Destination · Belize
Belize: an English-speaking base on the Caribbean coast
A retirement programme with defined income rules and tax exemptions on foreign income, plus an ordinary route to permanent residence for people who settle.
Overview
Why people look at Belize
Belize sits on the Caribbean coast of Central America, with English as its official language and short flights to several US cities. For retirees and people with income from abroad, it offers two distinct routes to live there legally.
The Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) is for people aged 40 or older with qualifying income from outside Belize. Under the programme, that foreign income is exempt from Belizean tax. Separately, anyone who has lived in Belize lawfully for a year can apply for permanent residence.
We select the route that fits, prepare the application with the relevant professionals in Belize, and coordinate the move with your companies, bank accounts and other structures, which do not have to sit in Belize.
At a glance
Belize in six lines
| Tax system | Under the QRP, qualifying residents are exempt from tax and duties on income from outside Belize, and from capital gains and inheritance tax. Outside the programme, we review how your income would be treated. |
|---|---|
| Residency routes | The Qualified Retirement Program, or ordinary permanent residence after a year of lawful residence in Belize. |
| Citizenship | Naturalization is a separate process with its own residence and other requirements. We map it for your situation if a passport is part of the goal. |
| Where companies, banks and trusts sit | Wherever they serve the plan. Your residence in Belize can be combined with companies, accounts or trusts in other jurisdictions. |
| Good fit for | Retirees and people aged 40+ with steady foreign income who want an English-speaking country close to North America. |
| Watch out for | The QRP and ordinary residence have different conditions and benefits. Picking one closes off some options, so compare before you file. |
General information, not legal or tax advice. Immigration and tax rules, amounts and processing times change; we confirm the current requirements for your specific case during your Global Strategy.
Programme thresholds
What each route asks for
As checked September 2026. Figures come from the official sources linked in each line.
| Qualified Retirement Program |
|
|---|---|
| Permanent residence | At least one year of lawful residence in Belize at the time of applying, with no more than 14 days outside the country in total during that year. Source: Belize Immigration Department. |
| Typical documents | Identity and civil-status documents, police certificates, a medical certificate and financial evidence, with the bank-deposit undertaking for the QRP. |
Government fees, deposits and professional fees are separate costs. We set them out for your case.
Done for you
How we handle your Belize residency application
You make the decisions. We coordinate the immigration and legal professionals in each country and follow every step, so the paperwork never becomes your job.
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Eligibility
We confirm whether this route fits your income, assets, family and nationality, and compare it with the alternatives before you commit.
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Documents
We give you the exact document list for your case and coordinate certificates, apostilles, translations and local filings.
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Application
Immigration professionals in the country prepare and file the application, and we follow it through each stage with you.
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Follow-through
We plan what comes next: renewals, the move to permanent status, your tax residency and, where it applies, the path to citizenship.
Related
Plan the whole move, not just the permit
- All destinations Compare Belize with the rest of Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Residency acquisition How we coordinate residency applications from eligibility to permit.
- Tax residency vs residence permit Why holding a permit does not by itself make you a tax resident.
- Asset protection Where your companies and trusts sit while you live in Belize.
Does Belize tax my foreign income?
Under the Qualified Retirement Program, income from outside Belize is exempt from Belizean tax and duties, as are capital gains and inheritance tax. Outside the programme, treatment depends on the type of income and where it is earned, and a foreign payment alone does not make income foreign-source. We review it case by case.
Do I have to live in Belize full time under the QRP?
No. The programme asks for at least 30 consecutive days in Belize each year. Ordinary permanent residence is different: it requires a year in the country with very limited absences before you apply.
Will moving to Belize end my taxes at home?
Your residence abroad and your tax position at home are separate questions. US citizens remain taxable in the United States wherever they live; see leaving the United States. Canadians who leave need to plan for departure tax and the end of Canadian residency; see leaving Canada.
Can my company and bank account stay outside Belize?
Yes. Where you live, where your company is registered and where you bank do not have to be the same country. We plan them together so the pieces fit.
Your next step
Considering Belize?
The Global Strategy compares the Belize routes with the alternatives, and plans your tax residency and structure before you move.