Moving to Belize – Here’s What You Need To Know (2023 Update)
You are probably thinking to yourself, “Why should I move to Belize?” to which I will tell you, there is no one response to properly satisfy that question. So this article serves as a guide to help you successfully move to the part Central American and part Caribbean country.
Relocating can be a daunting task on its own, but it doesn’t have to be that way if you are provided the proper information to help you make an informed decision that you will be happy about 10 or 25 or 35 years from now, thinking to yourself, “I’m so glad I moved to Belize” whilst overlooking the Mopan River or swimming in the Caribbean sea.
If she loves gardening and rainforests, and your idea of heaven involves endless hours of boating and fishing, preferably in warm crystal clear waters then, why, Belize, of course!
Life is great, seriously!
So what about it? Well, Belize has a “Go Slow” approach to living. The right type of pace if you are coming from the concrete jungles where the demand to produce and pay your bills has left you weary and anxious.
We live in such a fast-paced world today where we seem to be working more hours and managing more tasks both at work and home, with no giving in. Living in the technological age, we are connected 24/7, and we find it difficult to disconnect. This has changed the way we live and work. The result? expectations are higher and we’re struggling to keep up.
And so, visiting or relocating to this paradise will create a magical sense of relief, where busy mornings with paper turn into mornings serenaded by birds singing and corporate meetings are replaced by relaxing at a beach or standing under a waterfall. In fact, it’s as easy as hammock life whilst enjoying fresh coconut water.
The people
Belize has been ranked as one of the happiest countries in the world – and with good reason! Belizeans are generally happy and cheerful people who love to party and celebrate.
It is said that the equivalent of the country’s entire population lives in the USA and Canada, and that may prove why we have such strong north American influence in our country.
A Travel Channel feature stated that “With the second biggest barrier reef in the world, a laidback Caribbean lifestyle and a favourable climate, there’s a lot to be happy about in Belize. But its cultural diversity is what is truly believed to make this country so content and welcoming: European, Creole, Hispanic, and Mayan are some of the prevalent groups that form one harmonious culture here.” Need we say more? Move to Belize! 🙂
Belize is an English speaking country
Language can be a barrier to many things, including relocating and retiring in another country. You want to be able to communicate articulately and understand when talking to locals, who make up the majority of the population.
Language will be no problem since the country’s official language is English. The majority of our population is bilingual and/or trilingual, speaking both Spanish and English fluently. Residents also speak the Belizean Kriol English, a close relative to Jamaican patois and Miskito Coastal kriol. If you listen keenly, you will be able to figure out what a local is saying, since many Kriol words are almost pronounced as their English derivatives.
Our speaking English comes as a result of our colonial days when we were a British colony under the name of British Honduras and most if not all of our legal documents, menus, street signs and such are in English.
In a nutshell: relocation gets easier when there are no language barriers! 😉
Your money doubles when moving to Belize
Belize is not the cheapest country to live in, however, expats and retirees say they live comfortably here.
Since you are probably bringing US money, the exchange is $2 Belize dollars to one $1 US dollar. So basically if you are bringing $50,000 USD with you, that will automatically convert to $100,000 BZD. The goal is to live as simple as possible because it can end up costing as much as living in North America or Europe with an expensive lifestyle.
Other ways in which your money will double is in the economical services and goods available in the country inclusive of but not limited to bundled tv+internet, medical services, property taxes, insurance, and housecleaning.
Conveniently you can pay for almost anything using your US Dollars except at government offices.
Sample budget for a retiree living in Belize on $5,000bzd (USD $2,500) monthly:
- Rent or mortgage payment
- Car Expenses
- Utilities (including internet
- Groceries (based on a couple)
- Health insurance
- Entertainment
- Savings
Belize’s weather is nice year-round
Apart from skating, (jet)skiing, and dog mushing, you probably don’t want to hear about winter, especially when the weather forecast calls for temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit. This is why our weather is so attractive, with a stable sub-tropical climate averaging 84 degrees year round.
The weather is made for sleeveless shirts, Bahamas shorts, and slippers (you can totally ditch your long jeans and thick coats!). In recent years, our rainy season which runs from June to November has seen dryer spells than usual, and rainfall doesn’t necessarily result in flash floods and landslides. Our hurricane season runs from June to November, and rains are expected during these months.
We are not exposed to tornadoes, or tsunamis, making it a relatively safe country to move to and build your dream home! Don’t believe us? here’s live proof:
Proximity to the USA & Canada makes moving to Belize attractive
You may now be asking, “where is Belize?” well, we are blessed to be a part of Central America to the west and south AND Caribbean to the east.
We are only 2 hours away from Houston, TX and 45 minutes away from Miami, FL. If you are considering proximity to your loved ones as a barrier to your relocation plams, Belize won’t fail you. With direct flights by Southwest, American Airlines, United, and Delta Airlines, your family and friends are a few hours away!
