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#416687 09/20/11 03:35 PM
Joined: Oct 2010
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Our first 30 days in Belize is just about up, and we were wondering when we should renew our tourist Visa. We arrived here on August 27. Should we shoot for Monday the 26th or is it safer to go on the 23rd? Or play it dangerously and wait til the 27th? grin We're in San Pedro, if that makes any difference.

Thanks!
Emily


Former Belize expat traveling the USA & Mexico
http://travelingtwosome.weebly.com
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Any of those days are fine...you can live on the edge and wait until the last day in your passport. No reason that can't renew on that day.

Welcome to Belize, BelizeBound.

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Be sure and check the expiration date on the Belize stamp in your passport. Depending on how many days in the month, sometimes it's less than 30 days.

Joined: Jun 2008
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You didn't ask but I'll walk you thru it in case you are not sure. Immigration is on the second floor across the street from the airport. First you go into the immigration office and present your passports. The immigration officer will look them over insert a piece of paper into them and give them back to you. You then have to leave the immigration office take a right and go down to the Treasury or collections office? It is about 25' away on the same floor, a few doors down. Present your passports and his piece of paper to them along with the fee required. $50bz/passport for the first 6 months. They will then give you a receipt which you must then go across the street to Mail Box USA and get a copy. Of course you can get the copy where ever you like but that is close by and what I used. If you don't get the receipt expect a rebuke from immigration for not doing what they asked. I suppose if he is really in a bad move he will not renew until you get the copy.

I'm not telling you to do this but I have been in the office when someone showed up after the expired date. They were asked why they let it expire and received a tongue lashing. Then where told not to let it happen again plus their next 30 days where from the expired date. They were not put in handcuffs so it wasn't the end of the world. I think their excuse was that they were visiting over on the mainland someplace and didn't get a chance. They where at least a week overdue. I always waited till the last day and didn't have a problem but.....

Good Luck and welcome to Belize.

PS Even in February I received 30 days into March.

Last edited by ragman; 09/20/11 06:13 PM. Reason: PS

Jim
Formerly from somewhere on a beach in Belize
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I had heard so many horror stories about renewing that I had decided to just be an illegal alien and pay my fees when I left the country. I joked with several friends about this and they said "just go pay your fees." I checked the message board and got all my directions. Then I set off for town in time to be there right when they returned from lunch. I was first in line. I went in listened carefully, got the piece of paper, went to pay the fees next door, then went back. When I got back in there I remembered about the copy. I asked about the copy and the two officers looked at each other and sort of laughed. I asked if I had done something wrong and I so appreciated their help because I had heard horror stories about renewals. Then they did laugh. Evidently, there are some hoops that "nasty" people may go through that others don't. One being the "copy." They told me that I didn't need a copy that it was not necessary. I thanked them and jokingly said, you guys have been so great is there any chance that I can get 60 days and they said, no problem. So not only did I not have to return in 30 days, I also did not have to have a "copy." So if you are told you need a copy, you may have to ask yourself, are you one of those "ugly Americans." I was in and out in under five minutes. Very good experience compared to some I have heard reported. That said, my best friend is definitely NOT an ugly American and while she did not have to get a copy, she never wants to stay in Belize more than the 30 days because of her nightmare experience getting a renewal. I just returned to the states six days ago, so this is not old advice.

Good luck.

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The reason for the copy is in case of a dispute over the passport stamp and log book, which is what happened to me. Luckily I had the receipt. But sounds like you were a cute American / Brit / Canuck/ Other?, so no shirt no shoes no problem (cash and sexual favors are helpful as well, I understand).

So, good for you for pulling off a 60 day stay for the price of 30 and and shame on them for allowing frown

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wow..Snoopy's Mom got her nose bent.....

Joined: Oct 2010
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Great information, all! We will check our passports, and now that you mention it, I believe they did say September 26, so Monday would be the day to go.

Thanks much!
Emily

Last edited by BeBelize; 09/20/11 09:51 PM. Reason: corrected date

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Ha ha. This is so funny. I hardly think that the San Pedranos who know me as an obese, 60 year old, graying, wrinkled female would think of sexual favors as their first response to me having a good experience with the immigration office. And I am sorry if I misled you, I didn't get 60 days for the price of 30, I paid for two stamps at once, not just one. But I got a receipt, so I think that would have helped me out if their was a mistake between the logbook and the passport. Where would they be checking for this piece of paper/copy. I mean when you blow out of the country there is no one spending enough time to check for this that I can see.

Okay going to look in the mirror again to see if I am a "cute American/Brit/Canuck/other?" In fact, some people on AC think that the parade on 9-10 was to celebrate me leaving the country, so I guess I am still me.

Janice

Joined: Jul 2008
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Regardless of what is reflecting back at you in the mirror (and what the parade was about), I hardly think yours was the best advice for newcomers to the process.

The guys you dealt with were renegades and extremely foolish. It is simply not worth the risk of non-compliance (and we are not talking tongue lashing -deportation would not be a fun introductory experience to Belize).

I am very happy for you that you had a positive experience, but as an "Ugly American" (ok, SPD, that one got me!), being a badly dressed, good tipper is not helping me.


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