New members of the Belize forum, introduce yourselves here - 2020

Hi all, I have just joined the site and looking forward to reading all your threads !! I am hoping to work in Primary acre How does the health system work in Belize? what are your experiences ?

Thanks

Welcome to the forum! It's great that you are going to visit and make some assessments prior to actually relocating. More people should probably do that. You can find a lot of good information here about relocating.
Ambergris is a lovely island with a 'bustling' San Pedro city center. You will need to rent a golf cart to get around, few cars on the island, and very narrow streets. We find it is actually cheaper and easier to fly into San Pedro via Maya Air that to take a water taxi. More relaxing and enjoyable too.
Starting a business will require a lot of paperwork, and a lot of  hoops to jump through. There are lots of regulations for a non-Belizean business in Belize. You can search this forum for more information using the  mag glass at the top.
Good luck in your ventures!

Hi all. We a south african couple. Both medical doctors g.p's. We would love to move over. Any south african out there for guidance.....

Hello and welcome to the forum!
I am not from SA but I am a physician. I would not plan to work as a physician in Belize, unless you have an academic post at the medical School in Belize, or you can somehow be 'hired' by the GOB, or obtain a position at one of the few hospitals. I have not yet applied for a medical license in Belize, as I don't intend to practice gainfully there, more pro bono. However, I understand it is difficult to obtain a license to practice Medicine or Dentistry in Belize, and a number of persons have been denied. Work in Belize is reserved for Belizeans for the most part.
I can't say it is insurmountable, but it would be an endeavour. There are a number of requirements in order to apply, which are outlined here - http://health.gov.bz/www/units/quality- … ation-form
Good luck to you, and let me know if you get licensed.

Good morning!! I'm going to be visiting in Placencia June 22 - July 15 was hoping to meet up with some folks to help show me around.

Hi. I am from Boise, Idaho, USA. I am a civil engineer currently working for the Department of Interior. I am trying to figure out this whole "moving to a new part of the world" thing.

Hello everyone and welcome to all,

To joshuaorion5 and all those whose plans to move to Belize are in the works, it might be useful to check out the articles in the Living in Belize guide as a starting point.

If you are on the lookout for further information or insight related to your own situation, it would be a good idea to create a new topic on the Belize forum to ask for guidance from our members.

All the best   

Diksha
Team Expat.com

It can definitely be a challenge. If you are considering Belize, you have 2 options - permanent resident or QRP. For QRP you need to be at least 45 and have the means to deposit $2,000/mo in US funds into a Belize bank. If you choose permanent resident, you need to be in country for 1 year, show up every 30 days at an immigration office, and be able to show you have the personal funds to remain in country. There are advantages and disadvantages to both, depending on your personal situation.
Regardless, the first step is to go as a visitor, spend some time exploring the country, and get an idea if it is somewhere you want to be. Belize is not for everyone, and not everyone will be content in Belize. Good luck in your venture.

Hello Expats, my name is Jon.  I am an American veteran with dog interested in the possibility of relocating to Belize to live full time.  Just want to learn as much as I can before I go to make things easier.  And hopefully make some new friends before I go.  All the best to everyone.  Happy travels

Welcome to the forum! Ask anything you want. You will probably get a varied response depending on your query. FYI, you can bring your dog to Belize, you just have to ensure you have the proper paperwork from your vet,  issued within 30 days, I believe, of bringing your pet, - rabies, distemper, etc. It's a small country with a diverse population and topography. Visit several times, or for an extended period, before you take the plunge. Don't buy property without the consultation of a licensed Belize attorney. Good luck to you.

30 days is correct.  Even more preferable is at the border town prior to crossing the border.  Take your pet to have an examination with documentation to provide.  Microchip is also advisable but not required.  (Rabies vaccinations need tube updated within 1 year instead of once and then in three years time as is standard for the U.S..)

:-)

Hello there.

My name is Patrice and we are considering moving to Belize from Florida within a year or so.  We visited in March and loved it there!  Right now, the two areas that are on the top of our list are Corozal & Hopkins.  After things die down w/ COVID19, we plan to travel to Corozal to check out the area.

