Editing Belize

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{{onRoute|Pan American Highway}} {{metadata_country}} [[Category:Country]] {{pricecontrol_country}}

=Visiting {{PAGENAME}}=
Belize is a great English-speaking country to visit, there is lots to see and do, and the border crossings are simple.

=Entering {{PAGENAME}} with a Car or Motorbike=
'''Correct as of: <span style="color:red">January 2015</span>'''

==Required Paperwork== 
{{visa_country}}
* Passport of registered owner (original).
* [[Vehicle registration]] (original).
* [[Drivers license]] of registered owner (original).
No copy of the documents required!

==Process at border==
* The vehicle must be fumigated, which costs <price cost="10" currency="BZD"/>( for a SUV the price is <price cost="11" currency="BZD"/>). Be sure to get a receipt. The fumigation station can be easy to miss. At the Chetumal border crossing from Mexico, the station is a small, tin roof building you see before you get to the immigration buildings. Note that it is on the *new* bridge, which is one of two roads that take you through the border crossing. Google Maps directed this way automatically on 12/30/18.
* The vehicle must be parked on the right on a small gravel lot on the side of the road, and the owner and all occupants of the vehicle gain entry at immigration (''migración''), including a stamp in their Passport. You *need* an exit stamp from the Mexican Banjercito before this point.
* The owner must show the new passport stamp, [[drivers license]] and the original [[vehicle registration]] to customs (''aduana'').
* The owner is issued a temporary import permit for the vehicle which is a stamp in your passport, after inspection of vehicle.
* Owner must pay <price cost="30" currency="BZD"/> Foreign Vehicle Border Processing Fee (trailers, cars, vans, autos). Motorcycles pay <price cost="15" currency="BZD"/>.
* You have to purchase insurance. This is done past the customs checkpoint, at the INSURANCE CORPORATION of Belize, Ltd building. Typical cost for 7 days is <price cost="30" currency="BZD"/>. As of 12/30/18, it cost $12 BZD for 24 hours of insurance to simply drive through to Guatemala.
* GPS coordinates & photos of the Money changers hut, New Mexican Border post, Banjercito & the Belize insurance office can be found [http://myoverlandadventure.com/mexico-belize-border-crossing/ here]

'''NOTE:''' You may encounter pushy locals offering to help you with paperwork to get across the border. They may try to trick you into buying insurance from them for a very high price. See  [[Pan_American_Highway#Helpers|Border Crossing Helpers]] for advice.

'''NOTE:''' If you stayed longer than about 5 months in Mexico you might be denied to enter Belize! They have a new policy to reject tourists that were too long Mexico to avoid VISA runs! Stay calm and try to explain your trip, plans etc. If you have dogs that's a big plus and you will probably enter easier, since people doing VISA runs don't go with dogs.<ref>[http://www.pawsontour.com/iea/DOWNLOADS/Grenzuebergang/grenzuebergang.html Pawsontour Mexico-Belize border crossing problems 2013]</ref>

==Cost of entry==
*<price cost="10" currency="BZD"/> (for SUVs it's <price cost="11" currency="BZD"/>) for fumigation. The fumigation station at Chetumal will also take pesos (<price cost="80" currency="MXN"/>). 

==Permitted length of stay==
30 days, but you can extend for up to 90 days.

==Extension of stay==
Unknown.<br/>
''Describe the process to extend the permitted length of entry for the vehicle, if possible.''

==Storing a vehicle and temporarily leaving the country==

The owner of the vehicle can leave the country ONLY with the vehicle itself.  On his / her passport there will be a stamp that links the passport with the temporary import of the vehicle.
Hence, it is not possible to store the veicle and leave without it.

The only other way is to ask for a vehicle import license, which allows you to import the vehicle legally and naturalize it as belizean.  Within 90 days you are supposed to get local license plates and pay the import duties. Some people do not do it, and continue to use the vehicle without ever paying duty.  Without having the duty paid paperwork you cannot sell the vehicle and transfer the ownership to a new person.

==Exiting with a vehicle==
* As with entering Belize, the car must be parked, and occupants enter the Immigration building.
* Each person must pay an exit tax of <price cost="40.00" currency="BZD" /> per adult, <price cost="18.25" currency="BZD" /> for children. There is no exit fee for kids under 12. This payment must be made in Belize dollars!
* The registered owner presents the temporary import paper to customs.
* The registered owner is stamped out of Belize at immigration.
if you're just transit in one day. You don't have to pay the <price cost="40.00" currency="BZD" /> exit tax.

