You guide to moving and living in Belize. Visas, citizenship and more.
This small country in Central-America is famous for its beautiful environment and options for adventure. For many people, a holiday in paradise is as far as their adventure goes, but living in Belize is definitely possible and people who do never look back.
Why live in Belize?
The country offers a diverse landscape and you can choose to live in different areas with different price tags. Inland housing is really cheap and while closer to the beach you pay a bit more it is generally still affordable and the really low property tax (as low as $25 a year) helps too. A lot of food is grown in the country and so local produce is cheap, which helps to keep the cost of living down.
In 2014, Belize’s largest island ‘Ambergris Caye’ made it to the top of Tripadvisor’s ‘best islands in the world’-list. You can also explore Mayan ruins in the country and visit world’s second largest barrier reef. About half of the country is covered in rainforest, of which the government protects 80%.
The lifestyle in Belize is laid back and unpretentious and immigrants who are looking for a change of pace often find exactly what they wanted in Belize.
The Ministry of Labor processes work permits for immigrants who want to live and work in Belize. Having an employer before applying for a work permit is not necessary, but if you do have one an employment letter must be submitted with the application.
The application form must be bought in Belize and a number of other documents are also required, like a bank statement, a business license for self-employed immigrants and letters of recommendation from relevant ministries and a local organisation such as the ministry of tourism or village council. The application fee is about $12.
Here are some of the ways to live in Belize:
- If your spouse is a citizen or permanent resident, you are eligible for residency. If your spouse is a citizen, you can apply for citizenship. Please note that your status of spouse needs to be legally recognised in this country.
Here are some of the ways to get citizenship in Belize:
- If one or both of your parents were citizens when you were born, you are probably also a citizen.
- If one or both of your grandparents were citizens of Belize when you were born before September 21, 1981, you are probably a citizen of Belize.
- If your spouse is a citizen or permanent resident , you are eligible for residency. If your spouse is a citizen, you can apply for citizenship. Please note that your status of spouse needs to be legally recognised in this country.
There are no investment visa options in Belize at this stage.