Any helpful advise or information is welcome!

Thanks in advance,

Patrice

That's great!  I imagine you are wanting to be close to the sea, based on your 2 choices of areas to relocate to. Be sure to spend some time in several  areas to get a feel for the country; you can be on the water from anywhere in Belize pretty quickly. Be certain to do your due diligence if buying property, and make sure you use a licensed Belize attorney at closing, it is worth the small fee to ensure you truly have title to the property. Good luck to you.

Thank you Karen for your help.  We actually were able to visit several cities while there.  Although I loved being in San Ignacio, closer to the sea is a must for us.     An attorney sounds like the best way to go after hearing about some messiness from others.

We are super excited from this opportunity.

Kind regards,

Patrice

Fantastic! We love Hopkins. It has a great laid-back vibe, some good restaurants, and not too far from Belmopan. It might be too far south for you guys.
Corozal is a beautiful area, though it was too flat for us. Lots of shops, etc. A little larger developed area than Hopkins, it might keep you from having to travel too far for necessities. Close to Chetumal also, if you need Sam's.
Too many people have run into property ownership issues not using an attorney.
Hope everything works out for you.

Yep, I loved Hopkins Village and the more we talk about it seems to be what we come back too.  Hopefully we can head back for a visit sometime this year.

Hi everyone, my husband and I are British, currently living in Germany but hoping to relocate to Belize in a couple of years to Corozal district and buy 5 acres or so to build our home and set up an organic homestead. We'd be looking to get permanent residence rather than QRP. We have visited Belize before and loved it, particularly the diving.
When the time is right for us to make the move, we would be very grateful for advice regarding building contractors, lawyers etc.
Looking forward to learning from you all

Why permanent resident instead of QRP?

pros and cons to both options:
QRP - can import items duty-free, up to a point
you can come and go as you please
you have to renew yearly
you have to deposit $20,000/year (US) into a Belize bank account

permanent resident - you have to be in country for 1 year and you have to renew your visa every 30 days, then you can apply for permanent residency, which will probably take another 6 mo to a year
you have to show you have the financial means to stay, without working in Belize
no restrictions on travel
you can get a work permit
you can vote (locally)
no deposit requirement
nothing to renew

Do you know if you can work in Belize under the QRP if you have sufficient income to support yourself?  And vote as well??  Thnx.  :-)

Hello everyone,

Welcome to Expat.com and thanks for introducing yourselves

@Jonjon73 : Since this thread is aimed at the introductions of new members only, I would highly recommend that you start a new thread on the Belize forum to obtain more details on residence permits.

All the best,

Diksha
Team Expat.com

No, you can not work in Belize under QRP. You can own a business and hire Belizeans, but you can not work in the business.
No, you can not vote in Belize under QRP, only if you are a permanent resident (or a citizen, which you can obtain after a few years of permanent residency.)
Hope that helps. If you are able to support yourself in Belize for a year, and able to stay in-country for 1 year, permanent residency may be the way to go. You can leave Belize for 14 days in that year, but otherwise you have to be in-country. There are a myriad of financial opportunities in Belize, but you really need permanent residency in order to be able to capitalize on any of them.
Good luck to you, and hope to see you in Belize.

Hi,

We are South African, moved to Republic of Ireland and UK before ending up in this beautiful country, message us with any questions you may have

Hi all,

Just joined thanks.  My husband and I have been on the hunt for a retirement haven.  We have visited a number of countries as well as a number of places here in the states.  We visited Belize, Placencia specifically, And loved it so much.  We had a few reservations that have prevented us from moving forward but will definitely be taking another trip.

My biggest concern was the number of folks we met who were making Plans to move back to their original countries.  There were many who were happy there but the ones who wanted to leave seemed to have tremendous issues selling their respective properties.

We plan to commit to wherever we go but this did give me pause.  Even our realtor, whom we loved, said properties are often on the market for years before they sold.  I worry about having an issue that requires us to come home and not being able to recoup what we have in a house there.

Even so, I met so many people there that I already consider friends.  Everyone was so welcoming and helpful with all of our questions.  I know I could be happy living there.

