Sounds like another rumor , or is there some facts to this.

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00abuse

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Bobby, do you have a credible source for this information? I sure don't see it at http://ins.gov.bz/

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00abuse

This is not new or a rumour, its always been the law , but never enforced , theres an interview in the San Pedro Sun with immigration who confirm they are going to start to enforce the law, its been discussed on the Ambergriscaye forum at length , also just check out the Sun article .

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00abuse

Here is the link to the article:
http://www.sanpedrosun.com/community-and-society/2016/11/26/immigration-department-recommends-btbs-qrp-program-retirees/
As usual, it is just a verbal statement, from a single immigration officer. It is so hard to get the same answer from any 2 different officers!
Seems like it makes it awfully hard to get Permanent Residence status, unless you buy property. Maybe that is their intention. (Catch 22: to apply for permanent residency, you have to stay here for a full year, with no more than 14 days absence,)

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00abuse

And here is a link to the forum. The first item is just a copy of the article text... you will have to keep reading for more than that.
http://ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/519299/retirees-concerned-over-changes-at-immigration-dept.html#Post519299

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00abuse

Choosing an expat health insurance provider is an important decision. Get a quote from our trusted expat health insurance partner, CIGNA. With Cigna Global Health Options, you can create an international health insurance plan that's perfectly tailored for the needs of you and your family.

I'm assuming renting a property does not count as purchasing a property?

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00abuse

Its typical of a poorly run gov. nobody seems quite sure of the rules , and therefore you never know what you should or shouldnt be doing. The other worrying thing going on is the Superbond, trying to negotiate for an unheard of 3rd time. Im hearing the gov. is going to fail to make repayment and default hence S&P have down graded them twice last wk. It means if your wanting to take $usd out of Belize , you might find you cant , and Belize $ are useless outside Belize

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00abuse

Crispy , you need the deeds , they dont take your word for anything.

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00abuse

the gmvt. will default on the bond if they can not renegotiate the terms (that s what they try to do with the bondholders right now) when they renegotiated the last time a clause was put in place which leads to a minimum increase of the par value by 11% if they renegotiate again. so this will have a huge negativ impact on the national debt. central bank reserves are onlz 315 mln usd and they need around 100 mln to finance one month of imports to the country.

btw, they cant pay the coupon as they spent the 68mln usd for the settlement regarding the btl nationalization

regarding the currency it depends if you have usd or bzd account. i can withdraw usd in belize from my usd account and also wire it out through 2 intermediary banks (one in the uk and one in puerto rico)

the most interesting part is if they will be able to maintain the fixed exchange rate

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00abuse

Hi Mikxx , thats another good point, they maybe forced to devalue, but i also understand , they cannot drop below $300mil to guarantee import payment, If they drop below , they cant import , or other countries wont export to Belize unless they dont get paid. its starting to get very messy indeed, and all the gov's promises on new schools and hospitals etc are likely a lot of hot air

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00abuse

Back on the immigration topic, I found this article, which appears to be a direct copy-and-paste from a government announcement from 1999:
http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/immigrationpolicy.html

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00abuse

Are most of you looking at Citizenship? What about the retiree visa program I'm reading about? Anyone familiar with that?
I'm Canadian, living in the US, and considering Belize for actual retirement in the next year and a half.

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00abuse

Lots do QRP what people are taking about on here isnt about citizenship , QRP is done thro the BTB , pretty straightforward but anything done by officials in Belize takes time

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00abuse

Canadians have it a bit easier as you are members of The Commonwealth.

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00abuse

I'm sure any immigration officer will gladly extend your stay beyond 6 months if you pay them a few extra bucks. If that doesn't work you can always spend 15 days out of the country (hotel room in Mexico perhaps?) every 6 months. Also do they really check that 15 days have passed when you reenter the country?

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00abuse

Every immigration officer in Belize works differently, all im sure like a greased palm. Someone the other day said it was one day out of country, buy hey let them find out, as far as i understand its 15, and too be honest , i enjoyed my time outa Belize after 6 months. Never had any probs. My wife has residency as well.

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00abuse

Hi Pulpo. I see you asked a question on another forum about QRP, once youve registered you cant be thrown out. infact part of applying for QRP is that you have to stay in the country for a yr.
You fulfill the monetary requirements.

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00abuse

The offering of any monies to any immigration or insinuation of payment will be met by the fullest extent of the law and may result in an order to leave the country of Belize. So I would not in any instance encourage what you are stating. I check and there is no new immigration it is jut being enforced and only the director can refuse an extension and if it is ever done u must be a very despicable person to warrant not getting an extension.

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00abuse

Have to agree with Ken offering a bribe and stating it is a good idea you may act upon are both criminal acts. In 20 plus years traveling and living in Belize I have never been asked for or offered a bribe I see no reason to start now. Red tape is an annoyance but why should anyone feel they are too special to follow the rules. Same people who are first to say Belize is more corrupt than most other countries seem to be advocating these criminal acts.

