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J U L Y  2 0 1 1
Issue 46
| An online magazine about investing, living, working and relocating to the Caribbean. |
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EDITORIAL
Ramblings and rumblings from the
Eastern Caribbean and sometimes beyond
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RECREATION AND LEISURE
Sports, golf, sailing, music festivals, adventures, quizzes and an events calendar
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DESTINATIONS AND TRAVEL
Updates on Caribbean destinations tourism, events, travels, key conferences
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RETIRING OFFSHORE
Planning an offshore retirement, essentials, interviews, hotspots and retirement tales
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WORKING IN THE CARIBBEAN
Jobs, finding work, buying a business, HR issues, permits and licenses
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CARIBBEAN REAL ESTATE
CaribProperty Notes, Off Plan Opportunities and Editor's Property Picks of the Month
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FUNDS AND INVESTMENTS
Insurance, offshore asset protection, mortgages investments, funding
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GREEN CARIBBEAN
Environmental news, sustainable living and eco- matters, eco-tourism, NGOs
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CARIBBEAN LIFE AND CULTURE
History, health, schools, language, the arts, relocating, pets and more..
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RETIRING OFFSHORE
ON THIS PAGE:
Retirement Hot Spots : Belize, Part 2 by Caribbean Retirment Guru
Belize Retirement Essentials, Part 2 by Caribbean Guru
A Perfect Second Life in Belize, Part 2 by S Mar Carter
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BELIZE RETIREMENT HOT SPOTS, Part 2
By the Caribbean Retirement Guru
Are you considering retirement to an island in the Caribbean, a beachside retreat in Mexico or one of the off the beaten track spots in Central America? Look no further than the Caribbean Retirement Guru’s Hot Spot selections for solid guidance, practical advice, and fact-based judgments to help you make informed decisions about your retirement future. Semi-retired, this author has lived, traveled and worked in these countries for 28 years, and knows the ins and outs of offshore relocation and retirement.
The CRG’s top retirement hot spot selection in Central America is Belize. Many top publications and other experts agree. Read on to find out about this tiny, beautiful, pristine, English speaking country located at the top of Central America.
WHY BELIZE?
Let’s start with a few interesting facts:
- Travelers from North America can reach Belize in about two hours by air or a few days by road.
- Belize has the lowest population density in the Central American region.
- Belize's abundance of biologically significant and unique ecosystems contributes to its designation as a bio-diversity hotspot.
- Belize is an English speaking country.
- Belize is culturally unique among Central American nations; it is the only nation in Central America with a British colonial heritage and is the only member of the British Commonwealth of Nations in its region.
HOT SPOTS IN BELIZE
Two hot spots to consider for general relocation and/ or retirement are San Ignacio, in the jungle-like inland district of Cayo and Ambergris Caye - a small, one-of-a-kind slip of an island community floating offshore of mainland Belize. It can be reached by boat service and is about 20 minutes by puddle hopper plane from Belize mainland.
Ambergris Caye is located in the far northern region of Belize and is quite close to the border of Mexico.
Belize is divided into six districts which feature several diverse communities and islands - each worthy of a visit:
- Cayo District - western Belize with easy access to Guatemala; San Ignacio is located here.
- Corozal – the most northern district and bordering Mexico.
- Orange Walk - also north and center of Belize's sugar industry.
- Stann Creek & Dangriga – best described as Belize’s Culture Capital
- Placencia – the top destination in the Stann Creek District.
- Toledo - in the deep south with sea access to Guatemala and Honduras.
- Ambergris Caye – the small rather upscale island located in the Belize District.
- Caye Caulker - a budget island near Ambergris Caye.
- Belize City - arrival point for cruise ship passengers and commercial capital of the country.
- Belmopan – an inland city and the actual capital of Belize.
EXPLORING THE CAYO DISTRICT
Belizeans from western Belize are fond of boasting that "the west is best!" And they sure have a lot to be proud about. Besides being home to the nation's new capital of Belmopan, the Cayo District, covering some two thousand square miles of verdant landscape, has some of the most scenic attractions in Belize: clear, meandering rivers, lush jungles, green hillsides, thundering waterfalls, huge cave systems, two of Belize's most important Mayan ruins, and a pine ridge forest just waiting for you to explore and experience.