This is in your favor, as they won’t churn to the news of you relocating :).
Geography and size
Belize is a tiny country, with slightly over 350,000 inhabitants and the best of both worlds, reef, and jungle, we are loved for the ease of change in scenery. You can literally have an early breakfast in mountain Pine Ridge at 10am and be snorkeling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve at 2pm.
From Belize City to the most westerly border point is only 2 hours driving, and 5 hours from Corozal to Toledo, the most northern point of Belize to the most Southern point respectively. And if budget isn’t an issue, our friends at Tropic Air have local flights spanning all major 6 districts, that can get you from point A to point B in as little as 20 minutes.
So, you get the idea, it’s easy to take advantage of our diverse topography and natural attractions if you are retiring in Belize, something that many expats and retirees have said to be one of their favorite perks.
Moving to Belize Immigration Process:
The Government of Belize has a website where anyone looking to move permanently to Belize can easily access information.
Availability of lovely, affordable Belize real estate
Another real plus to this little tropical paradise is the availability of lovely, affordable real estate and a range of options from remote farms, island getaways or expat communities.
A Google search will put you in contact with several Belize real estate agents who also offer finance, and I recommend taking a Belizean vacation to travel around, meet people and explore it for yourself before moving.
NOTE: Real estate agents are not licensed in Belize, so choose a reputable and knowledgeable agent and company. We can recommend Tiffany Swift at Belize Real Estate Agent REMAX.
Belizeans are a very warm and friendly people, and most expats are willing to give advice, so familiarising yourself, asking questions on moving to Belize and just generally checking things out while having a Belizean vacation is, in my opinion, the best way to research your options.
Need extra information on Moving To Belize? The Belize Tourism Board and The Belize Immigration Department websites are excellent resources.
During your first visits before moving to Belize, you can stay at The Lodge at Chaa Creek, which is perfect for those fact-finding holidays. Owners Mick and Lucy Fleming moved to Belize over 30 years ago and know who to refer you to and where to go.
Great article…have couple questions 🙂 Is Belize a safe country (violence, murder and attacks generally?) Are the police helpful and decent to expats generally? Is internet of good quality? Is quality of healthcare good? Vet care for your pets?
Thanks so much! Brenda
Hey Brenda! thanks for asking. Belize is a relatively safe country! It might sound otherwise due to the way crime statistics are calculated per capita/geography but it really is a safe country to live in generally speaking. The police are as helpful as they can be under circumstances of a third world country, the technology they have and resources that are disposable to them. The internet is very good depending on your area – some remote areas have little to no internet access. Health care is not a great option in Belize but with Mexico and Guatemala bordering us, healthcare is rarely a problem here. Vet care for pets is also available, and we have some good vets in Belize. Hope this helps! 🙂
My wife and I are considering the possibility of living in Belize. I have browsed some of the information available on the internet concerning the life style in Belize. It all seems so attractive in writing, but I know there are also some draw backs; although I have not found any so far. But, what does concern me mss is the available of organic, non-geo foods. Neither my wife nor myself can tolerate any food that contain GMO ‘s including the meat of animals fed GMO grain. We live in Vermont where there is a large availability of such food items including range raised chickens and grass fed beef.
So, my question is, how much organic and non goo food is available in Belize?
Hi James,
excellent point! thanks for bringing this up, as I’m sure others have the same concern.
let’s make it simple – if you’re looking for GMO-free foods, you’ll have to source out organic farmers and local meat shops in the area you want to move. So our next question is; do you have a specific area you’d like to move to or are more inclined to at the moment? from there, we can let you know what the availability of such food in Belize! thanks 🙂
As Belize and Canada were once British colonies, Do Canadians need a passport to move to Belize?
Hi Bill, yes, Canadians do need a passport to travel/move to Belize! 🙂
We are wanting to relocate our family to Belize from the States. My husband works from home so we have flexibility on location. What documents/visas are we going to need to do this?
Hi Melissa – that’s great news! You will love it here : ). We recommend checking the following links: http://ins.gov.bz/index.php/belize-permanent-residence/pr-requirements and https://bz.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/local-resources-of-u-s-citizens/residing-in-belize/
here are some details:
Evidence that you are in the country legally for one year prior to application (copy of passport pages or refugee card).
An immigration fee in the sum of BZ$ will be charged upon approval.
Alien registration for yourself and members of your family over the age of sixteen if you remained in the country for at least six months.
Recent police record for yourself and all members of your family over the age of sixteen. To obtain a Belize police record you must have been in the country for at least six months.
Documentary evidence that you have acquired land in Belize or that you have access to land if you make such a claim.
Certificate of Health including HIV, VDRL & TB tests for you and all members of your family.
Three recent passport size photographs of yourself, wife and children if they are to be included. (Photographs must be in color).
Wife’s/Husband’s birth certificate.
