Family in Belize

Marriage in Belize is possible from the age of 18. The ministry responsible for the attorney general (Attorney General’s Ministry) issues a marriage licence; the application is made through a justice of the peace (Justice of the Peace). A passport or Social Security Card is required. The fee is 50 BZD if at least one person is Belizean and 200 BZD if neither person is Belizean. Processing usually takes two weeks. The vital statistics office (Vital Statistics Unit) registers the marriage and issues the marriage certificate; the fee is 5 BZD under the standard procedure, 20 BZD for next-day service or 30 BZD for same-day service. A legally recognized unmarried partnership (common-law union) is, by statutory definition, the unmarried cohabitation of a man and a woman lasting at least five years, in which they live permanently as a married couple. It is not treated the same as a marriage in every area, but it may be recognized, among other things, for maintenance, benefits from the social security board (Social Security Board) and immigration matters. Since the 2024 amendment to family law, the term spouse also includes a common-law union. Birth registration takes place at the Vital Statistics Unit (VSU) or through the civil registry and vital statistics system (Civil Registry and Vital Statistics). A birth should be registered within the first year of life. For married parents, the mother or father is registered with the marriage certificate; for an unmarried mother, the father is generally registered with her consent. If the mother dies, the father or relatives may arrange the registration with a death certificate. For late registrations, the VSU requires additional witness declarations; four declarations are provided for a home birth. The fee is 4 BZD under the standard procedure, 25 BZD for a delay of one to five years and 50 BZD for more than five years. A later addition of the father’s details costs 8.50 BZD. Registration establishes identity and parentage and facilitates access to citizenship and social benefits. Parents, guardians and other legally responsible caregivers must provide for the child’s education, counselling, vaccinations, balanced nutrition, clothing, housing and medical care. Each parent has parental responsibility. The child is entitled to protection from discrimination, violence, abuse and neglect. A spouse must also provide for any child who lives with the other spouse when the marriage takes place; this duty generally ends with judicial separation or divorce, or with the end of the common-law union. The family court (Family Court) or magistrates’ court system (Magistracy) deals with matters including custody, access, guardianship, child maintenance, protection orders, mediation, counselling and social inquiries. The court considers the child’s best interests, the child’s age and wishes, the conduct of the parties and their financial means. If one parent receives custody, the court may grant the other reasonable access and order regular maintenance. After separation, divorce or annulment, both parents remain responsible for maintenance and education according to their financial capacity. Arrears and breaches of court orders can be enforced through the courts. If parentage is uncertain, the Magistracy may issue a summons and a declaration of parentage; confirmed evidence may result in an affiliation order with weekly maintenance and contributions toward education. If a child is at risk, the human services department (Human Services Department) records a report, conducts a home visit and interviews with the child as appropriate, and prepares a social inquiry report. A supervision order normally lasts one year and may be extended once. A care order lasts no more than three years or until the child turns 18 and is reviewed at least every 90 days. Interim care or supervision orders last no more than three months; immediate protective placement in a safe place may last no more than 48 hours. Foster families, residential facilities and court orders for exclusion, search and return are also possible. Parents or guardians may be required to contribute to the costs according to their financial capacity. An adoption is ordered by the Supreme Court. Applicants may be one person or two spouses applying jointly; an applicant must be at least 25 years old and at least twelve years older than the child. The procedure considers consents, an assessment report, a guardian ad litem and the child’s best interests. A provisional probationary period may last up to two years. After the adoption order, the VSU issues the corresponding certificate, and a legal parent-child relationship arises with the essential rights and benefits of parenthood. The human services department and family support and gender affairs services (Family Support and Gender Affairs) provide case management, public assistance, BOOST, BOOST+, Food Pantry, accommodation, referrals and assistance with court proceedings. Access depends on the individual case and need; no general family allowance is established. In cases of domestic violence, the family court, police, domestic violence unit (Domestic Violence Unit), national women’s commission (National Women’s Commission) and women’s department (Women’s Department) may arrange protection, psychosocial assistance, medical care, legal support and economic reintegration. The police can be reached in emergencies at 0-800-292-9688; SMS or WhatsApp are available at 672-9628. Selected Senior Justices of the Peace may issue temporary protection orders in urgent exceptional cases. In judicial separation proceedings, the court may end cohabitation because a marriage has permanently failed or is incompatible and may regulate custody, spousal maintenance and child maintenance. A common-law union ends without divorce proceedings, but custody, maintenance and protection orders may still be matters for the Family Court. The legal advice and services centre (Legal Advice and Services Centre) assists with matters including divorce, adoption, Family Court and High Court proceedings and estate matters. Advice is income-dependent; the current consultation fee is 50 BZD, but it may be waived in cases of special hardship. After the death of a family member, the VSU registers the death on the basis of the physician’s death certificate and identity documents. For a late registration of more than one year, two witness declarations and proof of burial are required. The fee is 4 BZD under the standard procedure, 15 BZD for next-day service or 30 BZD for same-day service; for late registration, the fees are 25 BZD for one to five years and 50 BZD for more than five years. The SSB may pay a survivors’ benefit (Survivors’ Benefit) to widows or widowers, biological, step and adopted children and, under certain conditions, parents. At least 500 contributions are required for a pension; the application should generally be filed within 13 weeks. The minimum pension is 47 BZD per week. A funeral grant (Funeral Grant) may also be claimed if the contribution and family requirements are met. Common-law unions may also be considered for certain marriage, maintenance, care and residence matters. Fees, deadlines and statutory requirements should be checked again with the responsible authority before a specific application.