[DAVID L.]

Hi everyone,

Looks like Atlantic International Bank is back in business with US dollar accounts (wire transfers). I received my new wiring instructions today and this notice a short time later:

Dear Valued Customer,
We are pleased to inform you that Atlantic International Bank’s correspondent bank account with BANCREDITO in Puerto Rico has been approved. Please visit our website’s Wire Transfer page to view the new wiring instructions or call our offices for confirmation regarding this email.

[DAVID L.]

WISH US LUCK

We received notice last week that our mortgage for our new home in Corozal was approved by Atlantic Bank International. Arlette Arana, Atlantic International Bank, was a pleasure to work with. Her email address is aarana@AtlanticIBL.com and her phone number is 501-223-5306. From the time all the documentation was summited, it took about 3 weeks for approval. At the same time, I opened a USD account at Atlantic International Bank to make it easier to transfer funds from/to US/Belize.

Tomorrow I will be transferring funds from my US bank to two different accounts at Atlantic International Bank. (That’s the ‘wish us luck’ part.) It would be great to use on-line banking from the US to Belize. We’ll see.

My QRP package is going in on Wednesday. Our US home is on the market. (Another ‘wish us luck”.)

I’ll let everyone know how it goes.

[DAVID L.]

We have made an offer on a house in Consejo and are awaiting the mortgage through Atlantic International Bank. (We decided the mortgage route for several reasons including cash flow preservation and purity of the transaction (if the bank is OK with the transaction then I will probably be also))

That being said, we are opening a US Dollar account at Atlantic International Bank (easier to move dollars back and forth) Once we move to Belize, we’ll open a Belize Dollar account at Atlantic Bank for our local transactions.

So far, that’s the plan.

David

[DAVID L.]

Good news. When my wife and I arrived at Belize International Airport two weeks ago, I walked across the parking lot to the Digicell office and added more minutes to my Belize cell even though I had not used it in 15 months. Maybe the comments I heard were about the minutes expiring after 3 months and not the phone number. Either way, the phone continued to work fine with the same number even after 15 months of inactivity.

David

[DAVID L.]

I was just told that if you don’t use your ‘Belize’ phone at least 1 minute (?) a month, the SIM card will be deactivated. Getting a new SIM card is no big deal and comes with free minutes. Down side is a new phone number comes with it. We are returning to Belize on June 2nd (in 2 days!) and I can find out for sure what happens. I will let everyone know. At least I won’t go through the hassle and expense of unlocking the phone.

David

[DAVID L.]

For the question about temps in Belize, I suggest a separate string. You may get a better response using a title such as “Temps in Belize”.

[DAVID L.]

Is being able to maintain USD and BZD accounts a function of QRP status or a function of resident versus non-resident status.

Thanks,
David

[DAVID L.]

We are returning the first two weeks in June to decide on housing in the Corozal area (probably Consejo Shores). But we are also looking in the Corozal area. Did you go through a realtor? Can you [provide information about your selection – distance from bay, costs, rental term, etc.?

Thanks,
David and Lynn

[DAVID L.]

Really good point about the USD/BZD bank accounts. I also got the impression that a good mover/transfer agent, who knows the ropes, can be an asset at the border.

My QRP package is complete and ready to go. My wife will not be on the QRP program. That would seem to give us more options.

[DAVID L.]

Hi everyone,

I just talked with Roshel Godfrey, Travel Belize-QRP. Bad news on the wine (sort of). The QRP program is just for household goods and not foodstuffs (e.g., wine, canned goods and other foods). So I guess we have to drink all the wine before we move down (not a bad option!).

On another front, cars and golf carts are considered vehicles. You have to pay duty on one or the other. Our option will be to pay duty on the golf cart (less duty). Another vehicle can be brought in 3 years later but a boat/airplane – duty free – are one shot deals. If you sell the original car brought in as a QRP vehicle, then, duty must be paid by someone (buyer or seller) unless the car is being sold to a “QRP person” or a diplomatic person.

She said that, for most people, being on QRP for one year is the way to go. The exception would be if you are building and you’ll be bringing in household goods for more than a year. Then, you would get an extension. I have heard where people have been on the program for multiple years but I am not sure why.
‘
Hope this helps…..

David

[DAVID L.]

Ann,

I sent an email to Roshel. I also asked her about canned goods and food stuffs. I’ll let everyone know when I hear back from her. David

[DAVID L.]

Laura and Mike,
I didn’t get your message about visiting Consejo (Corozal) until yesterday. I hope you are having a great trip. We took the same path (Placencia, Ambergris Caye and Corozal) a year ago March. We found Placencia a little to far away from things and the sand flies were not a bonus. Ambergris Caye was very nice but a little too built up for us especially near the airport. We found Corozal much more to our liking. It was very close to Mexico for great shopping (just a day trip), It is on the bay instead of ocean which helps protect it from extreme weather, and the home prices are very reasonable. We have settled (as well as anyone can) on Consejo Shores. CS is an established community of 40 years. It has all the infrastructure already in place and a large expat community (US and Canadian). Houses on the water are about $300,000 and one lot off about $175,000. Naturally prices can vary depending on pool, rooms, lot size, etc. It also has a 9-hole golf course. We are headed back for 2 weeks the first of June, probably to buy a house we have been looking at. our realtor (Karen Wilkinson at winbelize@gmail.com) has been a great asset with information and guidance. If you email her just drop our names, David and Lynn Lawson. I think it will help!

BTW, this will be our 22nd move including one to Iran (of all places – whole different story attached to that one!).

Good luck. Let’s stay in touch since it seems we are in the same moving stage as you.

David and Lynn

[DAVID L.]

When we visited Belize last year, we had a Version Maxx cell phone which we were told by Verizon could not be unlocked. I am not so sure that is correct having Googled Verizon Maxx / Unlock. Anyway, we bought a cheap cell phone at Wal-Mart’s in the States (T-Mobile Sqarq II). I think it as $32 US. We took it to Belize and had it unlocked at a computer shop in Corozal ($50 B). Bought a new SIM card and had minutes added to it (DigiCell). Kind of a pain the first time thru but it is done now. When we go back in June, we just need to have minutes added and we are good to go. I asked everyone just to text us because I think that is cheaper than a voice call.

Hope this helps.

[DAVID L.]

Laura and Mike,
I didn’t get your message about visiting Consejo (Corozal) until yesterday. I hope you are having a great trip. We took the same path (Placencia, Ambergris Caye and Corozal) a year ago March. We found Placencia a little to far away from things and the sand flies were not a bonus. Ambergris Caye was very nice but a little to built up for us especially near the airport. We found Corozal much more to our liking. It was very close to Mexico for great shopping (just a day trip), It is on the bay instead of ocean which helps protect it from extreme weather, and the home prices are very reasonable. We have settled (as well as anyone can be) on Consejo Shores. CJ is an established community of 40 years. It has all the infrastructure already in place and a large expat community (US and Canadian). Houses on the water are about $300,000 and one lot off about $175,000. Naturally prices can vary depending on pool, rooms, lot size, etc. It also has a 9-hole golf course. We are headed back for 2 weeks the first of June, probably to buy a house we have been looking at. our realtor (Karen Wilkinson at winbelize@gmail.com) has been a great asset with information and guidance. If you email her just drop our names, David and Lynn Lawson. I think it will help!

BTW, this will be our 22nd move including one to Iran (of all places – whole different story attached to that one!).

Good luck. Le’s stay in touch since it seems we are in the same mpving stage as you.

David and Lynn

[DAVID L.]

Thanks, perfect. It was confusing and I was mixing up the two requirements.

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