'''NOTE:''' You may encounter very pushy locals offering to help you with paperwork to get across the border. See  [[Pan_American_Highway#Central_America|Central America Border Crossings]] for advice.

=Driving in {{PAGENAME}}= 
==Recommended books for Overlanding in {{PAGENAME}}==
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==Travel insurance for {{PAGENAME}}==
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==Vehicle insurance requirements==
Insurance is mandatory in Belize, and you will be asked for it by Police

===Cost of insurance===
<price cost="46" currency="BZD" /> for two weeks for a 4x4. <ref>[http://liferemotely.com/trip-shenanigans/belize/143-mexico-to-belize-border-crossing Life Remotely Mexico to Belize Border Crossing]</ref>
<price cost="29" currency="BZD" /> for a suv for one week.
<price cost="84" currency="MXN" /> for a car for 24 hours.

===Where to purchase insurance===
The Insurance Corporation of Belize Ltd has an office about 1/4 mile past the Santa Elena border crossing, its a large white building and hard to miss. If in doubt ask customs point it out for you. They accept VISA/Mastercard.

==Driving license==
Technically an [[International Driving Permit]] is required.  <br />
In reality, showing a license from anywhere in the world seems to be good enough.

==Driving side of road==
Right. <br />
Right hand drive vehicles are permitted without problem.

==Mandatory items in vehicle==
None.

==Roads==
===General Road quality===
Roads in Belize are typically good, though you can expect dirt roads to be impassible mud pits in the rainy season.

===Road signs===
Road signs are common enough, and are generally good enough to rely on.

===Toll roads===
None.

==Bribery in {{PAGENAME}}==
Police bribery is uncommon in Belize, but it might happen. See the [[bribery tips]] page for advice.

==Checkpoints==
Police checkpoints are common in Belize, where the Police primarily want to see your vehicle insurance. You'll be asked to show your Passport, [[Vehicle registration]], [[drivers license]], vehicle insurance and the temporary import permit you were issued at the border.

==Traveling with pets==

According to travelers in 2012, you need: <ref>[http://www.earthcircuit.org/blog/2012/08/19/central-american-borders-and-dogs/ Central American Borders and dogs]</ref>

Entering Belize with dogs is officially pretty difficult and needs some preparation. Travelers in 2013 explained all the steps when traveling from Mexico to Belize: <ref>[http://www.pawsontour.com/iea/reisen-mit-hund/erfahrungen-von-unterwegs/erfahrungen-von-unterwegs.html Traveling with dogs from Canada to Argentina. Experiences and Infos.]</ref><br>

* A Health Certificate for the animal (max. 5 days old!)
* A vaccination record (nothing older than 30days!)
* You need to fill out a [http://pettravelstore.com/products/Pet-Passport-Belize.html Belize Pet Passport form] to save costs! (<price cost="25" currency="BZD" /> instead of <price cost="50" currency="BZD" /> per dog)
<br>
You might not be asked for all these, but you should have them ready.

As of September 2017 we (slowcarfasthouse) contacted the BAHA (www.baha.org.bz)  and received an email with attachments of the procedures and the application.  We visited a veterinarian who wrote a statement of our dogs health, addressing the key points outlined in the procedures.  I filled out the application and submitted the vet statement.  BAHA advises that it can take up to 7 days to process and then the permit will be waiting at the border we intend to cross. Fees are to be paid at at the border.  I have uploaded the attachments to Facebook page "Animal Travelers" file section.

=Gas and Diesel price in {{PAGENAME}}=
'''Last updated: <span style="color:red">Aug 2016'''<br />

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{| class="wikitable" border="1"
|-
! Gasoline Grade
! Price
|-
| Regular
| ?? 
|-
| Super (90)
| <price cost="9.8" currency="BZD" unit="galUS" />
|-
| Premium (95)
| <price cost="10.4" currency="BZD" unit="galUS" />
|-
| Ultra (97)
| ??
|-
| Normal Diesel
| <price cost="1.355" currency="USD" unit="liter" />
|-
| Diesel (low sulfur)
| ??
|-
|}
* Price Information: [http://gasoline-germany.com/international.phtml?land=23 gasoline-germany.com - International Gas / Petrol / Diesel prices - Belize] Last updated 2009

==Gas and Diesel Availability / Frequency==
Gasoline is common.

