AmbergrisCaye.com Home
The Department of Nationality and Passports has undergone a few changes in the passport application process, which are in effect as of February this year. We sat down with the Director of that Department who explained the application process.

Contact the Ministry at phone number 828-4554 or 828-4561.



New Passport regulation goes into effect
A new amendment to the process of obtaining a Belizean passport has come into effect after the approval of a Statutory Instrument (SI), which excludes the input of a Justice of the Peace (JP).
The SI mainly focuses on the recommendation section of the application process. The previous system asked applicants to include two recommenders, one from the private sector and another one from the public sector. A JP and a licensed teacher were the most common recommenders, but the new regulation has now removed this item from the application process. According to Director in the Department of Nationality and Passport, Mario Arzu, as of February 2020, applicants can apply for a passport with one recommender only. "The individual does not necessarily have to be a JP or a licensed teacher, just a Belizean National," said Arzu. This change aims to make the application process easier and safer for the Department. The recommender must be a Belizean through birth or descent, possess a valid Belize passport and has known the person at least for one year. The recommender can even be a family member of the applicant.

Passport Application Process Questions & Comments

We recently told our viewers about the changes in the application process for passports. Several of our viewers shared their questions and comments, which we've answered in this follow-up.

© Ambergris Caye Belize Message Board