It's rich with wildlife and a favoured destination for eco tourists. The Cayo district is the Belizean frontier (you'll be able to do more horseback riding than in any other part of the country). It's reached via the Western Highway , which begins on the outskirts of Belize City at the intersection of Central American Boulevard and Cemetery Road.
A one-hour ride from Belize City gets you to Belmopan , where the downtown market area is a pulsating, thriving hub with bus terminal and taxi stands offering connections to every part of Belize. Located in this area are the Belize Bank, The Bank of Nova Scotia and First Caribbean Bank, restaurants, fast food and snack shops, the central produce, market, internet cafes and shops.
Between Belmopan and San Ignacio, you will pass the entrance to modern-day Mennonite settlement of Spanish Lookout. Both English and Spanish are widely spoken in Cayo, which is home to large populations of Latinos, Creoles, Chinese, Lebanese, Guatemalans, Mennonites and Mayas. As with every in Belize, smaller groups of all other ethnic groups live there, like the Garifuna and East Indians. It is the country's second largest district, with a population of some sixty thousand people.
West of Belmopan, the highway begins to climb out of the valley and the air gets noticeably cooler. It's a beautiful drive along rolling green countryside dotted with small, picturesque villages, with intriguing names such as Ontario,Central Farm and Esperanza (Hope), and, as you get further west, large tracts of cultivated farmland, many of which belong to the Mennonite community. You will also see fields of cattle grazing and several orange orchards.
Seventy-two miles from Belize city are the twin towns of Santa Elena and San Ignacio, separated by the Macal River and crossed via Belize 's only suspension bridge, the Hawksworth Bridge. Several bus companies make return trips to the San Ignacio and Santa Elena.
The area is very popular with tourists and you can find many hotels, guest houses and backpacker hostels. The towns have an excellent nightlife, many stores, restaurants and cafes and is a staging ground for those planning to visit Tikal and other areas in Guatemala. An airstrip is located at Central Farm not far from San Ignacio and Santa Elena and this in itself has become a small tourist stop for those wishing to view the area by regular small aircraft or ultra lights.
About twelve miles further West you can find the Mayan Village of Succoth with easy access to the impressive Xunantunich Maya ruin. Another three miles or so you are in Benque Viejo del Carmen town practically within walking distance of Belize's western border with Guatemala at Melchor de Mencos.
San Ignacio is also only 15 miles from the Guatemalan border town of Melchor de Mencos where visitors can buy Guatemalan fabric and items at low prices. Melchor de Mencos borders with the Cayo town of Benque Viejo del Carmen The Belize Government maintains a modern immigration and customs facility located on 22 acres of land. The new western border facility features comfortable arrival and departure areas, separate areas for tourists, cargo, Belizeans and cross border traffic, as well as proper offices for immigration, customs and Border Management Agency (BMA) officials. The BMA comes under the Ministry of Tourism.
Hundreds of Belizeans, expats and tourists cross over into Melchor de Mencos every day. The town is within Guatemala's El Peten Department. Rapidly developing, Melchor offers many shops, boutiques, a large market - and what is most attractive - low prices for food and beer. Belize bans the importation of beer and soft drinks from most countries but in Melchor - like the rest of Guatemala - brews and soft drinks from all over Central America and Mexico are readily available.
Benque Viejo del Carmen is also home to a House of Culture. Located at the site of the old police station, it offers exhibits such as its recent "Art for the People" and "Women in Art." Additionally, the Benque House of Culture periodically offers cultural lectures and holds cultural workshops, recent ones being classes in the playing of marimba music and accordion music. The Coordinator is Belizean writer David Ruiz.
On the short drive between San Ignacio and Benque, you will pass San Jose Succotz Village. It is home to the Xunantunich Maya Ruin; one catches a quaint ferry ride from the main highway as one enters Succotz - feel free to purchase a Mayan slate carving or other handicraft sold from cultural stalls at the mouth of the ferry. A short climb up after the ferry disembarks leads one to Xunantunich.
