QRP and Permanent Residency in Belize

Many people who are thinking about moving to Belize see this beautiful, interesting, and quirky country in Central America as a viable retirement location.

Prior to making the move, there are two options which folks need to explore concerning how to go about obtaining legal Immigration status which will allow them to remain in Belize for the long term: the Qualified Retirement Plan, QRP, and Permanent Residency in Belize.

Those who want to move to Belize need to evaluate their personal needs and circumstances in order to decide which of these different modes of establishing legal immigration status in Belize would be most beneficial for them.

In this article, we take a look at the Pros and Cons of both the QRP and Permanent Residency in Belize. In full disclosure, I have been through the Permanent Residency application and approval process, but not the QRP process, so my information regarding QRP comes from official sources in Belize, conversations with QRP members in Belize, and having read hundreds of posts in Belize-related forums.

What is the QRP program in Belize?

First, it is important to note that the the Qualified Retirement Program in Belize is administered by the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) and not the Department of Immigration. This accounts for some of the primary differences between the QRP and Permanent Residency in Belize.

The Belize Tourism Board describes the QRP:

The Qualified Retirement Program (QRP) was created to facilitate eligible persons who have met the income requirements, to permanently live and retire and relax in Belize.
Belize Tourism Board Website

Obviously, BTB seeks to attract retirees with the financial means to support themselves to come and live in Belize. The program thus allows for an easier path to obtaining longer-term legal immigration status in the country, while at the same time, attracting potential investment in real estate, along with the hard currency needed for living expenses, into Belize.

What are the requirements for QRP?

In the Who Qualifies for QRP section of the BTB site, they describe the requirements to apply for QRP:

Who Qualifies?

Any person 40 years or older

Dependents include spouse and children under 18 years

Must be the beneficial recipient of a retirement income of $2K USD monthly or $24K USD annually generated from a source outside of Belize in an approved foreign currency [US Dollar, Pound Sterling, The Euro and Canadian Dollars].

Retirement Income includes:

Pension

Annuity

Social Security Benefits

Investment Account

Inheritance

Reverse Mortgage

Personal Savings

Retirement Contribution Plans

And other means of retirement income

Must be able to provide a written undertaking to deposit the requisite amount in a bank, credit union, or licensed financial institution in Belize

Must pass a security clearance check carried out by the Ministry of National Security in Belize

Must be able to remain in Belize for a minimum of 30 consecutive days annually.

Belize Tourism Board

As we can see, the primary requirements for the Qualified Retirement Program are that one needs to be at least 40 years old and have a legitimate source of retirement income which will allow one to transfer $24,000 USD into Belize each year.

What is Permanent Residency in Belize?

For many people who want to move to Belize, gaining Permanent Residency in the country is a primary goal. There are a number of reasons people seek Residency here, but one of the primary reasons people seek Residency is that once you are granted Residency, you no longer need to go to the Immigration Office each month and pay $200 BZD ($100 USD) for each family member to renew their Tourist Visa. You are granted official Immigration status to remain in the country permanently. One is also permitted to legally work in Belize once they have been granted Permanent Residency.

Permanent Residency in Belize is designed for those who wish to make Belize their home and will be staying in Belize for a long period of time. According to the Belize Ministry of Immigration, one must meet the following criteria in order to apply for Permanent Residency in Belize:

You must have been legally living in Belize for a minimum of one year at the time of submitting your application.

During your year in Belize, you must not have left the country for more than 14 days in total.

You must show documentation that you have been, and will be able to continue to be, financially stable.

You have not been convicted by a competent court in any country of a criminal offence for which you may have been liable to a sentence of imprisonment of twelve months or more and have not received a free pardon in respect of the offence.

Belize Ministry of Immigration

When you first arrive in the country, you will given a 30-day Tourist Visa, and prior to applying for Permanent Residency in Belize, during your one-year waiting period, you must make sure that you have submitted your applications and have applied for the Visitor’s Permit extension every 30 days.

For more information on the somewhat complicated application process for Residency, see the complete breakdown of this process in our article on Permanent Residency in Belize.

What are the Pros and Cons of both the QRP and Permanent Residency in Belize?

Because the QRP and Permanent Residency are administered by two very different entities with very different missions in Belize, the Belize Tourism Board, and the Ministry of Immigration, there are some pretty substantial differences between these two programs. Let’s take a look at the Pros and Cons of each.