Marriage Certificate.
Sworn declaration of support (from husband or common-law husband).
Recent local bank statement or otherwise where means of financial support is not indicated.
Temporary employment permit if you are or wish to engage in gainful employment.
Income tax statement
ALL TESTS MUST BE DONE IN BELIZE, PHOTOCOPIES OF ALL ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS NEED TO BE SUBMITTED ALONG WITH ORIGINALS.
A final decision will be made when all requirements have been met. Pending a decision on your application you are required to continue applying for monthly extensions on your documents at the nearest Immigration office. Click here for more details on Belize Immigration.
If you have a change of address while your application is being processed you are strongly advised to inform the Department immediately.
No incomplete application will be accepted.
Leaving the country for more than fourteen (14) consecutive days at any one time disqualifies the applicant.
So my husband and I are seriously considering retiring to Belize. However we have horses and Longhorn cattle. We would like to start a tourist business in Belize using both the horses and Longhorns. What are the requirements to move livestock into the country?
Hi there, you might want to contact Belize LiveStock here
Very wonderful information. Thank you. I am considering relocating to Belize. I am a writer and a single woman in my late 60s. Would a move to your country be recommended? Would there be a likely community for me?
BJean
Thank you, very informative
Looks attractive, I am from South Africa .
Hi ! Yes my wife And I are in our 50s and we are looking at moving to Belize just like a lot of the other people that are searching for a new home. My question is we have several dogs. What is the protocol to having animals dogs moved to Belize. These are beloved family members and we love to have them with us if we move. Thank you
ahh the beloved extended family! thanks for your question Isaac, we would like to point you to the following resource, we hope this helps: https://baha.org.bz/departments/animal-health/entry-requirements/
Where is Chaa Creek? Is it near Hopkins or Dangriga?
Thank you for asking Ms Carol, Chaa Creek is in western Belize near the Belize-Guatemala border, just 15 minutes outside of the twin towns of San Ignacio & Santa Elena.
Been coming to Ambergris Caye for years. Wish I could convince Hubby now that we are retired!
Great advice, thank you. We are seriously considering on relocating from US to Belize. We haven’t decided what area to plant our feet yet, just gathering a much info as we can right now. We’re hoping to relocate there mid part of next year.
WE want to consider relocating to belieze in the near future. We are a couple that is retired and will visit soon to check everything out.
If we were to move to Belize from the USA, how hard would it be to obtain work once there?
Hi Brandy, congratulations! It all depends on your area of expertise. There is a boom in the tech industry especially with call centers, there is also a boom in renewable energy with solar energy etc.
Due to COVID19 all economies are also being negatively impacted and so it has also been very competitive in the job market.
Can you advise me about the safest areas of Belize? I’m particularly interested in Belmopan. I’d like to start with a rental bf committing to purchasing a home. Do you have apartment finders that can help me?
Hi Leslie, Belmopan is a relatively safe City especially within the city limits. San Ignacio or the greater Cayo district is loved by retirees and expats because of safety.
We would recommend you to get in touch with a real estate agent that specializes in moving to Belize like http://www.belizerealestateagent.com
good luck!
It is great to know almost all needed for living in Belize, thank you.
We would like to find a condo or house in Belize but plan on coming for 6 mos. to determine what area we want to settle in. We plan on beginning our search June 1 if we have found a place to stay.
Hi Linda! that’s great – we hope you find a place you will love to call home! :). Where in Belize are you looking?
What are the covid restrictions like in Belize?
Hey John, you can read about current restrictions at the following links:
https://www.chaacreek.com/covid19-updates
https://belizetourismboard.org/news-and-gallery/belize-covid-19-travel-updates/
https://belizing.com/coronavirus/
Wow! So much great information on this site, would anyone have recommendations for a good shipping broker to handle our shipping container being sent from Canada to Belize?
Thank you. ELio
Hi Elio, thanks so much!
We would recommend to contact Arrow Freight via their facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ArrowFreightEnt/. Good luck! 🙂
Hi there. Seriously considering moving our family to Belize. We are a family of 4, and my wife and I would retain our Canadian employment as everything we do is remote work. Here’s a question I haven’t seen asked yet: what are the firearms laws? Would I be able to bring my 9mm pistol and my .223 rifle with me? Would they need to be in custody of the local police while I waited for some kind of license, etc…?
Thanks!
This site is AMAZING! Having recently retired, I too am considering moving to Belize. I’m going to visit for a while and find a great place to buy! Hopefully coastal! There has been so much great information here! I just wanted to say Thank You!
I have a neurological disease and some health problems. You said the healthcare isn’t that great even with the insurance. I’m concerned if i have issues i wont be able to get adequate medical care.
Throughout the years, healthcare has been constantly improving and being more accessible. That also does not include the ease of access to our neighbouring countries for better services which is rarely necessary 🙂