition due to the very high taxes on vehicle imports, parts, fuel and maintenance. The Regular bus tends to be in poor condition and makes frequent stops at villages and even for someone standing on the highway.
The Express Buses generally are in better condition and may make one stop, if any, between two destinations. This makes for a more comfortable and shorter ride.
Entry Requirements
With the exception of cruise ship passengers, all visitors must present a valid passport before entering the country. Driver’s licenses and birth certificates are not approved travel documents and cannot be used to enter the country. Passports must be valid up until time of departure.
All adults traveling with minors (age 16 and under) that are neither relatives nor friends, should have a consent letter from their parents stating that the parents gave them permission for their children to travel on their behalf. If a child is traveling with a mother or father, then he or she needs to provide a letter from the other parent. If the parents are divorced or separated, then a custody certificate should be presented.
Visas
Nationals of the following countries do not require visas: Australia, El Salvador, Canada,Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, United States of America, Venezuela, CARICOM member states and members of the European Union.
Nationals of the following countries must secure a visa to enter Belize: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bosnia, Brazil, Central African Republic, Chad, China, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Japan, Korea (North and South), Libya, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Zaire. Click here for Belize Visa Application form (PDF file will open in new window).
The Government of Belize maintains a restricted list of countries, and in order to enter Belize, nationals of the following countries must secure a visa, pay the appropriate fees and must obtain permission from the Director of Immigration: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Myanmar(Burma), Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, People’s Republic of China, Peru, Srilanka, Syria, Thailand and the United Arab Emigrates.
Since visa requirements are subject to change, please contact the Belize Consuls and Embassies for up-to-date information. More information on the Belize Government Directory.
How Long Can I Stay?
Visitors are permitted to stay in Belize for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days. The following category of persons may be granted by the Immigration Department extensions of up to three (3) months at a time. These three months would be after the thirty day period given by the Immigration Officer at the port of entry. This category includes persons living in remote areas away from the Immigration Office, Potential Investors and Business persons.
The above is on the strict understanding that the applicant presents himself or herself in person and satisfies the requirement that the necessary funds (US $50.00 per person per day) are available for the duration of the period requested extension. Applicant must also have a ticket to his/her onward destination. Extensions are granted at a cost of US $50.00 per month.
Animals and Pets
Animals must be accompanied by a certificate of freedom from infection / contagious disease by a veterinarian and must be free of open wounds. To import a dig or cat a valid import permit from the Belize Agriculture Health Authority (BAHA) is required. Applications can be submitted at any BAHA office. Where the permit and conditions are faxed outside Belize, which is payable upon entry – this permit bears a stamp stating “pay upon entry”. Animals must have a recent veterinary certificate of health -14 days – and must have a valid rabies certificate: not less than one month or more than one year prior to the date of importation into Belize. This certificate can be included in the veterinary certificate. Dogs and cats which do not meet rabies requirements (those that are less than three months of age) will to be confined at home until they reach three months of age, at which time the animal shall be vaccinated against rabies and confined for an additional thirty days.
Currency and Credit Cards
Local currency is the BZ Dollar. One U.S. dollar is worth BZ$2. U.S. dollars should be exchanged directly in purchasing goods and services, as banks will charge a fee (currently is at .0125) to exchange U.S. to BZ dollars. U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere in the country. See more information on our Belize currency page.
Credit Cards and Travelers’ Checks: Nearly all hotels, restaurants and shops in the major towns and tourist areas take all major credit cards. Representatives of VISA, Master Card and American Express can be contacted at the local banks. Credit cards with the Interlink, PLUS or STAR logos can access local Bank ATM machines for cash withdrawals countrywide. The daily limit is US$500. Belize is a highly regarded offshore banking centre and these services are available countrywide through licensed offshore banking practitioners.
Getting Married
Foreign visitors who wish to marry in Belize can now apply for a marriage license after being in the country only three days, plus give one day’s notice. Blood tests are not required, but you must provide proof of citizenship, a certified copy of your birth certificate and certified copy of divorce certificate or death certificate, if applicable. Check out our Getting Married In Belize page.
Telecommunications
All telecommunications services (direct dial phones, cellular, fax, Internet, telex, cable) are available; but calls from Belize are much higher than an equivalent call into Belize. The predominant cellular systems are GSM 1900 frequency and CDMA. The largest carrier is the government controlled Belize Telemedia Limited, and privately held SMART. Telecom prices are guaranteed to give visitors and prospective immigrants sticker shock, especially Internet access. The cheapest “High Speed” Internet access is 128K for U.S. $25. per month. 4MB access speed runs about U.S. $425. month (more than an average mortgage payment) – that is NOT a typo.
Belize Internet Broadband Access By Country Sample
Lithuania 33.4 Mbps, South Korea 28.7, Iceland 19.8, Germany 15.5, U.S. 11.8, Canada 11.5, Ghana 5.7, Jamaica 4.4, Mexico 4.3, Cayman Islands 3.6, Zimbabwe 3.0, Nicaragua 2.5, Honduras 2.3 Belize 1.0
Belize ranks in 153rd place. Results were obtained by analyzing test data between August 17, 2011 and September 23, 2011. Tests from 5,779 unique IPs have been taken in this country and of 48,697 total tests, 2,820 are being used for the current Index.