AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Talk Belize Travel Renewing Tourist Visa

Snoopysmom,

I don't get why your experience is more valid than mine and that I am giving foolish advice to newcomers. It is posts like yours and others who have had terrible experiences that scare more newcomers (like me) than mine.

I have asked again and again, what is this copy for? No one has an answer. Then you post that I dealt with renegades and extremely foolish officials. Trust me, they were hardly renegades. You have denigrated them and me. Why? When you go in to get a tourist stamp, they give you a piece of paper. Why do you need a copy of this paper? What more does a copy do for you than the original does? I can find no explanation for this. So please explain to me how you had no paper and no copy. Who is the fool here? Further in investigating this a bit further so as not to give false information, you can actually get up to 90 days extension on your first visit, not just the 60 days I got. One must ask what you actually did that your noncompliance led you to more than tongue lashing-deportation talk as in my many many extended trips to San Pedro, I have NEVER been asked to even show my passport or stamp. I have tried to keep this less than bit*chy because Marty likes his arena to be kept friendly, but you really know how to push buttons and call people names (sexual favors is really a stretch) without knowing them at all.

So regulations are varied from time to time at the discretion of the official- a practice that is quite common throughout the world. Perhaps the officer was in a great mood, or perhaps a chuckle made the agent decide to be lenient- and sometimes you may be at the brunt of an "off" day - regardless of the reasons there is no need for folks on this board to take personal digs at one another. You are strangers so you can't really do anything but speculate about the situations surrounding the others personal experience.
Thanks to all of you that are sharing your experiences, lets try to keep on track and be helpful - that is the main purpose of this board.
Emily, don't be late! I suggest you try and renew on Friday because you may find that next mondqay may be declared a day of national mourning since there will be a State funeral for the Father of Belize.

Now that I've slept on it, I do recall renewing a few days early a couple of times. They dated it so that I received 30 days from the expiration date and not 30 days from the date I renewed early.

If that is still the case and it probably is I see no reason not go down early especially if the office may be closed that day. Just ask them the question. They have always been very cordial to me. I did ask for more than 30 days one time and he thought about for a few seconds, I thought he was going to say yes but he said no. There were a lot of people in the office that day and one lady waiting in line was a little mouthy and listening to my every word. I wondered if that was the reason. Technically you can I was told, especially if you own property down there like I do, which I explained to him. I didn't ask again because the process is quite easy and only takes a few minutes.

Good point about Monday -- we will go Friday to be on the safe side.

Thanks!
Emily

I see that Monday has been declared a national day of mourning so government offices will be closed.

Thank you Amanda! Perhaps they will cut us some slack and give us through the 26th of October since we can't wait until Monday to go for the renewal. Time will tell.

Emily

A follow-up:

We went today to renew our tourist visa, and we were NOT asked to make any copies. There was a notice on the immigration desk about making copies down the road at Mailboxes Etc., but no one told us to make one or asked for one, so we didn't. Don't know if this is no longer a requirement or if we just got lucky.

Thanks for all the assistance!

Emily

I think if you talk with 100 people about renewing tourist cards you'll get 100 different stories. It all depends on where you go, whom you talk with, and the phases of the moon. It's the Belize way.

Good manners and a smile work wonders....

How would you know ?