Immigration law in Belize

The main rules come from the Immigration Act Cap. 156, the Belizean Nationality Act Cap. 161 and the Refugees Act Cap. 165. The Ministry of Immigration, Governance & Labour oversees the system through the Immigration Department, Nationality and Passports Department, Labour Department and Refugees Department. Police Special Branch participates in security checks. Visitors need a visa when their nationality requires one. A visa usually permits a stay of up to 30 days. Visa-exempt nationalities may receive 30 or 90 days, depending on the applicable rule. Citizens of the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and European Union countries may also qualify for a visitor visa exemption for stays of up to 30 days when they hold a multiple-entry visa or permanent residence card from the United States or Canada, or a multiple-entry Schengen visa. The applicable nationality rule should be confirmed before travel because a general visa category does not prove eligibility for a particular passport. A visitor who needs more time can apply for a Visitor’s Permit Extension. The extension is issued for 30 days and costs BZ$200. A visitor may not undertake paid or unpaid employment, business or professional activity unless the Director gives the required approval. A visitor status therefore cannot be used as a substitute for a work permit or another residence category. Belize offers several longer-term pathways. The Long Stay Permit is available to eligible citizens or permanent residents of the European Union, the United Kingdom, the United States or Canada who earn foreign income outside Belize. The minimum income is USD$75,000 per year for one applicant or USD$100,000 including dependants. The permit allows up to six months in a calendar year, cannot be renewed and does not authorize work in Belize. The fee is USD$500 for an adult and USD$200 for a child. Permanent residence generally requires at least one year of lawful residence in Belize, no more than 14 days of absence during the preceding year, financial stability and no relevant conviction carrying a possible sentence of at least 12 months unless a pardon applies. A person who entered Belize as a minor under age 16 may qualify under a separate rule after at least 10 years of residence. Temporary residence is issued for one year and may be renewed annually. The researched investment threshold for temporary residence is BZ$500,000. Residence applications are filed at an Immigration Office. Typical documents include the original passport and copies, a medical certificate and tests, a Belize Police Record, financial evidence, photographs and documents for a spouse or child. Immigration normally conducts an interview about two weeks after filing. Police Special Branch checks may take up to three months. After approval, the applicant pays the fee and provides the required security bond; the residence card is expected about five weeks after payment. The official minimum processing period is about three months, and the applicant must keep lawful status during the procedure. Permanent residence fees vary by nationality: BZ$1,000 for CARICOM nationals, BZ$1,500 for nationals of Central America, Mexico and the Dominican Republic, BZ$3,000 for Commonwealth nationals, BZ$6,000 for European nationals and BZ$4,000 for other nationalities. The fee for a minor is half the adult amount. Temporary residence costs one fifth of the applicable permanent residence fee. Employment requires a Temporary Employment Permit unless another legal exemption applies. The applicant must reside in Belize and hold a valid passport and Belize visa. The Labour Department normally handles the initial application, through the employer for an employee or personally for a self-employed applicant. The department usually provides status information in about 30 days. After approval, the applicant deals with the Immigration Office and submits the approval letter, payment, an Income Tax Letter, passport and proof of payment. Permit categories and fees depend on the work. A professional or technical permit normally lasts one year and costs BZ$3,000. A general worker permit costs BZ$750, or BZ$1,500 in the banana, sugar or citrus sectors. Seasonal agricultural work costs BZ$150 for one crop season. Self-employed permits cost BZ$2,000 to BZ$3,000. Religious, cultural, educational and voluntary work costs BZ$200 for one year. Entertainer permits last no more than one week and cost BZ$600 to BZ$1,500. Import and export traders pay BZ$1,500, and peddlers pay BZ$1,000. Permits for waitresses and domestic workers are subject to exceptional rules. A Student Permit must be obtained before the school year or semester begins. It normally lasts one school year for primary or secondary education and one semester for tertiary education. The file can require an institution letter, proof of financial support, passport, birth certificate, sponsor or status documents, bank evidence, photographs and, in some cases, a return ticket valid for