[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

The $37.50 is an exit fee per person leaving Belize, so it doesn’t apply to coming back into the country. The visa is also per person, to pay for your entrance into Mexico. So, yes, you will spend $60 US per person when you exit the country. But there are no entrance fees into Belize when you return unless you come on the water taxi from Chetumal to San Pedro. Then there are different docking/boat fees. But I assumed you are crossing the border into Corozal, which is the more common route.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

When you leave Belize at the Corozal border and cross over to Chetumal, Mexico, you will pay fees on both sides of the border. If you are not a resident of Belize, you will pay the Belize country exit fee of $37.50. When you go through immigration on the Mexico side of the border you will pay a visa fee of about $22, depending on the exchange fee. So be prepared to pay about $60. So, unfortunately, it isn’t that cheap to take a day trip to Chetumal. But once you are a resident of Belize, you no longer have to pay the $37.50 fee.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Bill,

Here is the link to the Rotary Club chapters of Belize. It includes the contact info for the Corozal Rotary Club. As a Rotarian, you know that each Club meets regularly so you can easily join the regular meetings once you move to Corozal. Here is the link: http://www.rotarybelize.org/dynamicdata/link.php. It’s a great way to get connected and meet expats -through the Rotary Club – since the members are typically in business or quite connected in the community. And they also do volunteer work. When I go to a new area of Belize to do research, I try to attend a local Rotary Club meeting, since it allows me to meet people who are involved in the community.

A popular hangout in Corozal is Jam Rock, an inexpensive café on the bay. Head over there for lunch and you’ll meet many expats. Corozal has an involved expat community, so you will quickly find friends who are willing to give you advice, if you make the effort and are willing to listen to what seasoned expats have to say. These days there are plenty of single, widowed or divorced expats over 60 living in Belize, so you most likely will find some buddies in your age category to hang out with.

Also check the Rolodex on this website, as it lists contacts and forums in Corozal. You will find a lot of info on this website, and the general IL website, for Corozal. So be sure to use both to get educated and connected. You can also contact the realtors on the Rolodex, in Corozal, about rental properties, and check out their websites. Some list rental properties on line. But you’ll hear about the best deals from other expats. Many great deals get passed from one friend to another and are not advertised.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Scotia Bank is present here in Belize. They have a large branch on Ambergris Caye. I’m not sure of their other locations in Belize. But I’d be very surprised if they close their offices here.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Personally, I have never taken any type of special shots before visiting or moving to Belize. I don’t know of other expats who have, but we live on Ambergris Caye, which is an island that is pretty developed. It depends on where you plan to travel. If you will be going into very remote jungle areas, backpacking on eco-tours, then it makes sense to take more precautions.

My main concern if I was going to camp in a remote jungle area would be mosquitoes that carry malaria or Dengue fever, since the government doesn’t spray to control mosquitoes in the less populated areas. They regularly spray here on the island to keep the mosquito population down.

I have not heard of any expats getting hepatitis A, malaria or typhoid. But I have known several who did get Dengue Fever, from mosquito bites.

In terms of typhoid, you can buy bottled water easily.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Gerard,

As you mention, to become a QRP in Belize, the most difficult requirement is proving that you can move $24,000/year, and then showing the Belize Tourism Board, each year, that you did indeed move that much money, from US $ to BZ $, into your account in Belize, or that you spent it another way, in Belize. You only need to show $24,000/year, or $2,000/month for you and your wife. Your wife will be included in your QRP application. You can directly contact Roshel Godfrey, who runs the QRP program, at rgodfrey@travelbelize.org. She works for the Belize Tourism Board. The program is run through the BTB.

If you don’t have adequate Social Security, or a pension, the BTB will still accept you into the program if you can show you have adequate savings and investments to support yourself. For instance, I became a QRP in 2008, long before I qualified for Social Security. When I submitted my BTB application I attached copies of my IRA investments and explained that I would withdraw savings from IRAs until I reached Social Security. If you have an IRA at a financial institution it would be best to have your financial advisor write a letter stating that you have adequate funds to disperse $24,000/year for x many of years, until you receive a pension or Social Security.

