Belize welcomes foreign nationals relocating there from other countries of the world. The popularity of Belize with North American retirees in particular has been growing lately. Probably, one of the reasons for that is that Belize is NOT a Latin American country even though it is located in Central America. While Spanish is spoken in all other countries in the region, the official language in Belize is English. Therefore, retirees from the US and Canada do not encounter any problems when communicating with the locals.
This is an important advantage indeed, because learning a foreign language when you are advanced in years may be a difficult task. Spanish is comparatively easy to learn, we must admit, but why bother if everybody around you speaks your native language?
Belize boasts another advantage that is of particular interest to entrepreneurs. Overcoming the bureaucratic barriers is extremely easy in the country. All you have to do is drop by at the Prime Minister’s place and discuss your problems with him. Belize resembles a small provincial town in certain respects.
Besides, banking privacy is among top priorities for local bankers. Needless to say, total banking secrecy is unavailable in Belize any longer because it is unavailable anywhere in the world today. At the same time, confidentiality of the bank account holders’ information is well protected in Belize.
As we have noted above, pensioners from the US and Canada love Belize. The English language spoken in the country is only one reason for that. In addition to that, North American retirees find serious incentives in Belize. Some national programs are aimed at attracting wealthy pensioners from abroad.
Apart from that, Belize is simply a beautiful country. Empty beaches, clear blue water, and lush tropical forests are mesmerizing. The local fauna is wild and diverse.
Communication opportunities in Belize
Telephone communication and high-speed Internet connection are readily available in Belize.
- Every adult has a mobile phone in Belize;
- Modern communication gadgets are in use there;
- In large cities and in popular tourist destinations, you can easily find an Internet café.
Real property in Belize: where should you buy a house?
The real estate market in Belize has a lot to offer. You can buy a villa, a semi-detached house, or an apartment in the country. Buying property in Belize is not going to ruin you. The average price of an apartment in Belize is around 90 thousand euros. If you want a large beachfront villa, however, you will have to pay a million euros or more. On the other hand, a standard house located inland will cost you around 150 thousand euros. If you are prepared to do serious market research, you may be able to find a detached house in Belize that costs as much as an apartment does. Having a house in Belize will give you and your family some wonderful recreation opportunities.
Real property on the islands
In addition to the mainland, Belize has several islands belonging to it. We would like to draw your attention to Ambergris Caye, the largest island in Belize. It’s 25 miles in length and only a little less in width and the beautiful city of San Pedro is located there. About 30 years ago, the island became popular with tourists fond of diving and fishing. You can find a unique reef barrier there.
The corrals are amazing. The underwater fauna is flourishing and this is the main reason why the place has become so popular. San Pedro used to be a small anglers’ village and only highly adventurous tourists visited the place before. They came there for the sake of deep-water fishing, snorkeling and diving. Golf carts were used as the primary means of transportation at that time. Today, San Pedro is the second largest city in Belize with a population of 12 thousand people.
Restrictions and benefits for foreign property owners in Belize
A foreign national cannot buy property in protected areas but the same holds for Belizeans too. Thus, there are basically no restrictions on purchasing real property in the country if you are a foreigner.
On the other hand, you may become eligible for a residence permit if you buy a house or an apartment in Belize. Please note, however, that Belize does not administer a citizenship-by-investment program in 2023. It used to have such a program but it was closed almost 20 years ago. You should bear this fact in mind if an immigration agent invites you to participate in the Belizean citizenship-by-investment program. No such program exists today.
You can become a citizen of Belize but only through marriage or naturalization. Naturalization is a long process but buying property in Belize will make you eligible for a residence permit. Therefore, this is a path to Belizean citizenship.
