Gordon
@elgordo42
American expat in Belize
Forum posts
35
Contacts
8
About me
American
Lives in Esperanza, Cayo
Speaks American English, limited Espanol
Registration: 12 September 2015
Semi-Retirement in Belize by travelbeat
Thanks for your help! I planning to semi-retire in Belize, have a pension that covers 50% of the required minimum income for a QRP Qualification. On the other hand I like to start a business in Belize that doesn't include the mandatory 5 local ...
@travelbeat One of the (many) weird things about the QRP program is that the "two grand monthly" must be entirely from a guaranteed pension, as well as being deposited to a Belize bank. I know someone who did not qualify because their adequate ... Read More
Minimum financial wherewithal for permanent residence in Belize? by tcinbz
1) How much income per month MINIMUM is needed to show financial stability for permanent residence application in Belize?2) And with respect to (1) above, can it be in CANADIAN dollars?Thank you kindlyCarl K
Depending on the officer, they might refer to the QRP's number of USD $2000/month as a guideline. What Belize officials say can and will vary by office, officer, day of the week... You would certainly be approved with that number from a reliable ... Read More
Does a border run restart your 30 days? by Godgirl
Hi everyone,My name is Lisa. I am a single mom with four kids. We are wanting to do a two month test visit to Belize in hopes of returning three months later to live for mission work. We were planning to fly into Guatemala City (which is also ...
Belize is not a country that requires any sort of border run. You just have to report to the nearest Immigration office (several around the country) and pay your $$$!!! fees to get an "extension" of your Visitor Permits (there is no "visa" ... Read More
Heat Required by davidsbrenchley
After visiting in July, we are definitely moving to Belize. As we evaluate what household goods to bring along an AC unit is on the list. My question to those residing there. Do you ever find yourselves in need of heat?
Re: Heating and Cooling You can buy split AC units here at any hardware/building supply store, and they are considered better than the "in-window" type. If you purchase an existing home, it may already be installed. The same goes for ... Read More
Car storage by rbecker1
Any suggestions for car storage relatively near Philip-Goldson Airport? The situation is that I am coming frequently, and the roughly $100US/day car rental is killing me. I’d like to buy a vehicle and keep it in secure storage somewhere ...
Global Village Hotel right on the Northern Highway is where I always park when I fly out. I have only used them for vacation-length trips of a week or two, but if you talk to the nice owner in person, he might make you a good deal for longer-term ... Read More
Negative feedbacks when I stated I wanted to move to Belize by chuckL
KRISTANADREAU- Just posted on here looking to move to Belize. After reading most post they seem to not want ANYONE to move to Belize. They accused me of being a slave owning right wing redneck without even knowing me. I feel as if they are scaring ...
karenjoe, It would be good idea if everyone would start their "reply" with a name. It is a silly way to run a blog, as a thread with no nesting, but it is what it is. Gordon, now living in Cayo district for almost 5 years. Read More
Driving from Canada to Belize with 2 dogs towing an RV by the mcconnells
Hi everyone Thought that maybe some people will find this post interesting.. My husband and I with our 2 small dogs drove with our Van towing our 27 1/2' travel trailer from Kelowna, BC Canada to Hopkins, Belize in October, 2015. If bring ...
Nutz, A bit of a late reply to your post, but I brought in a 1992 Toyota Dolphin with a V6 engine, had a bill of sale for USD $6000. Paid about 60% of that when I got around to officially "patriating" it, after 2 months here. (I had played ... Read More
Accommodation in Belize: scams you should look out for by Bhavna
Hi, Committing to renting or buying accommodation when youre new to or have not moved to Belize just yet is always a stressful endeavour. Would you like to help us in putting together a handbook of what to look out for when house hunting in ...
Philagree, Your difficulty will be to find a place that does not want you to sign a lease for at least 6 months. That said, I think your best bet is to plan for a hotel stay for a few days, check with 2 or 3 realtors (such as RE/MAX) to see what ... Read More
Anyone else affected by Atlantic International Bank shutdown by GuestPoster597
Got news this morning that Atlantic International Bank has been ordered shut down by Central Bank of Belize. I have an off-shore account at the bank, and tried to make contact to the headquarters office this morning and no one was answering the ...
I got the same email last week. And the link to the liquidator website was not yet functional. But... the good news is that my small account (under US$2K) balance has already been transferred to my regular Atlantic Bank account. Not sure if having ... Read More
Importing Medicines for disabled veteran by drdavidcamp
I have many questions and find the invites to introduce oneself lacking a "Click here to introduce" sort of thing. One main question is that I am a US veteran who get most of my meds from the VA by mail.Does anyone know if there is a ...
I have had no problem getting my 2 generic prescriptions to Belize. I order them (for pennies) from an online US pharmacy and have them forwarded to my PO box here by ordinary US Post. Even with the extra shipping cost, I still save money over ... Read More
Anyone else affected by Atlantic International Bank shutdown by GuestPoster597
Got news this morning that Atlantic International Bank has been ordered shut down by Central Bank of Belize. I have an off-shore account at the bank, and tried to make contact to the headquarters office this morning and no one was answering the ...