There are, of course, other requirements. But it’s fairly easy to qualify if you have the required income as long as you don’t have a police record, and don’t have AIDS.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Rod,

I’m sure that Belize would benefit from education on the hospice methods. Nurses are not paid well in Belize, other than in hospitals. So some would probably be open to specializing in hospice if they can earn a better salary working as a caretaker for ailing expats.

The traditional physicians are more similar to those in the USA when we were young. They tend to be general practitioners, having to deal with all types of health issues. So they would very likely appreciate learning about what works in a hospice situation. The number of medical specialists in Belize are increasing. But with only 330,000 people in the entire country, it makes sense that we wouldn’t have as many choices.

Let me know what you learn as you progress with your research. I have had a few friends who had cancer here in Belize and were successfully treated here, or in Merida, Mexico. But none have been terminal to date. So I haven’t seen anyone go through this process in Belize since I moved here. I have known a few people who had strokes and hired helpers to live with them during their recover. You can send me a direct message at Belize@internationalliving.com. And let me know when you visit. By the way, there is a medical school here on Ambergris Caye, about three blocks from our home. It would be a good idea for you to meet some of the doctors who teach there, to get their ideas, when you visit.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Hi Laura,

Since you want to live near the sea your primary choices where expats live are Corozal, Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and Placencia. Of those areas, Corozal has the least expensive homes and rent. There are more homes than condos in Corozal and the prices are lower than in the other towns above. It is no longer easy to find a 2 bedroom, 2 bath place in the cayes, or Placencia in your price range. Keep in mind that Corozal is on a bay, so it doesn’t have beaches, per se.

You can rent fairly easily in Corozal or Ambergris Caye. Many expats are choosing to rent long-term, vs. buy, as it is less expensive that way and gives you more flexibility. It will be a bit harder to find a rental that allows pets, but not impossible. It’s pretty easy to bring your cats into Belize.

Note that in Corozal people usually own a car. On the cayes we use golf carts or bikes and aren’t allowed to have a car.

Corozal, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker are in the north area of Belize, where it rains less. We get about 60-70 inches of rain per year. It’s double that amount in the southern area of Belize.

The internet is decent in the areas I mentioned above. Belize Telemedia Limited is the primary phone company. They will install a DSL line in the towns and you can choose the speed that you want. You pay more for higher speeds. WE spend $100/month for a high speed DSL line and it works quite well. SMART is another phone company in Belize. The sell MiFi tokens that allow you to buy GB for a 90 day period. The advantage is that you can use the MiFi token anywhere in the country. I have found it to work wherever I traveled so far. It will work on up to five devices, such as computers, IPads, and IPhones. So it’s a really flexible way to have internet coverage throughout Belize.

Check the sections on the Belize Insider website for each town of interest to you. You’ll find a lot of info on the topics you asked about, including the contact info for the realtors I interviewed while updating the Belize Manual this year. (The content from the Belize Insider book is all included on the Belize Insider website.) Go through the Rolodex on this site to find names of additional realtors, as well as info for Forums you can join to communicate with expats who already live in BElize.

I am the only International Living Correspondent in Belize. So IL doesn’t have a representative in each town, for you to contact. But there are many on line Forums here in Belize, where people share info.

Much of what you are looking for is on the Belize Insider website. You will find cost estimates for the regions, places to stay, restaurants to try out, and Forums to join. Many of the local expat groups communicate on regional Facebook pages, as well. So as you join various Forums, keep an eye out for Facebook groups you may want to join, to interact directly with expats already living in Belize. Once you get to know them on line they will offer to meet you when you move to their area.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Glad I could help. There are really a lot of ways to travel in Belize, between the many local flights, taxis, buses, water taxis and car rentals. And driving here in Belize requires getting used to the roads and speed bumps. When you do rent a car, you will get the best deal by renting from a company in or around Belize City and the international airport. They compete for service so offer better prices.

Once you get out to the cayes you may want to rent a golf cart for a day, just to drive around and check out the area. You can rent a golf cart on Ambergris Caye by the hour, 1/2 day, day, week or month.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Here is a link that answers part of your question: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g291959-i1455-k6711637-Driving_a_Mexican_rental_car_to_Belize_and_Guatemala-Belize.html. It is focused on bringing a rental car from Mexico into Belize, but summarizes the steps to bringing the car into Belize at Chetumal, which is where I assume you would cross the border. One of the things I’ve heard is that you need to have proof of ownership, the Vehicle Identification Number, and to buy Belize car insurance at the border. This link will give you a good idea of what’s involved.