==Gas and Diesel Quality==
Accepted to be good quality. Sulfur content of diesel is unknown.

=Safety and Security Considerations=
==Driving at night==
Driving at night is probably OK in Belize, though definitely not recommended in big cities like Belize City due to safety considerations. 
* The border with [Guatemala] is known to be particularly full of bandits and people wishing to visit the ruins of Caracol in the area will be given a military escort along the roads.

==Vehicle parking==
* Find a secure parking lot to park in big cities. Price unknown.
* Backpacker's Paradise<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/pages/Backpackers-PARADISE/163577321560 Backpacker's Paradise]</ref> in Sarteneja offers secure parking for <price cost="5" currency="USD" /> per day if you want to go visit the Cayes without your vehicle.

==Special driving considerations==
None.

==Security advisories and information==
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=Camping in {{PAGENAME}}=
Camping is becoming more popular in Belize, and you will almost always find somewhere in the rural areas.  Roadside camping is also OK in smaller places. <br />

==Camping guide books==
The [http://www.amazon.com/Travelers-Guide-Mexican-Camping-Explore/dp/0974947121 Traveler's Guide to Mexican Camping] also contains information on Belize. Information includes detailed maps, GPS co-ordinates, and descriptions of campground facilities.

==Drinking water==
Tap water in Belize is not safe to drink.

=Navigation=
==Paper maps==
Reise Know-How are among the best paper maps. Purchase paper maps before arriving in {{PAGENAME}}
{{paper_maps_country}}
The [http://www.amazon.com/2011-Mexico-Atlas-Carreteras-Spanish/dp/6074031320/ref=sr_1_3?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1321077573&sr=1-3 Mexico Road Atlas] also has maps of Belize. It can be bought at gas stations within Mexico for around <price cost="20" currency="USD" />. It is updated yearly, and is in Spanish.

==GPS Maps of {{PAGENAME}}==
* Open Street Map: Appears to have good coverage.<ref>[http://www.openstreetmap.org/?lat=16.83&lon=-88.76&zoom=7&layers=M OpenStreetMap Belize]</ref>
* Cenrut: Free Open Source GPS map of Central America. Coverage is occasionally better than OSM. <ref>[http://www.cenrut.org/adw/over.htm Cenrut Mapping Project]</ref>
* Garmin: Apparently no map of Belize.
* TomTom: No map of Belize. <ref>[http://uk.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9885/ TomTom Map availability]</ref>

==GPS co-ordinates for camping, propane, gas, repairs, etc. in {{PAGENAME}}==
* [http://ioverlander.com/ iOverlander] is a website and iPhone application designed by Overlanders, for Overlanders. It contains GPS co-ordinates and reviews for camping, hotels, propane, water, mechanics, borders and much more.
*[http://www.pawsontour.com/iea/DOWNLOADS/GPS-Waypoints/gps-waypoints.html Places in Belize - Camping Places & Sights in Belize by Pawsontour]
* [http://liferemotely.com/trip-shenanigans/belize/195-belize-campgrounds-and-hotels Belize Campgrounds and Hotels - Life Remotely] - List of campgrounds and  hostels with photos, GPS co-ordinates, descriptions and amenities from 2012]
*[http://www.dare2go.com/campingCA.html#Belize Camping Sites: Belize] - Detailed list of campsites and propane filling with description, directions and GPS co-ordinates. Some at hotels (lists facilities and price), some roadside and free.
*[http://www.questconnect.org/ca_camping.htm Central America Camping Locations] - List of campsites, with basic directions and GPS co-ordinates. Mostly free sites.
*[http://www.odysseyatlas.com/anita/trip/Belize BELIZE] - A trip through the Belize with gps locations and prices recorded.

=Special Overland Travel interests=
None.

=Vehicle Maintenance=
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==Local Garages==
''Add known good mechanics here.''

=Buy or sell a car or motorbike in {{PAGENAME}}=
'''Buy'''<br/>
Unknown.

'''Sell'''<br/>
Unknown.<br/>

=References=
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<references />

=Helpful External links=
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