Residence or work permit to ship our household goods to Belize?

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CaribeGal Serial expat

Member since 13 December 2010

CaribeGalSerial expat15 June 2011 01:50:05

266

I just read something on an international shipping website that has me concerned. My husband and I are building a condo on Ambergris Caye and are planning to ship several boxes of household goods (tools, cookware, books, recreational equipment, etc.) down from the US. We are buying all our furniture and a lot of additional household items in Belize through a furniture package offered with our condo.

This site says the following are required for customs clearance:

1. Passport
2. Residence Permit or Work Permit is required for non-nationals
3. Inventory

This is the first we have heard/read of needing any type of residence permit or work permit to ship goods into the country. We will not be able to apply for permanent residency until we have lived in Belize for one year; does that mean we have to do without our household goods (i.e., buy everything new in Belize) until that point? I can't imagine this is the case, nor have I seen anything to this effect on any other website.

This information was found here:
morganshipping.com/Shipping-to-Belize.html - Shipping to Belize

Help!

Harmonie ViP

Member since 13 June 2011

HarmonieViP15 June 2011 05:17:05

19273

Hello CaribeGal,

I hope other members will be able to advise you.

I suggest you also to contact our partner in Luggage shipping to Belize,

Good luck!
Harmonie.

Wealthships Serial expat

Member since 30 October 2010

WealthshipsSerial expat15 June 2011 13:55:19

282

Per the Belize customs website, it is clear non-residents can ship household items to Belize. You will just have to pay the standard duties. Here's the site:

http://www.customs.gov.bz/personal_household.html

Now you can take a deep breath, and tell that site to update their mis-information, lol! In fact, I'd be weary of using a company that doesn't even know the regulations of the country they're shipping to. Just my opinion.

Sharon Hiebing

CaribeGal Serial expat

Member since 13 December 2010

CaribeGalSerial expat16 June 2011 00:26:07

266

Thanks Sharon!

We figured as much, and my husband did more research and now thinks this site is geared more towards Belizean nationals. In any event, we definitely won't be using them.

I appreciate the reply!

Emily

nhu2 Member

Member since 07 August 2011

nhu2Member08 August 2011 00:07:54

Has anyone used the Belize Shipping Company.. they say that they will deliver to your address and deal with custom?

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