
Family activities include snorkelling as well as tours to the mainland to view the Mayan ruins and go cave tubing and zip-lining. San Pedro is located on the island of Ambergris Caye, and it offers gyms, yoga, and wine bars where the expats gather to relax and enjoy the island life. Each of these areas has different things to offer as far as activities and events. Those who wish to keep a tighter budget head to Corozal on the mainland, which is known for having a lower cost of living. They are, however, a bit more expensive than other areas as a result. San Pedro, Placencia, and San Ignacio are the cities with the largest expat locations and are known for being among the safest areas for families. Moving Your Family To The Safest Areas In Belize Here’s a podcast from The Expat Money Show with Mikkel Thorup, where Mikkel talks to Sam McRoberts about travelling the world with his family. Some of the most popular ones for expat families are as follows: Belize High School in Belize City, Caye Caulker Ocean Academy, QSI International School of Belize in Belmopan, and San Pedro High School on Ambergris Caye. While the international school options are a bit pricier, they offer a standard of excellence that can’t be beaten. Different languages are typically taught, and you can usually find schools teaching their classes in any of the following languages: English, French, Spanish, German, or Japanese. These schools teach curriculums based on those of the U.S., UK, France, Canada, or Australia/New Zealand. These schools provide an option for those who are worried about a tough transition from their country of origin, but who also don’t wish to be homeschooled. You’ll find that in Belize, the children are required to wear uniforms, so those and books will also be charged to parents.īecause of an influx of demand from expatriate immigrants in Belize, the country is offering more international schools as well. Most schools are tied to a religion, and the Catholic schools have been noted by many expats as being particularly good. Primary school is free, but secondary school (high school) costs about $400 USD per year. The Belizean school system is based on British curriculums. In order to move the whole family, each dependent will need to supply the Belizean Immigration Office with application forms, police records, passport copies, birth certificates, marriage certificates, and proof of income. Other perks include tax exemption on income and duty-free importation of personal belongings. Ī popular option if you are over the age of 45 is the Qualified Retirement Program, in which individuals over 45 can bring their dependents over with them and everyone can get residency.

This will allow for another month’s stay and will need to be renewed each month during the time you’re applying for permanent residency. You can spend up to one month there before needing to apply for a visa renewal for $25 USD.


While we can’t possibly answer every single question you might have, we can help with some of the basics.įortunately, if you are coming from North America, you will not need a tourist visa to get into the country. If you’re seeking information on whether or not a relocation abroad would be a good idea, you’re probably seeing plenty of information out there that’s geared toward retirees.īut, what about those who are still raising families? Some common questions you might have would include asking where are the best schools? How does the visa process work when you are bringing over a whole family? Which are the safest areas for the kids to explore and make friends?

Moving Your Family To Belize: What You Need To Knowīelize is quickly becoming a popular expat destination, thanks to the promise of a higher quality of life for a lower cost of living.