South of San Ignacio is the quaint village of San Antonio, Cayo, famous for wood and slate carvings. The Garcia Sisters, Cayo's famous slate carvers, are established there. Their Tanah Mayan Art Museum is worth the visit. San Antonio, Cayo is also the home of the late Don Elijio Panti, who was the shaman guide for much of the work later developed at Ix Chel Farms. The Mayan ruin of Pacbitun is located on the outskirts of San Antonio Village.
On one of the back roads of Benque, you will find an anomaly - Arenal village. Half of the village is in Belize and the other half on Guatemalan territory. The village football field is another oddity; one goal post is in Belize and the other in Guatemala. Check out part three of this article which explores the unique little island of Ambergris Caye. |
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About the Caribbean Retirement Guru:
After escaping the cold of North America a few decades ago, with no plan other than to travel and work throughout the Caribbean, this escapee accomplished that and much more, discovering:
- the top spots for retirement based on personal style factors,
- the essentials of a painless relocation,
- the countries with the lowest living and property costs,
- how anyone can create a life of comfort-ability in the Caribbean,
Now, 28 years later, semi-retired, still living in the Caribbean and armed with extensive know-how gained through unparalleled first-hand experience, the CRG shares that hard-earned expertise in a comprehensive book series offering realistic and shrewd guidance on how to successfully relocate, live and retire to the Caribbean. Central to this series are the fascinating stories of dozens of long-time Caribbean expats whose individual observations and defining experiences on the upside and the downside of Caribbean life, work, investing and retiring form the essential nucleus of each book, and converge to present readers with a collective road map to success through valuable lessons learned. Filled with the tools to help you make informed decisions on a variety of critical issues, such as which islands are best for your retirement (based on your personal comfort-ability scale) - the Caribbean Retirement Guide series is loaded with practical insights, valuable advice, and a variety of essential check lists. The Caribbean Retirement Guide series is a riveting must read and a definitive road map for anyone considering the permanent leap into retired life in the Caribbean.
The first book in this series is scheduled for release by early 2012.
Keep up with book release dates and other happenings by following the Caribbean Retirement Guru on Facebook and at www.CaribbeanRetirementGuru.com.
Email: Caribbean Retirement Guru
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BELIZE RETIREMENT ESSENTIALS: FOUR TYPES OF RESIDENCY, PART 2
by the Caribbean Retirement Guru
OFFICIAL BELIZE PERMANENT RESIDENT PROGRAM
Applications for Belize Permanent Residence are made to the Belize Immigration Department in the City Of Belmopan after you have resided continuously in Belize for one year. You may not leave Belize for a period of 14 consecutive days during this time or your application may be rejected.
What’s needed?
• Complete a required Permanent Residency Application form,
• Take an HIV test,
• Submit a recent police clearance indicating no criminal convictions from your home country, last place of residence,
• Provide two recommendations from individuals (from Belize) who have known you for at least one year.
These individuals are usually ministers of religion, registered medical practitioners, and attorneys at law, Head of a Government Department or a Justice of the Peace. So make some nice friends during your first year in Belize!
There are several expeditors - usually attorneys-at-law, retired immigration officers, Justices Of The Peace and other functionaries - who can assist and guide you through this process.
A Belize Permanent Residency is akin to the mother lode for those seeking to make Belize their home. Once you have been approved you can seek employment or work for yourself just like any Belizean - you do not need a work permit. You can move freely within Belize, and travel in and out of Belize without any restrictions. Best of all, the clock starts running and after five years you can apply for full citizenship.
It is economical to apply for permanent residency. Application fees for Permanent Residency vary by nationality, ranging from U.S. $250 to $5,000. For U.S. nationals, the fee is US$1,000 per person.
Applications for Belize Permanent Residency at made to the Belize Immigration and Nationality Department rather than through the Belize Tourism Board.
After approval, you have up to one year to bring in household effects duty-free, on a one-time basis. However, the duty-free exemption does not apply to a vehicle, boat and airplane, as it does for the Qualified Retired Persons program.
if you use an “expediter” in Belize to help you with the paperwork, you'll likely pay a fee of around US$1,500, plus several hundred dollars in travel and photocopying fees and taxes. Note that these fees are per-person, not per-application, as is the case for the Qualified Retired Persons program. For example, an American married couple applying for permanent residency would pay US$2,000 with the application and US$300 for residency cards after approval.
