On the timing side it's never taken me more than 6 weeks to obtain a self-employed work permit and as little as 3 and I never used a broker. Your residency application can take a very long time, mine took 13 months. I've been told, and I have to find out if it's true, that citizenship can be applied for after 5 years of living in Belize, not necessarily 5 years after obtaining your residency.