Should I Stay or Should I Go...?

As the days get warmer and the mosquito coast really starts to live up to it's name, the question of whether to stay in Belize year round or to take a summer sabbatical has been on my mind a lot lately. If you plan to relocate to this little corner of the world you may one day find yourself vacillating over the same question. In this post, I'll walk you through the process of making the decision. Ready? Be aware that whatever choice you make, part of you will likely long for the opposite at some point.

Belize's policy when it comes to residency is easily found online. You're passport is stamped when you enter Belize which is good for 30 days. Upon expiry and every 30 days after that you must visit the immigration office to get another stamp (tourist visa). The cost is $50 BZ for the first 6 months and $100 BZ after that. Everything I read before I got here said that you must be in the country 6 mos before you can apply for a business permit and 12 mos for a work permit but this just isn't so. They do like to see some permanency when considering a work or business permit but the application is actually the same for both and it is only recommended that you be here 6 mos. *The tourist visa extension (passport stamp) states that you can remain in the country provided you agree not to conduct business or work during that time.