AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life Living in Belize Opening a bank account in San Pedro

Mean? yeah maybe a little. True and poignant? Yup. How many people have you seen consisntently leave this island because they havent done their due diligence.

And many stay, roll with the punches and find they are living a great adventure. We too came down 28 yrs. ago as "greenhorns". Learned by our mistakes, gleaned advise and tips from many of the locals and expats. And you know, don't think we would have missed the experience for the world. Just come with an open mind, a good sense of humor and you may just be here for 28yrs. too. Don't be in a rush to furnish your condo on the first trip, sometimes the things you aquire over time will be the things you love the most and will make your home uniquely yours. Best, Judy

I just tell the customs people what I have with me and show them the receipts. They usually charge me about 20% duty of most household stuff. Its not worth the getting caught. Its a small amount of money and the country can use your small amount of money. If your bringing in lots of stuff then you need a customs broker who knows what things cost duty wise.

The comment from wasntme was just plain stupid and a waste of time.

4woats. lol with you not at you. You got your first of many experiences to come of getting roughed up, and toughening up. One step further down the road, so it wasn't a waste of time. Welcome. Been here a couple of years now and the best advice I heard from one expat to another (from someone who has now left ironically!?!?!?) "You have got to really want to live here to stay here".

Well said Amanda....

I don't have receipts for most household goods lying around. How do you handle that?

Thanks...this thread has been very helpful!

Most everyone doesn't have receipts for everything. When they give you the customs declaration on the Air plane just give an estimate. I usually don't itemize any more but if I had an expensive item I would. When it is miscellaneous household items that is just what I write down with an estimate. I don't offer the receipts unless they ask and I don't think they ever have.

One time on a real expensive kitchen knife set the customs guy lowered the amount that I told him I paid for it. You figure. Relax and don't be too outrageous with your declaration.

Thank you all for your wonderful helpful comments. I have all the receipts and plan on declaring the small amount of things that we are bringing.
We are all set with the banking as well.
Any suggestions on things to do while on the island. We will have our 14 and 17 year old with us.
Hope we have good weather.

4woats

It was almost 10 years ago when we opened our bank account here, what was hard to understand was the request for two letters of reference from our old hometown and Bank references. We got the Sheriff to write us a letter and my employer...all good. We got a letter from our Bank with account start dates..average balance etc. not at all what they wanted so our account application stalled. We had to go back to our bank and have them write a letter that went something like this...Mr and Mrs Cooper are very nice people, we enjoy doing business with them, they are honest and good....crazy as it sounds thats what the bank wanted...this was Atlantic Bank we are still with them and Happy Customers.....