Permanent Residency
Tourism
There’s a reason that Belize and Ambergris Caye are among the top tourism destinations in both Central America and the world. From skydiving to cave-diving to diving into the archaeological adventures in the Jungle’s Mayan ruins, Belize has it all.
Some of the world’s finest and most exotic bird watching, some of the most exciting nature photography, but most importantly: the world’s absolute finest relaxation. And the whole process of visiting is so easy that you can begin to relax at takeoff, no need to wait until you’re unpacked. No fumbling with paperwork, just sun and the beach.
Bear in mind that while many will choose to immigrate, there is also the option of entering Belize as a tourist and simply renewing that visa indefinitely. By visiting the local immigration authority offices once a month and paying the associated visa extension fee (very modest, roughly $20USD), you can theoretically remain in Belize as long as you like.
Permanent Residency/Citizenship
You don’t have to immigrate to Belize to invest, but you should immigrate to Belize if you want to enjoy the country full-time. There are also financial considerations, and those seeking to invest at a higher end of the scale should consider the brand new $250,000 investment residency detailed here.
Permanent Residency is an alternative to full citizenship, which allows you to enjoy the warm, welcoming Belizean country and culture for as long as you like. It even allows you to participate in the economy and vote in municipal elections. A necessary step on the road to full citizenship (which requires five years of residency), you might find that permanent residency fulfills your needs and that the added process of becoming a full citizen is unnecessary. The fees for obtaining your residency permit vary depending upon your nationality but are generally between $500 and $5,000 US per person.
Should you decide that full citizenship is your goal, you’ll need to spend five years as a permanent resident first. Before those five years start, however, you’ll need to spend one year in the country without leaving for more than fourteen consecutive days, as this is the time required for the permanent residency application itself. This may seem like a lot of time, but you’ll hardly notice it go by as you spend your days basking in the golden sun, swimming, and sailing and enjoying everything this incredible country has to offer.
Qualified Retired Persons Program
Introduced in the 1990s, the Qualified Retired Persons (QRP) program was created by the Belize Tourism Board to get people from around the world to consider enjoying their retirement in Belize.
Easy to understand and with simple enrollment procedures, the Qualified Retired Persons program affords benefits to those who meet certain income requirements, such as a card that offers them the ability to permanently live here without the hassle of having their passport re-stamped every 30 days at an immigration office, and the freedom for multiple entries without a visa.
This is important, because it represents a time and cost savings that makes it easy to visit your other home whenever you need to, which is especially important for those wishing to return home to receive medical treatments, conduct business, or even just visit the family or friends and tell them how incredible life is in paradise!
Investment Residency
Last December, the Government of Belize passed a new section of immigration law which created investment visas. The main requirement for obtaining this visa is demonstrating investment in the country of $250,000 USD.
This investment can assume various forms: land, shares in a Belizean company, cash deposited in a domestic bank, operating business with goodwill, etc. The full list can be found in the legislation itself. Once the necessary processes are completed, the investor will receive their residency.
The greatest advantage which this visa presents for many investors is that it really expedites the process. Investors of this type can become citizens much more quickly, they are able to stay permanently in Belize right away, there are none of the time requirements present in other routes.