Belize Work Where You Vacation Program

Work Where You Vacation is Belize's program for remote workers employed outside the country. It allows a stay of up to 180 days, and the Belize Tourism Board says work permits are waived for participants (Travel Belize).

• Income: $75,000 a year for an individual or $100,000 a year for a couple or family
• Fee: BZD 500 per adult and BZD 200 per child under 18, paid on arrival
• Stay: up to 180 days
• Travel insurance: at least $50,000 in coverage

The program is described on the tourism board's site; the Immigration Department, which decides applications, has no program page of its own. Longer-term options are in the Belize country guide.

Applicants must (Travel Belize):

• Show proof of employment outside Belize, with annual income of at least $75,000 a year for an individual or $100,000 a year for a couple or family
• Provide a notarized bank reference and statement of account
• Supply a clear criminal record no more than six months old
• Hold a valid passport
• Carry travel insurance with at least $50,000 in coverage

The official page sets no nationality limit. Older third-party articles said the program was limited to a few nationalities; the current page does not.

Family: Yes. Children under 18 can enroll in Belize schools, and the student permit is waived for them.

The documents follow the eligibility list (Travel Belize):

• Proof of employment outside Belize and of the income level
• A notarized bank reference and a statement of account
• A criminal record no more than six months old
• A valid passport
• Travel insurance covering at least $50,000

The official page does not cover translations, apostilles or minimum passport validity. Applicants should confirm these with the Immigration Department before filing.

• Adult: BZD 500 each
• Child under 18: BZD 200 each

The fee is paid on arrival at the airport after approval (Travel Belize). The Belize dollar is pegged at BZ$2 to US$1 (Central Bank of Belize).

Travel insurance, notarization and police records are extra and vary by country.

Online with the Belize Immigration Department before travel (visas@immigration.gov.bz); fee paid at the airport on arrival. (Travel Belize)

1. Apply online with the Immigration Department
2. Wait for approval
3. Travel to Belize with the documents
4. Pay the program fee at the airport

The Immigration Department lists phone numbers (+501) 822-3860 and (+501) 822-0284. No processing time is published, and the department's "Long Stay Permit" menu link was returning an error in October 2026, so email is the more reliable contact.

The program allows a stay of up to 180 days (Travel Belize).

Renewal: Not stated: the official page gives a maximum of 180 days and no renewal or extension route.

Residence: None stated: the program is a stay of up to 180 days and the official page describes no residence route.

Anyone hoping to stay longer should ask the Immigration Department before the stay ends. Belize's permanent residence route needs a year of legal residence with no more than 14 days abroad (Immigration Department).

The program page says nothing about tax, and Belize has no special regime for program holders.

Belize treats a person as tax resident after 183 days in Belize in a basis year (Belize tax residency sheet). A single stay of up to 180 days falls short of that, but other visits in the same year count too.

Remote workers stay liable to tax where they live and work, so they should check their home country's rules and any treaty with Belize.