Diving through Mexico can be quite dicey. So do quite a bit of homework on line before you decide to take that risk. You don’t say how long you will visit. If you stay for six months, it would be worth doing more research. But if you will only stay for two months, it probably won’t be worth the effort and risk to bring your vehicle with you. Unless you have a 4 wheel drive, your car take a real beating on Belize’s roads. The main highways are fairly well maintained. But as soon as you get off onto the side roads you’ll need a 4 wheel drive.

If you were moving to Belize and drove your car into the country, you would pay duty on the value of your vehicle at the border. My concern is that the inspectors at the border may not believe that you are only coming to visit for a few months. So they could try to charge you duty at the border. So when you visit in May, drop in at one of the Belize Tourism Board offices and ask for their advice on this topic. I did an extensive search on the internet, but the posts were all focused on expats who plan to actually move to Belize and bring their car. Possibly you could get a letter from the BTB to give to the border inspectors if you decide to bring your car the next time.

You will not be able to bring your car onto Caye Caulker or Ambergris Caye. So if you do bring it, you’ll need to leave it on the mainland while you spend time on the cayes. If you rent a place to stay in the town of Corozal, or Placencia Village, you can get by without a car, as both towns are fairly compact. Of course, it’s beneficial to have a car to explore the country. But it may behoove you to leave your vehicle behind until you decide to move here. You could rent a car for a few weeks when you want to travel around the country, and then get by with taxis and bikes when you settle in to test out specific expat towns. Other than in Placencia, taxes are usually quite reasonable in Belize and the buses are downright cheap.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Bryson,

I checked with my US income tax advisor, and he has not heard of any Canadian income tax advisers who work with Canadian expats in Belize. So it’s a fair assumption that there is no such expert living here at this time.

Another long-term expat friend told me that if you live in Belize fulltime you will not have to pay taxes in Canada, but if you live here only part-time you will. This American’s wife is Canadian and lives in Belize fulltime, so pays no taxes in Canada. But he said that Canada is very strict in their definition about what is “fulltime expat residency”. Most Canadian expats choose to live in Belize part-time so that they won’t lose their health benefits.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Bryson,

I would suggest that you post this same Canadian income tax question on the general International Living Community Forum, to benefit all International Living members. It has not been asked as of yet but applies to all Canadian expats. I did find this group and a response that may assist you: http://thecanadianexpat.com/index.php/members-only/resources/articles/taxes-a-finances/125-tax-implications-of-moving-to-the-middle-east. Although the question relates to moving to the Middle East, the general approach should be similar for you moving to Belize.

I am not aware of such an expert who resides in Belize. But your income taxes due to Canada should be the same no matter which country you reside in overseas. But I will ask my Canadian acquaintance if they know of such an expert here in Belize. Just this week I became aware of a US income tax lawyer who recently moved to Belize. But until he moved here, our only option was to work with a company in the USA. There are a lot of Canadians living in Corozal, especially in Consejo Shores. So assuming you move to Orchid Bay and spend quite a bit of time in town, you will cross paths with people who will be able to give you quite a bit of advice in regards to living in Belize as Canadian expats. If I learn of a Canadian income tax planning expert who lives in Belize, I will reply to this post again.

Belize will be very happy to have a dedicated volunteer such as yourself. You will find many people willing to join your cause here, especially when it relates to children. There are many volunteer groups in Belize and Corozal is an active community.

When you move to Corozal you’ll find reasonable rentals right in town. There is no organic bakery/café in Corozal as of yet, so it’s a good spot to consider such a business, assuming you move there before another expat opens one. There isn’t a lot to do in Corozal, so the expat community is quite active. And I know there is a Women’s Forum that discusses books, and has guest speakers. There is also a Rotary Club with Canadian, American and Belizean members. So if you are a Rotarian, you could join that group.