I am curious to see how this plays out, as I have an account with a relatively small balance at AIB. I am seeing conflicting news stories posted on FaceBook, one indicating that Central Bank is stepping in to protect deposit holders. Crossing my ... Read More
Thinking of retirement in Belize by beveraly000
My name is Sarah, I am considering retirement in Belize or Panama. My first choice is Belize. However one of my setback I was told in order to live in Belize as an expat it is mandatory that I deposit $24,000 in the Belizean bank every year. Can ...
Terrific, I guess I should have written that first sentence a bit more carefully! The 18 months was from my visit to Immigration to turn in the completed application and supporting documents. Not my first visit to BZ or even to Immigration! I ... Read More
Thinking of retirement in Belize by beveraly000
My name is Sarah, I am considering retirement in Belize or Panama. My first choice is Belize. However one of my setback I was told in order to live in Belize as an expat it is mandatory that I deposit $24,000 in the Belizean bank every year. Can ...
Good answer, Terrific. I will make a couple of points: 1. It took 18 months for my Permanent Residence process, from first visit to approval. They have improved their service model a lot in the past 3 years. And the 30-day stamp is now even given ... Read More
Income requirement for QRP status
I have a friend who that she had all her ducks in a row. Far into the process, they denied her QRP application, because her money was from her retirement savings accounts, but NOT from a steady, guaranteed pension plan check. It seems that they may ... Read More
The best apps for expats in Belize
Google Voice, with Google Hangouts dialer hand-in-hand, allowed me to keep my old US phone number. It cost $20 to keep my old number, which I connected even before I cancelled my US phone plan, it is free if you just want them to assign you a new ... Read More
Ship suv to Belize from States by ska8er47499
Hi, Does anyone know how to ship a car from States to Belize and what would be the cost? I heard it is 78% of the cost of the car if it is V8 engine?
Belize Import Duties on Passenger Vehicles Description and % Rate (duties only, may be other taxes also payable) Motor Cars including Broncos, Station Wagons, Sports Utility Vehicle: With an engine size capacity of 4 cyl. Or less, and 3000 cc. ... Read More
Paying bills in Belize by Priscilla
Hello everyone, What bills do you pay? If you are renting, are bills included in the price of rent, and is this common practice in Belize? How can you pay your bills (e.g. online, at provider's store, at the post office)? Which is the most ...
Not a "credit card" as such, but... Charles Schwab has a product called High Yield Investor Checking. It has no annual fee and rebates all ATM fees and charges no foreign transaction fees. You must open it while you are still in the ... Read More
Cost of living in Belize - 2017 by Priscilla
Hello, Before moving to Belize, it is important to investigate the cost of living in the country. As we did in 2015, we give you the opportunity to share your experience and tell us more about products and services average recorded prices in ...
An item not on the list is the cost of staying legal with Belize Immigration, with a visitor visa extension stamp in your passport. $25 USD for each of first 6 months, then $50 USD for every extension beyond. <I used the term months, but that is ... Read More
Residency Requirements by leerob1024
During my last visit to San Pedro's immigration office, I was told I could only stay here for six months on my tourist visa. At that point, I would have to marry a Belizean, buy a business, buy land, apply for the Qualified Retirement Plan, or ...
That San Pedro office employee is full of it. I've never heard of anyone being told to leave after 6 months. I know people who have been here for years, just getting their tourist visa stamp renewed every month. One of them has also been ... Read More
Road and rainy season by tonyest01
Hi. My name is Tony my wife'.s name is Renate. we are from Canada just west of Cochrane, Alberta. We are coming down to Belize in Jan for 3 months. sort of targeting the northern area like corozal. Having a bit of a problem finding a 2 ...
I visited Belize for a full month last summer (15July-15August), during the hottest, driest "wet season" in recent history. It rained only 3 of the days, and then not even half of a given day. Your results may vary. Read More
Bringing pets into Belize. by Boxergal
We'd like to bring a pet with us this February. I have the BAHA form. My question is the sections that say IMPORTER and EXPORTER...that would be me correct? Or do I need to hire someone? I've taken dogs to France and England all on my own ...
You want to get the permit in advance. I had a good experience getting the BAHA live animal import form and processing it by email with: animalhealth@baha.org.bz Ms. Melody Robateau Administrative Assistant/Permit Officer Animal Health ... Read More
Does anyone have any experience moving to Belize in a RV? by RihanaHawk
My boyfriend and I will be moving to Belize in the spring in our Class A RV from the states. We have most of what we need to live long term without any hookups or power. We plan to buy some land near Punta Gorda and live out of our RV. Has anyone ...
There are a couple of campgrounds just west of San Ignacio. No idea about their costs or hookups. I am actually trying to sell the RV, as it was a means to an end, not really my thing :) I'll be posting ads on expat sites, assuming that is ... Read More
Bringing pets into Belize. by Boxergal
We'd like to bring a pet with us this February. I have the BAHA form. My question is the sections that say IMPORTER and EXPORTER...that would be me correct? Or do I need to hire someone? I've taken dogs to France and England all on my own ...
