# entering belize

All visitors must have a passport valid 6 months after return date, a round-trip flight ticket as well as sufficient funds for the duration of their stay.

Belize grants a free tourism visa for one month. It is possible to extend this visa before its expiration date by speaking to immigration services. Extending a visa costs 200 $BZ for a one-month extension. The renewal of this tourism visa on a monthly basis is limited to 6 months max.

Visitors entering Belize with a car or by boat must get a temporary importation permit valid for 30 days. All this is offered at entry point for the country.

Minors must have their own passports. When a minor is not accompanied by his two parents, they must provide a notarized letter of consent from the parent not traveling with them indicating that they have permission to travel.

# Special cases

Depending on your travel itinerary, you may have to get information on specific formalities related to each transit country.

For a layover to the USA or Canada, you will have to get specific visas at least 72 hours before your trip:

The official site for the USA is the following: ESTA– $14 USD/pers. – Valid  for 2 years or until passport expires https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/
The official site for Canada is the following: AVE– $7 USD/pers. – Valid for 5 years or until passport expires  https://www.canada.ca

If you went to Iran, Irak, Syria or Sudan, or you are a citizen of one of those four countries, you will then have to ask for a visa at the United States embassy.

For more information about visas and passports, consult the website www.Travelbelize.org  or contact your local immigration bureau or consulate.

We advise you to scan or copy all your important documents (first pages of your passport, credit card, insurance policy, train/plane/bus tickets, driving license, etc.) Bring copies with you, that you will store separately from the originals in case of loss or theft.

# TOURIST TAX

The tourist tax must be payed upon leaving the country :

– By land or sea

$20 USD at border posts if you stayed more than 24hrs in Belize (you can pay with US or Belizean dollars).

It’s free for children under 12 and costs 9.25 USD for children aged 12 to 17.

$5 USD- if you arrive by the road from Guatemala, you will have to pay this tax to enter the country.

 – By Air

Taxes are normally already included in flight tickets. Otherwise, you will have to pay them directly at the airport when you leave.

# CUSTOMS

Belizean customs are quite strict when it comes to importing goods in order to avoid any external contamination. It is important to check local regulation throughly for importation.

A traveler is allowed to bring 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos, 250g of tobacco and 50 cigars. The traveler can also bring 1 liter of liquor with an alcohol content over 22%, 2 liters of wine of which the alcohol content doesn’t go over 22%, 250ml of eau de toilette and 60 cc perfume.

However, it is prohibited to enter Belize with meat, transformed products and live animals.