Belizean Immigration have recently been giving unwary and tired travelers a one day visa. Please examine your visa in your passport to check that you are granted enough time in the country to enjoy your holiday.

This latest scam is to give tired tourists a one day visa and then catch them for cash when they leave for being a visa overstay. A guest caught this and we went to Immigration the next morning and they wanted $50 to extend his visa.

I've seen them do this before - usually to Guatemalans, Hondurans and Salvadorans.

Is there anything else we can think of to discourage tourism in Belize?

They have crooked and corrupt government officials in Belize too?

Wouldn't it be quite a simple matter to prove what day we actually arrived . . .that is, those of us that fly in to the International airport? And therefore, the error was theirs?

Did you say that "you were consumed with Elbert" ?

Pardon me, Ernie? I don't getcha.

Did this happen at a Border crossing or at the International Sirport?

This is definitely a matter for the Minister of Tourism. It does seem that they want to make sure no one comes back. Most countries ask how long you will be in the country and stamp your passport accordingly. Looks like a cheap grab for money for sure.

I find it very hard to believe it is a deliberate "cheap grab for money for sure". 1) How could the Belizean gov't institute such a policy and impart that to their employees? 2) If it is random employees scamming the system, how do they ensure that they end up with the money in their own pockets?