I filled out my US info as the exporter, my Belize info as the importer. You also must have a vet signed international pet health certificate (or equivalent) and current rabies vaccination certificate. Make sure that you have, at the very least, ... Read More
Does anyone have any experience moving to Belize in a RV? by RihanaHawk
My boyfriend and I will be moving to Belize in the spring in our Class A RV from the states. We have most of what we need to live long term without any hookups or power. We plan to buy some land near Punta Gorda and live out of our RV. Has anyone ...
I cannot speak to the experience of living in an RV, but I did move here in one, and I loved the experience! I drove myself and my cat in a 21' Toyota Dolphin from Washington State to Esperanza,near San Ignacio, Cayo. It was an adventure that I ... Read More
Duties & Tariffs
The customs site has been down for 3-4 months :-( Here is what I saw there and copied: Belize Import Duties on Passenger Vehicles Description and % Rate Motor Cars including Station Wagons, Sports Utility Vehicle: With an engine size capacity of 4 ... Read More
Driving from Canada to Belize with 2 dogs towing an RV by the mcconnells
Hi everyone Thought that maybe some people will find this post interesting.. My husband and I with our 2 small dogs drove with our Van towing our 27 1/2' travel trailer from Kelowna, BC Canada to Hopkins, Belize in October, 2015. If bring ...
I used the eastern route that JohnP created. If you PM me your email address, I can forward the file to you. Very detailed, too much for me without a copilot! I ended up just looking for the next city name and highway number, which actually worked ... Read More
Driving from Canada to Belize with 2 dogs towing an RV by the mcconnells
Hi everyone Thought that maybe some people will find this post interesting.. My husband and I with our 2 small dogs drove with our Van towing our 27 1/2' travel trailer from Kelowna, BC Canada to Hopkins, Belize in October, 2015. If bring ...
I am actually living in a cement home in Esperanza, just east of Santa Elena. I will do some exploring, then probably try to sell the RV to someone who wants to travel a lot or to someone who is building on purchased property. Read More
Driving from Canada to Belize with 2 dogs towing an RV by the mcconnells
Hi everyone Thought that maybe some people will find this post interesting.. My husband and I with our 2 small dogs drove with our Van towing our 27 1/2' travel trailer from Kelowna, BC Canada to Hopkins, Belize in October, 2015. If bring ...
Actually, you are probably the 2nd RV to hit Belize this month. I drove in on October 9th with a little (Toyota) Dolphin 21 footer and 1 cat. Never saw another RV in Mexico the whole 3 days that I drove through. And not a single US or Canadian ... Read More
Importing our belongins by monica&claude1234
Hello Expats! We are visiting in April and hope to move by the end of next summer. We are coming from Canada and we were wondering what the best (and least expensive) it would be to get our belongings there. Any advice?? Thanks in ...
I will add to what @waljoa said. John's route is great, my only trouble was when I accidentally got off of it and had to pay a "fine" for an imaginary "infraction" in Tuxpan. I would definitely invest in a paper map and a ... Read More
Friends of Bill
Bill stopped by Saturday morning in San Ignacio :) Read More
Opening a Bank Account - Be Aware - Information by 2flyaway
Opening a Bank Account in Belize is not as simple as in North America or Europe. As a non-resident or citizen you need to apply to the central bank for permission to open a bank account. In this application you must: 1. Provide a utility bill to ...
@dsewell If you have enjoyed and gotten along in Mexico, I'm not sure that I can tell you much about Belize does and don'ts. With your experience with foreign culture, it sounds like you will do fine. I spent 30 days down there, traveled ... Read More
Opening a Bank Account - Be Aware - Information by 2flyaway
Opening a Bank Account in Belize is not as simple as in North America or Europe. As a non-resident or citizen you need to apply to the central bank for permission to open a bank account. In this application you must: 1. Provide a utility bill to ...
@dsewell I used my Schwab Bank "high yield checking" account debit card for a month in Belize this summer. No foreign transaction fee, and they refunded all ATM fees. Not sure about any other types of accounts with them. Read More
Travelling to Belize flown into Cancun and taken the bus to Corozol? by Ginny777
Has anyone travelling to Belize flown into Cancun and taken the bus to Corozol? I would appreciate any information as to bus location to airport and times. I am going the beginning of January 2016. Thank you Ginny
I did that bus trip in July, and I will add to the choruses of "never again!" It just is not worth $200 to put up with 6 hours of miserable Arctic temps on the bus and standing around at border stops, where the Mexican folks took US$25 ... Read More
New members of the Belize forum, introduce yourself here 3rd quarter of 2015 by Julien
Hi all, Newbie on the Belize forum? Dont know how to start? This thread is for you ;) We invite you to introduce yourself on this topic, to share with us your expat story if you are already living in the country, or to tell us more on ...
Moving down to The Cayo in first part of October. Retired from teaching high school math, plan on doing some tutoring to stave off boredom :lol: Read More