Belize is fast becoming one of the most popular countries for relocation nowadays. Aside from the fact that it is the only country in Central America with English as their official language and they have the mix of British colonization and Caribbean lifestyle, their current economic and cultural status makes moving to Belize a delight for many.
There are a lot of frequently asked questions about moving to Belize and you should acquaint yourself with the lot of them to be better informed of what entails your relocation. Relieve yourself of the stress and read on.
If you are thinking of staying more than one month per visit, you should go to the immigration office so that they can stamp your valid passport for another 30 days’ worth of stay. For the first 6 months, this costs USD 12.50 per month.
During your one year stay in Belize, you can only leave the country for a period of no longer than two weeks, if you want to qualify for residency. After staying in the country for 1 year, you will be qualified to apply for ‘Permanent Residency’. The equivalent of this in the United States is having a ‘Green Card’ and in Canada, it is like being a ‘Landed Immigrant’.
Your application in moving to Belize is best done personally since immigration officials would require your presence for the assessment. Bring the following documents as they will be necessary for your immigration visit:
· A police report from the local police department where you have been staying for more than 6 months.
· A medical certificate, including an HIV test, which will verify the status of your health. It can be obtained from any local doctors in the country.
· Three recent passport pictures.
· Copies and original bank or financial statements, whichever applies.
· If you are moving to Belize with your children, you have to bring with you their birth certificate, especially if they are minors or underage.
· Pertinent personal legal documents such as marriage, divorce, separation certificates.
· Any work permit or trading license, if there is any.
The processing of should depend upon the workload that the immigration department receives. Regularly, it takes 8-12 weeks. Once your residency permit has been granted, you will be required to register at the Income Tax Department.
With regard to obtaining citizenship, you should already have had a minimum permanent residency of five years of more. If you are a spouse of a Belizean, citizenship can be applied after a year of marriage. There is an application fee of BZD (Belizean Dollar) 200 per adult and BZD 100 per each minor child.
As you can see the process relatively simple, just follow the rules and keep good records and the whole process will proceed smoothly.
James Kesel, MS, is the publisher of the Moving to Belize website at http://www.moving-to-belize-info.com
Providing great information on visiting and moving to Belize
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