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Entering the country

A valid passport is needed. UK guidance for British citizen passport holders states more than 3 months’ validity after arrival; it warns that some airlines may refuse boarding unless validity exceeds 6 months after arrival. Spain states that validity must cover the stay and extend at least 3 months from entry; Canada states at least 6 months beyond planned departure for a regular Canadian passport. These sources address different audiences and do not establish a universal rule here. Confirm the requirements for your document with Belize Immigration and your carrier. According to Belize Immigration’s table (undated), nationals of Spain and of the other EU countries listed in it, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, Bolivia, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua do not need a visa; nationals of Cuba, Ecuador, Venezuela and the Dominican Republic, among others, do. For some nationalities the table adds that a visa is required if the stay exceeds 30 days (for example Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Costa Rica, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador and Nicaragua), 90 (Argentina, Chile and Brazil) or 180 (United States). Immigration exempts from the visa, for visits of up to 30 days, holders of a valid multiple-entry visa or permanent residence of the United States or Canada, or of a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa. These visa thresholds do not establish the authorised length of stay or replace the entry stamp or permit. UK and Canadian guidance describe visa-free visits of up to 30 days for their respective audiences; this does not guarantee that period for every passport. Belize Immigration directs visitors staying beyond 30 days to an Immigration Office. Its Visitor’s Permit Extension allows an additional 30 days and lists a BZ$200 fee for all nationalities, effective from 1 May 2020. Where a visa becomes required after a defined number of extended days, it must be obtained before the extension is issued. Check the period authorised in your entry stamp or permit. According to Philip Goldson International Airport, Immigration requires on arrival through that airport a valid passport, a return ticket to the country of origin (non-residents), a visa where applicable, at least US$60 per day of stay and an address or hotel booking. Canada notes that officials may ask for a return or onward ticket and sufficient funds. When passing through the international airport you must complete an immigration and customs declaration form (United Kingdom). Sources differ on the format: Canada says it must be done online (iDeclare) before travelling, to enter and to exit; the United Kingdom, that paper is still accepted during the transition to the digital system and that the authorities recommend completing it online before travelling. Belize Immigration invites travellers to complete it online to save time. The rule for land borders and ports was not read. According to UK entry guidance for British citizen passport holders, children aged 17 and under travelling alone or with an adult who is not their parent must carry a notarised letter proving parental responsibility or consent from a parent or guardian, and those travelling with one parent, a notarised letter of consent from the other parent. On 10 May 2016, Belize’s FIU explained that the cash declaration threshold on entry or exit had been raised from BZ$10,000 to BZ$20,000 and that declarations are made to Customs at the entry or departure point. The airport states that amounts over US$10,000 must be declared; Spain still cites BZ$10,000. The consolidated legal text and treatment of the exact threshold amount have not been confirmed here: check current Customs instructions before travelling. When leaving through the land borders or the ports, anyone who is not a citizen or permanent resident of Belize pays, according to the Border Management Agency, a BZ$30 departure fee, a BZ$2.50 border development fee and a BZ$7.50 PACT fee (BZ$40 in total); the United Kingdom gives BZ$40 or US$20 at the border. When leaving by air, the international airport lists a US$53.50 passenger service fee and a US$20 PACT fee, which according to the United Kingdom are usually included in the airfare. Spain gives a different figure for leaving by sea (US$7), which does not match the agency’s.

Money

The currency is the Belize dollar (BZ$). Since 1 June 2023 the Central Bank of Belize has fixed the buying rate of the US dollar at BZ$2.00 to US$1.00; its exchange-rate table also publishes selling rates. Spain notes that the rate is pegged to the US dollar. Canada (15 June 2026) warns that card and ATM fraud occurs frequently, particularly in tourist destinations. It advises covering the keypad when entering a PIN, avoiding suspicious card readers and using ATMs in well-lit public areas or inside banks or businesses.

Health and emergencies

The CDC (section updated on 23 April 2025) states that yellow fever vaccination is not an entry requirement; TravelHealthPro states that there are no certificate requirements under the International Health Regulations. A 2014 Belize Ministry of Health circular hosted by Tropic Air sets out a different requirement, whose continued applicability has not been confirmed. If your itinerary includes countries with yellow fever risk, confirm the applicable requirement with Belize’s health authority before travelling. There is a risk of dengue, Zika and chikungunya (Canada, United Kingdom, Spain): protect yourself against mosquitoes. WHO certified Belize malaria-free in June 2023 after indigenous transmission was interrupted; this does not guarantee zero individual risk. TravelHealthPro states there is no risk, while the CDC page retains a warning about some areas. Consult a travel health professional about your itinerary. Medical care is limited and serious cases are usually evacuated to the US at the patient’s expense (United Kingdom); Spain and the United Kingdom recommend insurance covering medical care and evacuation or repatriation. Emergencies: 911 (Belize Police Department); 922 for anonymous reports. The United Kingdom also lists 90 for ambulance, fire and police.

Safety

The United Kingdom (June 2026) notes that Belize has one of the highest per capita murder rates in the world and that gang violence is concentrated in Belize City, particularly south of the Haulover Creek (Southside); tourists are not normally the targets, but anyone nearby could be affected. It warns of theft from tourists in San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia and San Ignacio, and of armed criminals in remote forested areas near the border with Guatemala, which are patrolled by the Defence Force, with no reported incidents involving tourists. Canada (15 June 2026) advises a high degree of caution throughout Belize due to high levels of violent crime and to avoid non-essential travel to Southside Belize City, south of the Haulover Creek, due to gang and drug-related violence. It notes higher crime in border areas such as Melchor de Mencos and Chetumal, and near the Caracol ruins, close to the border with Guatemala. Spain (update of 19 May 2026) recommends travelling with extreme caution and avoiding certain areas: the adjacency zone with Guatemala and the border crossings with Mexico, because of organised crime; and strongly advises against using the Flores–Belize road at night.

Getting around

This guide does not calculate road routes or travel times and offers no arrival points. The Border Management Agency identifies four entry points it manages: Northern Border in Santa Elena (Corozal); Western Border in Benque Viejo del Carmen (Cayo); San Pedro in Ambergris Caye; and Punta Gorda in Toledo. This is the agency’s list, not an inventory of every entry point in the country. Its FAQ, with no visible date, lists 24 hours for the northern and western land borders and 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. daily for San Pedro and Punta Gorda. Current hours are unconfirmed and secondary sources give different times. Check the applicable hours before travelling; these are not boat schedules. If you cross a land border, Canada advises using only official crossings, allowing for delays and not travelling after dark. The United Kingdom recommends taking only registered taxis, with green licence plates, asking the fare before getting in and expecting to pay in cash. Flights: Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport, 10 miles from downtown Belize City, publishes the airlines and routes flying to Belize from the United States, Canada, Panama, Guatemala, Honduras and Cancún, and warns that the schedule can change. Domestic flights leave from that airport and from Belize City Municipal Airport, which is for domestic flights only; Tropic Air and Maya Island Air (the latter according to its website, last updated in February 2023) fly to San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Corozal, Dangriga, Placencia and Punta Gorda, among other places (Tropic Air closes its Punta Gorda station on 1 November 2026), and Tropic Air says it only requires a valid photo ID on its domestic flights. The United Kingdom advises allowing extra time for possible disruption to domestic flights after new security measures at the municipal airstrips. Water taxis: San Pedro Belize Express and Caribbean Sprinter link Belize City, Caye Caulker and San Pedro, according to the operators. Buses: no official timetable was read; check times and fares with each company before travelling.

Entry requirements change. Always confirm them on the official immigration website. Belize Immigration (Ministry of Immigration, Governance & Labour)