one year. The fee is BZ$200 for most nationals, BZ$750 for certain Commonwealth and Asian nationals and BZ$3,000 for Chinese nationals. A Student Permit does not by itself create a right to work. A Dependent Permit is available where a resident sponsor supports an immediate family member. The listed family relationships include a spouse, child, parent or sibling, with functional limits for a retired person aged at least 55, a disabled person or a child under five. Evidence can include proof of support and accommodation, relationship documents, passports, bank evidence and a return ticket. Fees are BZ$200 for most nationals, BZ$750 for certain nationalities and BZ$3,000 for Chinese nationals. A legally married spouse may apply jointly for permanent residence, while a common-law partner applies separately. Applications for children require a birth certificate and consent or authorization where applicable. CARICOM nationals with a qualifying Associate, Bachelor, Master or Doctoral degree, and certain artists, musicians, media workers, sports personnel, non-graduate teachers, nurses and CVQ artisans, may apply for a CSME Skilled National Certificate. The certificate exempts the holder from a work permit and allows employment without a special work authorization. It normally provides at least six months to complete document checks and can support an indefinite stay when the requirements continue to be met. Dependants may accompany the holder. Applications are made only at the Immigration Office in Belmopan, usually take about eight weeks and cost BZ$225. A dependant under 18 pays BZ$50 and an adult dependant pays BZ$100. A person seeking refugee protection must apply from inside Belize in person. Access is available through the Refugees Department in Belmopan, an Immigration Officer, a Police Officer or the Benque Viejo Resource Information Center. Protection may apply where there is a well-founded fear of persecution based on race, religion, nationality, membership of a particular social group or political opinion, or because of serious public disturbance or external aggression. Irregular entry does not by itself prevent an application. The file can include a passport or identity document, birth certificate and evidence supporting the claim. There is no fixed processing period. While a claim is pending, the applicant may not leave Belize or work, but children may attend school. Serious crime can create an exclusion issue. Belize does not have a separately evidenced general language course or language test requirement on the official core pages reviewed. Practical checks can instead include lawful residence, financial stability, a police record, medical examination, interviews, referees and a security bond. Citizenship registration also involves good character, residence and legal or public-order review. A permanent resident may seek citizenship by registration after at least five years of permanent residence and continuous residence. Since obtaining permanent residence, absences generally must not exceed 30 consecutive days or three months in any 12-month period, subject to possible employment or medical exceptions. A spousal application generally requires at least one year of marriage. Citizenship by descent can apply to a person born outside Belize who has a Belizean parent, with some historical grandparent or marriage cases handled separately. Registration applications are made in Belize; descent applications may be made in Belize or overseas. Registration costs BZ$300 after approval, while descent costs BZ$40 at application. The registration process can include an interview about two weeks after filing, vetting, payment, swearing-in and issuance of a Nationality Certificate. The Immigration Department states that Guatemalan nationals cannot use citizenship by registration. A prohibited immigrant should receive written grounds for the decision. An appeal may be filed with a court of summary jurisdiction within seven days after notice. Removal under a warrant cannot be executed while the appeal is pending, and the Minister may review the decision on application. An Immigration Officer may issue a temporary permit pending removal or appeal. The core sources reviewed do not establish a general administrative appeal deadline for citizenship or residence refusals. A person receiving such a refusal should request the written decision, check status and documents and obtain qualified legal advice. Common evidence includes a passport, visa and entry stamp, police record, medical documents, financial or bank evidence, employment, income-tax or social-security records, birth and marriage documents, consent documents, institutional letters and evidence supporting a refugee claim. Applications commonly require originals and copies. Foreign-language documents should be translated into English by an authorized translator. Many published fees are marked as effective from 1 May 2020, so the Immigration Office should confirm the current amount and eligibility before payment.