Time for approval of a permanent residency application varies. Many find that the process goes fairly quickly, taking only a few months, but others say it takes up to a year, or longer, for approval.
Program pros: Full residency rights (except voting in national elections -- you can vote in local elections), can work, open to anyone regardless of age, one-time tax-free entry of household effects.
Program cons: Year-long residency before applying, additional red tape, costly application process, and some people are turned down for minor reasons. You can bring in household goods but NOT a car, boat or airplane free of duty.
Application requirements and most benefits are similar to those of the Retired Persons Incentive Act, but there are some important differences. The application process itself and the supporting documents needed are similar to those for the QRP, although the applications are processed by different organizations.
BELIZE CITIZENSHIP PROGRAM
In addition to these programs, regular citizenship in Belize is a possibility for those living in Belize over as resident or having permanent residency status for a minimum of five years. Applicants for citizenship need to provide essentially the same supporting documentation as those applying for permanent residency.
Applicants also must demonstrate knowledge of Belizean history. Note that for citizenship residency purposes, stays in the Belize under the Qualified Retired Persons program do NOT qualify. To become a citizen, you would have to give up QRP status, apply for permanent residency, and begin the five-year residency from scratch.
Of course, as in most countries, another route to citizenship is marriage to a local. Many people who move to a new country do so looking for a new life and sometimes find a new love as well. Full and almost free Citizenship in Belize exists for those who marry a Belize citizen. Then, after one year of marriage, the expat can apply for Citizenship Via Marriage. And, if a child is borne of the marriage the process is a guaranteed done deed.
A last word of caution - rules and regulations, and the interpretation of them, change frequently in Belize. Do not assume that this information is the last word on any matter pertaining to entering or staying in Belize; always check out everything when making this sort of move, especially involving residency and citizenship matter, and if necessary hire a recommend attorney who is experienced in the matters at hand.
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About the Caribbean Retirement Guru:
After escaping the cold of North America a few decades ago, with no plan other than to travel and work throughout the Caribbean, this escapee accomplished that and much more, discovering:
- the top spots for retirement based on personal style factors,
- the essentials of a painless relocation,
- the countries with the lowest living and property costs,
- how anyone can create a life of comfort-ability in the Caribbean,
Now, 28 years later, semi-retired, still living in the Caribbean and armed with extensive know-how gained through unparalleled first-hand experience, the CRG shares that hard-earned expertise in a comprehensive book series offering realistic and shrewd guidance on how to successfully relocate, live and retire to the Caribbean. Central to this series are the fascinating stories of dozens of long-time Caribbean expats whose individual observations and defining experiences on the upside and the downside of Caribbean life, work, investing and retiring form the essential nucleus of each book, and converge to present readers with a collective road map to success through valuable lessons learned. Filled with the tools to help you make informed decisions on a variety of critical issues, such as which islands are best for your retirement (based on your personal comfort-ability scale) - the Caribbean Retirement Guide series is loaded with practical insights, valuable advice, and a variety of essential check lists. The Caribbean Retirement Guide series is a riveting must read and a definitive road map for anyone considering the permanent leap into retired life in the Caribbean.
The first book in this series is scheduled for release by early 2012.
Keep up with book release dates and other happenings by following the Caribbean Retirement Guru on Facebook and at www.CaribbeanRetirementGuru.com.
Email:Caribbean Retirement Guru
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A PERFECT SECOND LIFE IN BELIZE, Part 2
by S. Mar Carter
During a recent trip to Belize I had the opportunity to meet several retirees, a few of whom I’ve interviewed for the Caribbean Retirement series. My first interview was with Lee Austin, a delightful and energetic woman who is quite pleased with her move, her lifestyle and her retirement in Belize, this is part 2 of that interview.
SMC: Let’s talk about your life in Belize. Since arrival, what types of activities have kept you busy?
