Work at my business while applying for residency

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I am a US citizen. I would like to buy a business in Caye Caulker. If I buy the business I would like to work and use income from the business while awaiting residency status. I would pay the monthly passport fees for a year and then become a resident. Is this possible?

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

You are not allowed to work, even in your own business, until you become a resident, or get a work permit. The Belizean government is supportive of foreigners buying or opening businesses because they expect they will hire and train locals.

Meet with a Belizean attorney who can advise you on this matter. It isn’t always cut and dry. And if there are other employees working at the business it may be possible to facilitate a work permit that will suffice until you get your residency, if you are the owner. Once you have lived in Belize a year, then you can apply for residency. But it takes a while to get your residency once you submit it.

There may be a work around on this. But before investing in a business, it will be well worth the money to pay an expert to help you, preferably a Belizean lawyer who specializes in this type of permit.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

I forgot to point out that there is a section on the Belize Insider that gives you information about working in your own business. Here is the link: https://internationalliving.com/country_clubs/belize-insider/doing-business/. You can find this on the front page of the BElize INsider website. Scroll down to the Business section, then read that section. You will need a self-employment work permit.

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