Last checked 13 Nov 2026Written for US citizensSome rules are still being checked
In brief
Most people live in Belize for a year on monthly visitor extensions, then apply for permanent residence. Retirees can join the QRP program instead, but its years don't count toward residence or citizenship.
Residency income from$2,000 a month (retiree program)
Visa-free (US)Usually 30 days, extended monthly
CitizenshipAfter about 6 years
Tax on foreign incomeNo: only income from Belize, but work done there counts
Permanent residence
Who it's for: People who have lived legally in Belize for a year, usually on monthly visitor extensions.
Money needed
No fixed amount: show steady income or assets for you and your family
How long it lasts
Permanent; only the card is ever replaced
Leads to
Citizenship after 5 more years in a row
Apply from
In person at the immigration office in Belize
Processing time
No official time is published; real waits Not yet verified
What you need
A year in Belize: a passport arrival stamp at least one year old, with no break in legal stay
Medical exam: by a Belize-licensed doctor, with HIV, VDRL and TB tests
Belize police record: for everyone 16 and over, valid 6 months
Proof of income: a job, self-employment, retirement income or a sponsor
Photos and certificates: two passport photos, plus marriage and birth certificates for family; apostille rules Still being checked
Fees: $2,000 (BZ$4,000) for US citizens, half for children, plus about $1,100 of extensions in the qualifying year
Good to know
Monthly extensions: that a year of them always counts is Still being checked
No job in the qualifying year: visitors need the minister's written permission to work.
Investor shortcut: pathways for $500,000 investors were approved by Cabinet but aren't law yet Pending change
Checked against the lawThe one-year rule, documents and fees, from the nationality law and the immigration checklist.
Still being checkedWhether monthly extensions always count, and apostilles for US documents.
Pending changeCabinet approved investor pathways on Dec 8, 2025; they aren't law yet.
Sources (10)
Legal basis and exact figures
Still being checked: whether a year of monthly visitor's permits always counts as 'legally residing ... on a temporary permit' (the checklist implies it via the 1-year arrival stamp); apostille rule for US civil documents (Residence Requirements Guide PDF not read). A 14-day maximum absence rule appears only in secondary sources.
Law: Belizean Nationality Act Cap. 161 s. 21A (inserted by Act 9 of 2018): 18+, one year's continuous legal residence on a temporary permit, intention to stay, means for self and dependants (s. 21A(1)(c)), no sentence of 12 months or more. In-person filing: Permits and Fees Regulations reg. 5(3).
Fees: BZ$4,000 for US citizens (Schedule item 3(c)); minors 50% (item 3(k)); replacement card BZ$300; about 11 extensions at BZ$200 (BZ$2,200) in the qualifying year.
Pending change: Cabinet brief of 11 Dec 2025: pathways for investors of not less than $500,000 (currency not stated); no enacted instrument.
Who it's for: Retirees aged 40 or older with a pension or annuity, from the US or other listed countries.
Money needed
$2,000 a month (or $24,000 a year) deposited into a bank in Belize
How long it lasts
1 year, renewed every year for $25
Leads to
No path to permanent residence; credit toward citizenship is Not established yet
Apply from
Through the Belize Tourism Board; whether from abroad or after arriving isn't stated
Processing time
No official time is published; real waits Not yet verified
What you need
Pension letter: from your pension or annuity provider; what income qualifies is Still being checked
Proof of payments: cheques, deposits or bank statements
Police record: from your home country, issued within 6 months
Certified copies: birth certificate, passport page and marriage certificate, notarized or apostilled
Security clearance by the national security ministry
Fees: $150 to apply, then $1,200 for you and $950 per dependant. Other costs Not yet verified
Good to know
No local work: no job or business in Belize; remote work for a US employer is Not established yet
Spend 30 days in a row in Belize each year to keep the status.
Tax-free foreign income, plus duty-free import of household goods and a vehicle in the first year.
Checked against the lawDeposit, fees, stay rule and tax break, from the program's law and regulations.
Still being checkedThe 2023 and 2024 amendments, which may change the age, fees, documents and qualifying income.
Sources (6)
Legal basis and exact figures
Still being checked: Act No. 13 of 2023 (age 40, new ss. 4A-4E, replacement s. 5) and SI No. 88 of 2024 not read (National Assembly site served an expired certificate on 2026-11-13). Qualifying income: 2018 Regulations require a lifetime annuity letter of at least USD 2,000 a month (reg. 5(a)); the current tourism board page accepts savings, investments and other sources. Whether a QRP may work remotely for a foreign employer after 2023.
Law: Retired Persons (Incentives) Act Cap. 62 ss. 2-5: deposit USD 2,000 a month by the 15th, or USD 24,000 a year by 1 April, in a Belize institution, not an international bank (s. 3(1)(c)); deemed non-residents for the Immigration and Nationality Acts (s. 4(5)); exempt on all foreign-source income (s. 4(4)). RE 2020 text says age 45; the 2023 amendment and BTB page say 40.
Fees (Regs Schedules 2 and 4): application USD 150, renewal USD 25; designation USD 1,200 (USD 1,000 + 200 card) and USD 950 per dependant (USD 750 + 200). Documents notarized or apostilled (reg. 7). At least 30 consecutive days a year (Schedule 1 term K).
Who it's for: Remote employees of companies outside Belize earning at least $75,000 a year.
Money needed
$75,000 a year of income, or $100,000 for couples and families
How long it lasts
Up to 180 days
Leads to
Not confirmed to count toward permanent residence Not established yet
Apply from
Online before you travel; pay the fee at the airport
Processing time
No official time is published; real waits Not yet verified
What you need
Passport: valid
Proof of a job outside Belize
Bank reference and statement: notarized
Criminal record: dated within 6 months
Travel insurance: at least $50,000 of cover
Fee: $250 (BZ$500) per adult and $100 per child, at the airport
Good to know
Not tax-free: no exemption was found, and pay for work done in Belize counts as Belize income.
Legal basis: the program's footing in law is Not established yet
Freelancers: whether they qualify isn't stated.
Checked against the lawIncome, length, documents and fees, as the tourism board publishes them.
Still being checkedThe legal basis, the immigration checklist and the tax position.
Sources (6)
Legal basis and exact figures
Still being checked: no legal instrument found (the BTB page cites none; closest frame is the visitor's permit, Immigration Act s. 19); Immigration's own application page not found; tax position of remote employees physically working in Belize not confirmed by the Belize Tax Service (IBTA s. 5(3) points to taxation).
As published (BTB, page modified 6 Feb 2026): USD 75,000 / 100,000 a year; maximum 180 days; notarised banking reference and statement; criminal record within 6 months; travel insurance of at least USD 50,000; BZD 500 per adult, BZD 200 per child under 18; no apostille stated.
Status chips:Checked against the law means we read the official legal text. Not yet verified and Not established yet mean it isn't confirmed at the official source yet. Still being checked marks open questions, and Pending change a rule that may change soon; each route's Sources list names them.
Tell us who's moving and we'll show the three Latin American countries that fit people like you best, ranked on what matters most to you, with the trade-off to know about each.
