Belize Fact Sheet II

Ports of Entry By Sea: Boats may clear customs and entry at Belize City, Dangriga, Big Creek, Punta Gorda and San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye. There is no customs officer in San Pedro; boats wishing to enter must pay the cost of transport for the customs officer to and from San Pedro from Belize City.

Bus services

National Transport, Belize Bus Owners Cooperative and others depart out of Belize City for most of the major towns (Corozal, Orange Walk, San Ignacio,Benque Viejo del Carmen, Belmopan, Dangriga, Punta Gorda) and border towns in Mexico and Guatemala. Most Belize bus companies also offer runs into Chetumal, Mexico, and Melchor de Mencos, Guatemala. Guatemalan bus lines such as Linia Dorada operate comfortable air-conditioned buses from Guatemala, across Belize and into Mexico. Smaller tourism vans from Guatemala also ply this route.

Entry Requirements

With the exception of cruise ship passengers, all visitors to Belize must present a valid passport before entering the country. Driver's licenses and birth certificates are not approved travel documents and cannot be used to enter the country. Passports must be valid up until time of departure.

In cases where a visitor remains in the country for over 30 days, an extension of entry must be requested. Extensions are available for the cost of US$25. per month up to a period of six months. After six months the government doubles the extension fee to US $50 per month. Extensions are avialble at the Immigration Department in Belize City and the capital Belmopan

Visas

Nationals of the following countries do not require visas: Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, United States of America, Venezuela, CARICOM member states and members of the European Union.

Nationals of the following countries must secure a visa to enter Belize: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Angola, Argentina, Bosnia, Brazil, Central African Republic, Chad, China, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Haiti, Honduras, Japan, Korea (North and South), Libya, Monaco, Mongolia, Morocco, Nicaragua, Panama, Poland, Russia, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, Ukraine, Yugoslavia, Zaire.

The Government of Belize maintains a restricted list of countries, and in order to enter Belize, nationals of the following countries must secure a visa, pay the appropriate fees and must obtain permission from the Director of Immigration: Bangladesh, Bolivia, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Egypt, India, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Myanmar(Burma), Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Palestine, People's Republic of China, Peru, Srilanka, Syria, Thailand and the United Arab Emigrates.

Belize Immigration and Nationality Department, Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize, Central America. Telephone +501-822-2423 Fax: +501-822-2662

Animals

Animals must be accompanied by a certificate of freedom from infection/contagious disease by a veterinarian following examination not more than 48 hours prior to shipment; animals must also be certified as having been vaccinated against rabies not less than one month nor more than six months prior to departure; and must be free of open wounds. Dogs must have a valid
certification of vaccination against distemper, parvovirus, infectious canine hepatitis and leptospirosis. Animals may be required to be re-vaccinated against rabies on arrival if certifications are deemed unsatisfactory.

Currency and Credit Cards

Local currency is the Belize Dollar. One U.S. dollar is worth BZ$2. U.S. dollars should be exchanged directly in purchasing goods and services, as banks will charge a fee (currently is at .0125) to exchange U.S. to Belize dollars. U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere in Belize. See more information on our currency converter page.

Credit Cards, Travelers' Checks: Nearly all hotels, restaurants and shops in the major towns and tourist areas take all major credit cards. Street vendors and smaller establishments in remote areas may accept only cash or travelers' checks. It's important to keep travelers' checks in a waterproof pouch, as they are considered void if they get wet. Representatives of VISA, Master Card and American Express can be contacted at the four commercial banks in Belize City (Atlantic Bank Ltd., Bank of Nova Scotia, First Caribbean International (Barclay), and the Belize Bank. Banks are generally open Monday-Friday from 8 AM-1 PM and Saturdays, 8 AM-11 AM. American Express has a representative at Belize Global Travel Services in Belize City.

Credit cards with the Interlink, PLUS or STAR logos can access Belize Bank ATMS for cash withdrawals countrywide. The daily limit is US$500.

Getting Married

Foreign visitors who wish to marry in Belize can now apply for a marriage license after being in the country only three days, plus give one day's notice. Blood tests are not required, but you must provide proof of citizenship, a certified copy of your birth certificate and certified copy of
divorce certificate or death certificate, if applicable.

Telecommunications

All telecommunications services (direct dial phones, celular, fax, Internet, telex, cable) are available; but calls from Belize are much higher than an equivalent call into Belize.The predominant cellular system is GSM 1900 frequency. Most cellular phones used in North American and Europe can be used localy. A SIM chip can be purchased locally for US$25., inserted into your cell phone, and then charged with pre-paid cards available everywhere. The country code for Belize is (501) and there are currently 17 area codes within Belize. Remote jungle lodges usually have short wave radio communications linked to cellular service. Long Distance calls are cheapest between 6pm and 6am and on weekends. Internet access is common even in the smallest towns through numerous Internet cafes.