Pros and Cons of the Qualified Retirement Program in Belize

As described above, the QRP is administered by the Belize Tourism Board as a program to attract retirees with the means to support themselves to come and live in Belize. Thus, the program is designed to help retirees be able to make the move fairly quickly, without cumbersome regulatory requirements. The program also offers some valuable incentives to attract folks to make the move. Let’s take a look at some of the reasons to enroll in QRP:

Pros of the QRP for retirees moving to Belize

Ease of the QRP Application process: Unlike for Permanent Residency, one can apply, and be accepted, for QRP prior to moving to Belize. This immediately eliminates the need to make monthly visits to Immigration to pay $100 USD, per person, per month, for Visitor’s Visa extensions.
Shorter Timeline to QRP Membership: From the time of application in one’s home country, it often takes between 3-6 months for final approval for QRP, which is much shorter than the two-and-a-half to three years, after having moved to Belize, which can required for one to acquire Permanent Residency.
Duty Exemptions: The government of Belize charges a tariff on almost everything that is shipped into Belize, and the highest tariffs are levied on high-ticket items such as cars and boats. With QRP status, one may ship in both a full container of personal items, as well as a car, boat, or even an aircraft, all duty free.
Ability to Travel: After one is approved for QRP, the requirement is simply that one must stay in Belize for at least 30 consecutive days annually. This is very different from the Permanent Residency requirement that in order to qualify to apply, one may leave the country for no more than 14 days during their first year in Belize.
QRP Card: QRP members are issued a QRP card which acts as identification when traveling, and the QRP card eliminates the need for getting a Tourist Visa stamped in their passport when taking a trip.

Cons of QRP for retirees moving to Belize

No Pathway to Permanent Residency or Citizenship: For the vast majority of folks who will join QRP, they will not earn time accrued in Belize toward Permanent Residency. There is a new investor’s feature to QRP in which if one invests $500,000 USD in a business in Belize, after five years, one could apply for Residency, but this will likely affect only a small number people.
QRP Members Cannot Work or Start a Business: Aside from the investment rule cited above, a QRP member can neither be employed or start a business in Belize, regardless of the length of time they have been in the country.
Annual QRP Card Renewals: Every year, QRP members are asked to renew their QRP cards, and each year, members report that it takes months to receive their new cards, and sometimes they don’t receive them at all! The cards are important because they indicate to Immigration that one is a QRP member so that you don’t get a Tourist Visa stamped in your passport when re-entering the country from a trip abroad. Members often have to write to BTB to get a Travel Letter to present to Immigration if they don’t have their new card, and this can be a hassle at times.
Land Border Exit Fee: Many expats, particularly those who live in northern Belize, travel to Mexico for medical appointments, shopping at big box retailers, a vacation, or even just a day trip. For many years, the Border Management Agency did not charge the $40 USD Exit Fee to QRP members; however, BTB has recently clarified that QRP members must pay the $40 USD Exit Fee each time they leave Belize. For many QRP members, this is not a big deal, but for those who live near the border, this is a new expense.
Mandatory $24,000 USD Annual Transfer into Belize: With the relaxed requirement of needing to spend only 30 consecutive days in Belize to maintain and be able to renew QRP status, many retirees might decide to buy a vacation home and split time between Belize and North America; however, even if one spends significant time away from Belize each year, they still need to transfer the entire $24K USD into the country annually.
QRP is Administered by the BTB: Because QRP is administered by the Tourism Board rather than the Department of Immigration, it is likely subject to more changes in terms than one would find with Permanent Residency. BTB’s mission is to attract tourism to Belize, and QRP status, in some ways, is like being a super tourist. One has the right to live in Belize, renewable each year, but a QRP member does not earn the right to vote in local elections or to become a Permanent Resident with permanent immigration status in the country.

We can see that there are a number of very real benefits of enrolling in the Qualified Retirement Program in Belize, including the fact that one can apply from their home country, with the application approval process being much faster than that of Permanent Residency. Also, the ability to travel back and forth to North America, or into Mexico or other parts of Central America, is important to some people.

QRP seems especially suited for true retirees, those who do not want to work or to start a business in Belize, and also for those who would like to ship a considerable quantity of personal belongings into the country, particularly for those who want to ship in a car and/or a boat. The duty-free status on vehicles and personal belongings provides real savings for QRP members.

Pros and Cons of Attaining Permanent Residency in Belize

To attain Permanent Residency in Belize, unlike for QRP, one applies directly to the Belize Ministry of Immigration. By applying for Permanent Residency, one is indicating that they are ready to move full-time to Belize and are willing to spend a substantial amount of time in the country without leaving in order to be granted Residency status. Some see this requirement as a real sacrifice, but are willing to make it in order to have permanent immigration status in the country and enjoy many of the same rights in Belize as citizens.