LEE: I have done some volunteer work with Corner Stone and the Winsom Foundation.
SMC: So after 5 years what would you say has been your biggest challenge in living in Belize?
LEE: Finding things in the stores.
SMC: And, what has been your greatest delight?
LEE: The delight is waking up to the sound of birds chirping in the distance. Seeing the stars in the sky that look like you can reach out and touch them. Walking down the street and everyone speaks or waves. Sleeping all night without worrying about what I need to do in the morning.
SMC: How would you rate your social life in Belize as compared to Missouri?
LEE: Well, my social live is much reduced, but activities are limited only by one’s own imagination as there is a ton to do and see. A good thing is that I do not shop as much, but now I do not seem to need as much.
SMS: Can you describe the type of recreation and leisure activities available to you in Belize?
LEE: Belize has everything to offer. Water sports, land sports, the most beautiful landscaping in the world.
SMC: Is there an expat community in your local town?
LEE: Yes, this area, near San Ignacio has a great expat community.
SMC: Speaking of expats, can you relate anything you observed in their general feelings about life in Belize?
LEE: Some people come to Belize with preconceived notions, or want to change the way people do things here in Belize. Those people are sometimes disappointed. Most expats love Belize, and have only good experiences.
SMC: As with anything it is all in the attitude one goes in with. So tell me…what is it you miss most about Missouri?
LEE: My friends stopping by!
SMC: And what is it you don’t miss about Missouri?
LEE: Taxes!
SMC: How have your friends and family from back home reacted to your move to Belize?
LEE: They are still trying to figure out "Where the hell is Belize?"
SMC: Have you travelled around Belize and if so, was that by car or bus?
LEE: Car, I would still like to take a bus trip however.
SMC: From a safety and security standpoint, do you have any apprehensions when travelling around the country, or for that matter being home at night on a big 5 acre property?
LEE: Absolutely none. I feel completely safe here.
SMC: What can you tell us about the general cost of living in Belize - especially as compared to the States?
LEE: There is really no comparison…it is so much lower here in Belize. As a retiree, I can afford to live a very good and comfortable life here in Belize.
SMC: How would you describe the health and medical care available to you in Belize?
LEE: Health care is very affordable here. The health care is also very good. A doctor’s visit is only 20USD. Medicines are 1/2 as much as in the US.
SMC: What advice do you have for others considering a move to Belize?
LEE: Come for a visit….do the try it, you may like it routine, because I’m certain anyone would love it here. It really is a special country, with lots to offer.
SMC: Many baby boomers and new retirees might consider this type of retirement move to be on the extreme adventure level. What are your thoughts on that?
LEE: Why not live each day to its fullest? Unfortunately in many countries retirees can no longer do that. It is a stressful way to live. But, if someone wants a less stressful, more relaxing lifestyle… then Belize is for them. I suppose to some people a move to Belize could be thought of as extreme, but life has been very good here to me and my family here.
SMC: Sounds like all of your initial expectations have been met and that you continue to live here as your permanent home.
LEE: Yes, absolutely, I do plan this to be my permanent home. I had no initial expectations, so mine are being met and more!
SMC: Lee, any final thoughts to share?
LEE: Thank you. I have really enjoyed sharing my story and would urge anyone considering offshore retirement to check out Belize as they will be very impressed with the low cost of living, the affordable housing and the actually community lifestyle.
SMC: Thanks, Lee. I appreciate your time and the sharing of your life here in Belize with me. I wish you continuing success.
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Author: S. Mar Carter is the Editor of Caribbean Property and Lifestyles Magazine and caribpro.com. She has written numerous articles and contributing works on Caribbean tourism, culture, lifestyles, travel, education, work, relocation, retirement and expat living. Prior to her current position, she was a highly successful Caribbean-based consultant and senior-level manager within the international development, tourism/hospitality, resort community/real estate development industries, and was also the regional director for a premier international executive search firm, overseeing all operations for the Caribbean, Mexico and Latin America regions. After twenty-five years of immersed living, working and travelling within the Caribbean, Central America and Mexico she is an acknowledged specialist on Caribbean Expat life, work, relocation and retirement.
Email : S. Mar Carter
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