Hey there! Name is Kevin.
I'm moving to BELIZE in October of this year. I am a young entrepreunerer...successful here in the United States, married, but looking for another life to live, with my wife. I am also bringing my sister and her fiancee. We will be starting a Technology/Security Firm. Our branches will be broad and cover nearly everything under that umbrella.

I have a few questions if yall do not mind answering for me...I intend on bringing wonderful varieties of service to your country, and I get along with everyone. So hopefully i'm welcomed and not bothering! Anyway... I have a list, but on top of the list, I would like to ask location...Where is the cheapest location to live? Looking to rent a 5-6 bed house or so...was hoping to rent reasonably cheap (1000-1500 range). This will allow me a year to attain residency etc...
Will anyone mind if i post my other questions here as well ....or should i make a new thread?
mostly they are customs related.

Take a look at the classifieds on San Pedro Daily and the San Pedro Sun.

http://sanpedrodaily.com/classifieds.html
http://sanpedrosun.net

I do not think San Pedro is the cheapest location to live?

By far the most expensive. I can't see any way you will get a 5 or 6 bedroom on SP for $1000-$1500 a month.

I am not trying to be funny, but why would 4 people want a 5-6 bedroom house, do you not like each other?

We're ok with living away from the city, in fact, we would like a peaceful place as long as it's still able to receive electric/city water...


The reason we want a larger house, My wife and I have been married for a few years and have been living alone. We have 3 small dogs. We are used to having our own things. We also plan on having MANY visitors spread throughout the year...So guest beds are necessary. We plan to start our business out of our home, should permits allow...do not mind traveling a little to the city, etc. We have a large SUV...as mentioned...so i did not want to offend anyone by driving it regularly through the city as we work from house to house, etc..



The two people going with us are much younger, this will be their first out of parent household. we would like enough space for them to grow, us to remain grown and everyone to still get along I find it rather a smart move!

I do not think you are going to get a permit for the big SUV on AC either!

What about all the SUVs here now? They have permits.

I'm just wondering if you've been to Belize to see if what you want to do is even viable. That SUV is going to cost you a chunk of change in duties as well.

40% or so importation stamp duty on suv's. That is on the blue book value not on how much you may say you have paid for the vehicle.

Seems you haven't been here. You MUST visit to see for yourself what this place is about, before you make any committment.

Mrs. Syme,
You know better than most that innocents who pay such calculated duty get laughed at behind their backs. Or so?

some do run scams but then some do get caught...and thats very painful!

Actually, We aren't going to A.C. But mainland...so I figured that it would be a bit easier to bring the SUV. I'm prepared to pay up to 90% duties and more taxing on the SUV. I have been doing my research and planning. One of my questions was actually if anyone knew anyway to get around the duties etc...if we were going to use this vehicle as the work vehicle...

lol. Do you mean Scams as in to get the vehicle into the country? I'm not trying to scam the country, I want to do things the right way, I was just wondering if you use it for business you know, maybe they allow a little bye or something.

"One of my questions was actually if anyone knew anyway to get around the duties etc."

Perfect attitude, you'll do well.

Seems not so long ago that some wine was being helped into the country and the owners of the wine lost a considerable sum of money. How much risk do you want to take? Bet your house or business to save a couple dollars. Seems pretty stupid to me. Not a good way to come to a country, rip it off by not paying duties.

Are you guys all implying that I'm trying to not pay duties the wrong way? lol.

I think i'm being misunderstood here...I mean, If I'm planning on using the vehicle as a work truck, is there a way to fill out a form or something for such.

by "get around the duties" i meant legally...haha.

SUV/vehicle/work truck/?
I guess the duty will be different when finally the automobile is just a pick-up truck. But as usual, I probably shouldn't have commented in the first place.

well, It's a surburban... So I guess SUV/truck?

If you're wanting to keep the truck in the country, you're going to have to pay duties. The only way to avoid duties is to take your truck out of the country and then bring it back in every couple months. The customs officers will eventually wise up to your game though. You already mentioned you were prepared to pay more than 90% duties on the vehicle, so paying 50% is a steal.

Google the Belize forums too. That is a message board with more of a slant to mainland Belize.

Clearly your question is around if the duty you pay will be less by declaring your Suburban as a work vehicle. You have never in any way insinuated or asked how to bring it in without paying any duty (i.e. cheating). You've made that clear from the beginning. As any logical person, you just wanted to know if there are different percentages of duty assessed for different types of vehicle usage. I believe the duty is the same no matter what the declaration of use, but I don't know that 100%.

http://www.customs.gov.bz/duty02.html#1
http://www.belizenorth.com/importing_vehicles.htm

There are companies that do have tax exempt work vehicles but they are NGO's, major investors etc. Trucks and buses that seat ten and over if I recall is ten percent duty. Look into the Ladyville/Boom area on the mainland if you want to be close to Belize City.

What about people that stay past the 30 days (with vehicle) and pay month to month fines for a year?

Can your vehicle remain with you for the whole year? As long as you take it with you when you leave after a year? Or are they going to hit you up for some bucks each monthly extension or when you exit with vehicle?

Anyone experience this?

I think your best bet is to call the Customs office and ask them. Most people on this message board live on the island and drive golf carts or they live in North America....so we're not the best people to ask about importing vehicles. Sorry.

If you ship an auto on a container ship, customs will charge you duty on the shipping also. In my experience it is cheaper to drive it down through Mexico, or to buy a vehicle once you get here.

You can only keep a vehicle in Belize for 90 days. After that you must pay the duty or take it out of Belize.

Yea I would drive down. Thanks for the info ccc. I like info from as many sources as possible. Really starting to lean toward selling property and taking cash. Esp. if going to an island where a vehicle is maybe not worth the effort due to alt transp.

the original poster still never mentioned if he's ever even been to belize's mainland, particularly the "cheapest areas to live" - seen what he's talking about. just curious.