Any thoughts on what I was told is the “6 year itch” where so many seem to want to leave?

I believe there are a myriad of reasons for the ‘six year itch' and people returning to their home countries, including- new health reasons, lack of needed medical care, loss of partner, being a victim of theft or crime, longing for familiar people/resources, frustration with inefficiency, need to care for other family, loss of income, etc.  I don't think there is one particular situation that causes this to happen, but several.
And yes, it can be a challenge to sell your property in Belize. The demand is not that great, there is a lot of property available, the price can be unreasonable, and foreigners who buy in Belize almost always have to have cash to purchase property, so there is a limited clientele.  Not like you can get a mortgage.
It is a beautiful country, but it's not for everyone. If you have the means to make the move an investment, you might get more benefit out of it. QRP could be an option.
I would visit for an extended period before taking the leap.

Hi there...im from Canada and looking to stay 6 months every winter.  I have property in Grand Belizean estates which I understand is turning into a garbage dump.   Trying to decide if want to build there.   I have had trees which I paid for stolen along with the rock around them from my lot.   San Pedro city needs to get going on a north end dump.   I'm seriously considering dumping my lots.   Disappointing.  I would like to get a GBE owners association going so as to put pressure on city council.   Contact me if you own property in Grand Belizean estates.

Hi,

Quite a few Saffas out here, mainly at the coast, we are inland in San Ignacio, we have holiday cottages we rent out, if their is help / questions just shout

Regards Peter

I'm an RN looking for a place to live that is low stress, would welcome my critters and possibly have space for a garden. I'm tired of the stress and discord in the US and want a low stress place to go. I have been thinking about getting a smaller RV and staying in places for a few months or more to get a feel for the area before choosing a place to settle. Is that even a feasible option?

It would be a possibility, but you might have to make special arrangements regarding insurance, as well as "temporarily" bringing a vehicle into Belize. There are not RV Parks in Belize like in the US/Canada, so that might be a negative aspect.
It is best to go and spend some time in various areas before talking the plunge.  Lodging is not really expensive in Belize in general, particularly if you can rent for a month at a time. We made several trips and spent a couple weeks each time to get a better idea of where we wanted to be.

Hello All!
Bend Oregon here.
After several years of trying to get to Belize, we finally made it in Jan-Feb of 2020. Our main goal was to check out the culture and meet as many locals as possible. Wow were we surprised at how open and friendly everyone was. Of course we also met lots of tourists from all over, but mostly from Canada and the US. We spoke with some xpats and really picked their brains!! Our intentions, if it checked out, were to buy land and start planning the transition from full time US, to part time US and part time BZ.
We found an excellent lot with the best neighbors you could ask for. We had hoped to get back this coming Jan but have decided to hold off due to COVID
The casita and the house plans are done, so now we just need to get the financials in order and get the ball rolling. We are still 8 years from retiring, but we figured it's not going to get any cheaper so buy now and get started early.
We have a great local BZ architect who will act as the PM for construction so I don't have to sweat the small stuff.
We love Ambergris Caye, and San Pedro is so cool! I can't wait to start spending more time there and also look forward to exploring the mainland.

Hi there. New to this forum. My husband and I have been working on plans to move to Belize for a while now. We have a deposit on some lots in Carmelita Gardens and travel restrictions kept us from coming out in November, and December.

My boys and I visited Ambergris back in 2016 and we joked about moving there...and, now here we are. It is no longer a joke.

We are learning as much as we can, looking at building plans, and trying to determine the what it will take for us to start building.

We are ready to live a peaceful life, and get out of the USA. We have 3 dogs, and 2 kitties. We also have 2 sons that are older. One may or may not move out with us depending on what he does once he graduates high school. He wants to be a firefighter

We are excited to meet everyone, and learn as much as we can to be as prepared as we can to make this possible.

Hello, my girlfriend and I are currently in AK on contract work. We are deciding where to finally just settle down and enjoy the last 20 years of life. We both love the beach and I have friends that spent many months in Belize.

We can't wait to explore meet new people and start a little hobby woodshop.. Life is getting better everyday as we plan on our new future....

Actually excited to meet new friends and start a new adventure...