Moving to Belize
5 ways to move to Belize in our guide: 2 investor routes, 1 pay-to-stay route, 1 work visa, 1 student visa.
No digital nomad visa. Smallest investment: Investor residence · BZ$500k, BZD 500k+ ≈ $250k. Checked against official sources on .
Belize is a small Caribbean country where the tax system generally looks at where income is earned, not where you live. That means foreign-source income is often outside the local charge, and there are specific programmes for retirees and investors who want to settle.
Investing · 2
Not yet in force
Investor residence (proposed)
Investor residence · BZ$500k
Investment needed: BZD 500k+ ≈ $250k
Retire or live on savings · 1
QRP retiree programme
Income needed: $2,000+ a month
Work · 1
Employment permit
First stay: 1 yr
Student · 1
Free movement and visa-free stays · 2
CARICOM free movement · Lets you live here
CARICOM free movement · Lets you live here
Open to 11 passports: Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, VC.
Tax
Belize generally taxes income that accrues in or is derived from Belize, whether or not it is received in Belize, so foreign-source income is usually outside the ordinary charge. Qualified Retired Persons have a specific exemption for income and receipts from outside Belize, whether earned or passive and whether or not remitted. Belize-source income remains under the ordinary income and business tax rules.
Standard rules
Income and business tax: territorial basis
25% tax
Details
- On: Income accruing in or derived from Belize
The Income and Business Tax Act charges tax on chargeable income accruing in or derived from Belize, whether received in Belize or not, so foreign-source income is outside the charge.
Taxed on
Income accruing in or derived from Belize
Tax residence
The Act taxes by source (Belize) rather than residence; section 20 sets tax on the chargeable income of employed persons at 25%.
Visas
Temporary Employment Permit holders obtain an Income Tax Letter from the Belize Tax Service before the permit is issued.
Other taxes
Social security registration is required for permit holders.
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Special regime
QRP exemption for foreign-source income
Tax relief
Details
- On: Foreign-source income and receipts
Qualified Retired Persons are exempt from all taxes and levies on income or receipts from a source outside Belize or from a person resident outside Belize for work or investment abroad, earned or passive, whether or not remitted to Belize.
Taxed on
Foreign-source income and receipts
Who it applies to
- Designated Qualified Retired Person aged 45 or over meeting the pension and deposit conditions.
Exclusions
- Exemption is lost if qualifying conditions or the deposit undertaking lapse.
Tax residence
Qualified Retired Persons are deemed non-residents for the Offshore Banking Act and exchange control purposes.
Visas
Tied to QRP designation; import duty exemption for personal effects and transport within one year of first entering Belize.
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Special regime
Belize Qualified Retired Persons: exemption on income from outside Belize
Tax relief
Details
- On: Income and receipts from sources outside Belize (Retired Persons
A designated Qualified Retired Person is exempt from all taxes and levies on income or receipts from a source outside Belize or from a person resident outside Belize, for work or investment made outside Belize, earned or passive, whether or not remitted to Belize.
Taxed on
Income and receipts from sources outside Belize (Retired Persons (Incentives) Act s. 4(4)); Belize-source income stays under the Income and Business Tax Act.
Who it applies to
- Retired person: at least 45 years of age, designated as a Qualified Retired Person under the Act; dependents are the spouse and children under 18.
- The exemption applies notwithstanding the Income and Business Tax Act.
Exclusions
- Qualified Retired Persons and dependents other than citizens or permanent residents may not take gainful employment in Belize.
- Business carried on from Belize is allowed only if it relates to activities mainly outside Belize and is conducted exclusively with persons non-resident in Belize.
Tax residence
Qualified Retired Persons are deemed non-residents for the Offshore Banking Act, Exchange Control Regulation Act, International Business Companies Act, Trusts Act, Immigration Act and Belizean Nationality Act purposes.
Visas
The exemption attaches to QRP designation, which also grants entry and stay rights for the person and dependents while he or she remains a Qualified Retired Person.
Other taxes
The Act also grants import-duty relief on personal effects and an approved vehicle (within one year of first entry, renewable every three years);.
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Standard rules
Belize territorial income tax (ordinary context)
25% tax
Details
- On: Chargeable income accruing in or derived from Belize
- Who: Applies to any person
Belize charges income tax on income accruing in or derived from Belize, whether received in Belize or not; employed persons and other persons are charged 25% of chargeable income, and gross time-deposit interest bears a 5% final tax.
Taxed on
Chargeable income accruing in or derived from Belize (Income and Business Tax Act s. 5).
Who it applies to
- Applies to any person; the charge depends on the Belize source of the income, not on residence.
Exclusions
- Income without a Belize source is outside the s. 5 charge as read.
- Tax on lottery winnings is 15% final (s. 20(3)).
Visas
The territorial charge applies irrespective of immigration status; the Qualified Retired Persons programme adds an express exemption for foreign-source income.
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Belize in pictures
Path to permanent residence · 1
- PR after 1 year · Permanent Residence
Arriving in Belize: first steps
- Arrange health cover for yourself and any dependants.
- Secure a place to live and keep a lease and utility bill, or a property title and tax assessment, as evidence of residence.
- Open a local bank account for day-to-day matters.
- Register with the Belize Tax Service and Social Security where your route requires it, especially for a work permit.
- Keep your passport, police record and any translated birth certificates ready for applications.
Questions people ask
How much do you need to invest for residency in Belize?
Belize has 2 investor routes. Investor residence · BZ$500k asks for an investment of at least BZD 500,000 (≈ $250,000) and gives a first stay of 1 year that can be renewed. There is also Investor residence (proposed).
Can I retire or live in Belize on my savings or pension?
Belize has 1 retirement or pay-to-stay route. QRP retiree programme asks for an income of at least $2,000 a month.
What work visas does Belize offer foreigners?
Belize has 1 work visa. Employment permit gives a first stay of 1 year that can be renewed.
How do I get a student visa for Belize?
Belize has 1 student visa. It is Student permit.
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≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about Belize AI
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