Belize does not have a lot of “resources” for special problem children such as those who are autistic. Since you are well versed in autism and have an autistic child, try contacting the Belize Health Ministry to learn what programs are in place, if any, at: http://health.gov.bz/www/. You could consider offering to do volunteer work with the Ministry, to give workshops for families with autistic children. Here is a link to a Facebook page managed by Yadira Williams, to provide support to families with autistic children in Belize:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Autism-in-Belize/253628164666457?sk=info&tab=page_info. She’s written several articles you can find via Google. It seems that she started an awareness group in Belize a few years ago. But I could not find any info on line about special programs for autistic children in Belize.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Terry,

You posted as a reply to another post, vs. adding a new post. So it would be best if you re-post your entry so everyone can benefit from it.

It is possible to live on SS income in Belize, but it is more challenging to do so on the cayes, unless you are quite frugal. The cayes are the only areas that are very close to the reef and scuba diving. On the mainland it typically takes an hour or more to reach the reef for diving.

The least expensive areas are Corozal, San Ignacio and Punta Gorda. All are an hours boat ride from the reef, or more. You can live on $2000/month almost anywhere in Belize. SS varies greatly. So how well you will do in Belize living on SS depends on the amount you will be getting and where you choose to live. It’s tough to live on less than $2000/month on the cayes, or in Placencia. I do know a couple who owns their own home and have assured me that they do well on less than $1500/month living on Ambergris Caye, but that’s not the norm.

Yes, a coffee house can be a decent little business, depending on where you decide to settle. You won’t make a killing but it’s a fun business to own and operate, as you get to interact with your customers daily. A farm is a totally different topic. The farms are mainly on the mainland, away from the coast and scuba diving. So if you want to get into this, you would likely be moving away from the coast.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Please keep in mind that when you are dealing in Belize contracts you need a Belizean lawyer. The laws are different here and your American attorney will not be able to help you in the event of a problem down the road. If you ever have a dispute about your contract, or have difficulty obtaining a title, you would need to hire a Belizean lawyer to assist you. The USA has no jurisdiction in Belizean legal issues.

It will be difficult to reach a Belizean attorney in this short period of time. My recommendation is that you directly call the office of Ryan Wrobel, and try to catch him. Tell him that I referred you and that you are an IL member. Mr. Wrobel is one of the Belizean attorneys on the list we have assembled in the Belize Insider Rolodex. He specializes in real estate law and is one of the few American attorneys who are also Belizean attorneys. There is a good chance that he’s already familiar with the Orchid Bay contract. You could also contact Margaret Summerfield of Pathfinders and ask her opinion. Pathfinders did interact with Orchid Bay at one time, in the past.

You can also try to reach Belizean lawyer Estevan Perrera. There are a few more names for lawyers on our Rolodex list. Most of them will offer an initial free consultation. But since you are asking for a specific legal review, I assume you will need to pay for that. A final suggestion is to call Julie Ann Ellis Bradley, of Barrow & Williams. She spoke at the Las Vegas conference. She assured me that she would give IL members a free initial consultation. So if you call her and mention you are an IL member, she may respond quickly.

It’s best not to rush into a commitment to buy property or a home in a foreign country if you have not actually spent a period of time living there and renting. So you are wise to be asking this question while there is time to back out. It is often difficult to sell a home in a region like Orchid Bay that’s distant from the local town, which in this case is Corozal. Few expats live at Orchid Bay fulltime.

[COUNTRY EXPERT ANN KUFFNER]

Rod,

It is difficult to obtain a medical license as a non-Belizean physician in Belize. Many expat doctors who are visiting, or are living here, work on a voluntary basis. So if you are serious the first step would be to join a volunteer group or mission and come to visit and get to know the medical community.

I know of one American doctor who did obtain a license in Belize. She had written several books on her specialty and was willing to start teaching other doctors aspects of her specialty. She approached the largest private hospital in Belize (Belize Medical Associates) and started giving free health related seminars to the community that were well received. (She specialized in hormonal issues, for both women and men.)

Healthcare at government hospitals is free for Belizeans, but I have not heard of hospice. So I assume that there is a need. But the government probably doesn’t have funding for it. And most Belizeans would not be able to afford out of pocket care.

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