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10abuse

In addition, U.S. citizens in Belize are subject to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, which makes it a crime to bribe any foreign official.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_Corrupt_Practices_Act

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00abuse

I've read through page 125 in this forum, where the posts get to be about a year old. Fantastic info.

Still a little confused about QRP, but here's our situation. We are planning a visit this summer in contemplation of moving there. We're going to do the Airbnb thing as an opportunity to stay in the vills we might like to move to (we are not going to buy a hotel, so I figure a stay in one would not be as informative.) Our tentative, pre-visit intention is to find a place to rent, sell our home in Louisiana, and move down there to live, happily ever after, or until I need to see a cardiologist or oncologist. At some point we may buy and renovate.

On QRP, we are over 45 and have my pension of over $2K per month (telling me that retired Master Sergeants and above are most welcome, or at least their money is). I would like to bring my Chevy cargo van and my Harley with us - figuring that selling them in Louisiana would not provide any money to speak of, and I might as well get some fun and use out of them for the couple years it takes for the salt-laden humidity to return them to the earth from whence they came.

So,
1) When should one apply for QRP? When can one apply for QRP? Any other requirements or qualifications other than age & $?
The initial move is when I would like to avoid duty's.

2) Does QRP allow one to avoid other duties, duties on things I might buy in Mexico a year from now for example, or just on the household goods from home?

3) Does QRP eliminate the monthly visa check-in and fee?

4) Is there a "resident" status one should apply for? If so, what are the requirements and benefits of doing so? (Not interested in citizenship as I understand there are no benefits to being a citizen)

I sure appreciate any clarification you might provide.

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00abuse

Hi there is a QRP site on the Belze Tourist website the rules include health and security checks. Once on the QRP you no longer need to do the monthly immigration stamp. The duty free allowance is a one off for your belongings to come in and there is a limit on the value you can bring. You can come and go from the country as you please once accepted on the scheme but still are elligible for paying the exit tax. You have to pay the monthly $2k us but only have to be in the country for I think 2 weeks of the year.(your money is needed more than your presence it seems)
The residency program is not connected to the QRP in any way and that is the Monthly Visit to immigration. the first 12 months you can only be out of country for 14 days total. That includes any day trips to Mexico, many have have tried to argue they only went for a few hours but lost the day anyway. Duties and fees are a major part of the income for Belize so the allowance is not repeated after your first year.(you can bring your items in mare than one time in that first year but all are tallied to reach the total free allowance. Th auto allowance only covers a vehicle under 3 years old anything older you will pay duty which can be hefty depending on vehicle and the sort of day the customs officer is having. If you decided after A year you wished to apply for residency you would be starting Day one on that path the QRP time would not be counted and you would have to pay back the Duty you did not pay on entry. there is a devaluation allowance on those things so you would not pay all of it. If you want to sell your duty free vehicle in Belize someone has to pay the tax either the seller or the buyer. You can I believe on the QRP bring in another vehicle duty free after a certain number of years but you would have to pay the duty on the original one if you sold it.
You can not seek or take employment on QRP, whereas residency allows that. If you purchase or build up a business you are only allowed to oversee it, all positions that are considered employment have to advertised and then you employ Belizeans.
If you follow that to the end it means if you have a house you want to rent out you would be expected to employ a person to collect rent and check the building etc. I Know a few people who rent out the first house they bought or built and moved elsewhere that manage to avoid doing that and never been asked about it. Hope some of this is useful. There have, in the last 3 years, been a number of Harley clubs springing up in the areas I know best, Belmopan and Cayo district and have been seeing quite a few around.
What sort of Van is it you have?realisticaly you need 12" clearance to allow for the sleeping policemen that will scrape the bottom off your vehicle if it's too low, and to get you through many of the roads in the rainy season.

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10abuse

Hi... I don't believe a QRP status would alleviate any duties charged to you at the Mexican border coming in from say a Walmart run at Chetemal. They generate revenue from those duty fees. My neighbors in Corozal work up there as customs agents, they are good ones to know,,I have noticed what fees you are dunned and quite arbitrarily determined is by the agent who is assessing your items being brought in. I believe the QRP would free up your duty fees on say your vehicles and containers brought in initially, at least that s my understanding. If you fly back to the states and bring in say textiles, tennis shoes or whatever, they will probably stick you for them when you go through customs coming back in..I have carried in an extra laptop before in my carry on, they have never checked that. Make sure you take your electronics down there as they are very expensive. Personally, if I were going down under a QRP status, I would buy my appliances up here too....I would also take in spare car parts just in case.. You can always sell them if you don't need them. I would take extra tires for that Harley too but that's just me...

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00abuse

Thanks for the great info.

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00abuse