Pros of Attaining Permanent Residency in Belize

Ease of Attaining Residency in Belize: While the bureaucracy involved in the Residency application process can be daunting and, at times, seem impossible to navigate, when compared to many other countries, the official legal requirements to obtain Permanent Residency in Belize are much less strenuous than those of many other countries.
Permanent Residents are Permitted to Work in Belize: Once one has acquired Residency status, one may work in nearly any profession, and can also start a business and work for one’s self without needing a Work Permit.
No Required Annual Cash Transfer into Belize: While one is in Belize waiting on their Residency to be approved, unlike QRP, they are not required to transfer a specific amount into the country. Many expats simply use North American credit cards for major purposes, and draw cash from ATMs for other needs. It is a really good idea to look for a bank which rebates all international ATM fees, as these fees are really expensive in Belize.
Residency Offers a Pathway to Belize Citizenship: Unlike QRP, after five years of being a Permanent Resident, one may apply for Belize citizenship. US citizens and Canadians can have dual citizenship. One must have not resided outside of Belize for periods that exceed thirty consecutive days or accumulate to a total of three months in any twelve month period before applying to become a citizen.
Residents may obtain a Social Security Card and Participate in National Health Insurance. Permanent Residents are able to participate in some newer initiatives of the National Health Insurance program in Belize, which allows residents to register at some private clinics and be partially covered under the National Health Insurance program. See our Healthcare in Belize article for more information.
No Land Border Exit Fees: Now that Border Management is charging QRP members $40 USD per person every time they cross the border, this is a difference between QRP and Residents. Many folks who live in Northern Belize cross the border quite often for shopping, medical care, and entertainment in Chetumal, and Residents are still able to cross the border without paying a fee.

Cons of Attaining Permanent Residency in Belize

Tourist Visa Renewals: Unlike for QRP, if one arrives in Belize to begin the Permanent Residency process, they arrive on a Tourist Visa and must go to the nearest Immigration Office each month and pay a fee of $100 USD per person to extend their Visitor’s Permit for an additional 30 days.
One Must Remain in Belize for a Full Year: In order to qualify to apply for Permanent Residency, one needs to live in the country for a year, without leaving the country for more than a total of 14 days.
Immigration Bureaucracy and Residency Application Procedure: One must assemble a fairly substantial amount of information prior to applying for Residency, and even if one has everything on the official list, it is likely that the Immigration Officer will ask for additional documentation on your first try at submitting the application. One important thing to remember is that Immigration Officers who handle Permanent Residency seem to be given a good deal of discretion over what is needed to officially accept an application.
The Waiting Game: Once one’s Permanent Residency application has been officially accepted, and they have completed both the Immigration interview and the interview with the Special Branch of the national police, then one simply waits to either hear about final approval or for requests for additional information. While the waiting game is underway, one still must visit the Immigration Office each month and pay the $100 USD per person fee to extend their Tourist Visa. I would plan to realistically not expect to receive final approval for Permanent Residency until you have been in the country for two-and-a-half to three years. For a detailed look at the Permanent Residency application process and the waiting game, check out our article on Permanent Residency in Belize.

We can see that just like for QRP, there are many benefits of being granted Permanent Residency in Belize, but especially for folks who are considering Belize as a retirement location, you really need to understand the rules and requirements for both QRP and Permanent Residency in Belize so that you can then assess your specific needs to figure out which option would be best for you.

Final Thoughts on QRP and Permanent Residency in Belize

Now that the Belize Tourism Board has lowered the age requirement for QRP to 40, many more folks have become eligible for the program. While QRP provides a faster, easier way to gain long-term legal status in Belize, there are still a number of things to consider before choosing QRP over Permanent Residency.

It is also really important that one understand the requirements for each path to long-term legal immigration status in Belize, and one must particularly think about the long waiting game that one must participate in before being approved for Permanent Residecy.

In my view, the primary benefit of QRP is the ability to bring in a container full of personal belongings, as well as vehicles, a car, boat, or even a plane, to Belize without paying duty on these items. Tariffs are very high in Belize, so this can be a real cost saving.

However, if one has no real need to travel for some considerable time after moving to Belize, and they are not planning to bring a lot of personal belongings into the country, Permanent Residency offers a more stable legal status in Belize, and opens the option to work and even apply for citizenship.