QRP Retiree Program

Hello patrickr1 and welcome to Expat.com

Hope that some members will be able to help you soon.

Regards
Kenjee
Expat.com Team

Hi Patrick. There is a good bit of information about the QRP at the BTB website--I think that the web address is www.travelbelize.org. This will give you the details of how the program works. In a nutshell, for a sum of $1,000 USD, you can get residence status In Belize. The continuing obligation is that you must deposit $24,000 USD in a Belize bank annually to maintain your QRP status. Probably the biggest benefit of the QRP is the ability to bring a car, plane, boat, and personal belongings to Belize without incurring any duty tax. Another benefit is that you don't have to renew a visitor's visa every 30 days. Good luck.

Very few take advantage of the QRP because it sucks. Panama has the right idea on how this type of thing should work
internationalliving.com/countries/panama/visa/

Kt ferris is mistaken.   Check out the Belizean web site for reliable informaation.    there is a $15,000 limit on value of duty free goods brought into the country.  also I would suggest that you think twice about allowing the Belizean bank system into your finances.   Corruption is the single most influential factor in the Belizean culture today.  at every level & regardless of employment or socioeconomic status.

So who is going to take your money if you have to deposit in a bank. Conspiracy, foil in the hats?

QRP allows 15K US$ in any personal goods PLUS vehicle less than 3 years old or purchased new in Belize duty free Plus light aircraft if qualified pilot of same and a boat. Must deposit 2K US$ monthly in out of country funds. Are allowed to own a business that employs Belizians but not to work for an employer. You have to proove annual income each year. There is a lot of paperwork involved but so long as the rules are kept you can come and go as you please and only have to remain in Belize for one month per year. You do not need to renew your visa monthly. Oh yes the same rules apply for a married couple and you must be over 45. That is it simplified. Some people do not like the paperwork and feel they would fully use the benefit from the allowances, so chose to either go the route of residency or just keep getting the visa done every month. Bank deposits for QRP are usually wire transfers from overseas banks so very difficult to defraud recipient.

Thank You. My wife and I are going to visit for the month of March. We will dive into this subject more with the Expats when we are there. Thanks again. Pat

My husband and I have been planning to move to Belize in one year.  We are thinking about the QRP.  Do they care where the 2,000 a month comes from? They say a retirement or annuity but ours comes from a high rise apartment that we own.  It's been in our family for 40 years and have gotten monthly income from that and will continue to get it.  Also, you need a police record.  Will they let someone with an old unspecified misdemeanor on the QRP? Any and all help would be appreciated.  I'm trying to find a good relocation specialist but no one has so far responded to me.  Thanks!

Have to agree with Pat.  Good program used by many expats living in Belize.   You have to deposit $24k per year into a Belize account,  it doesn't have to stay there.  You can move the money through and out of the account in a matter of a few days and be in compliance.   But, no reason.  I have had a Belize bank account five years and love their service.  Sweet people.  I keep money in Belize and use the Belize bank visa card for everything I do in the U.S..

Best Regards
RC

hello!  The QRP states that 2000 a month needs to be deposited from an annuity or pension. My husband and I get a check monthly from a piece of property his family owns in the states. He's gotten it for 10 years and it's not going anywhere. Do you think they would accept that?

Yes showing them a statement to prove a history of  the monthly deposit that will most  likely suffice.

Thanks!

Hi. The money from the rental property would be considered income. Rental property is a business, last I checked. I too shall be receiving this type of income, with others to boot. Bring information of ownership, or how the payments are distributed.
Hope that helps.

Yes it does! 

We are dealing with the pension or annuity part of the QRP right now and we have been told you must have an income for life. They won't come off the pension or annuity requirement and we even asked if anything else would work and they said no. If anyone else found another way please chime in and let us know what you did.

what is qrp package standfor in regards to Canadians?
planning trip in October this year?
have nice day
art
***

I suggest searching this form for answers to questions that are asked repeatedly by newbees here.

You might also read the forum rules about posting/circumventing personnel contact info. 

There was a time when some would recommend that you hire a local agent to handle your QRP application, particularly if you live outside of Belize. Having done just that and then run into a whole lot of trouble as a result, I would say you should AVOID that practice.

In particular avoid hiring CFM Services (or "Belize Insider") for this purpose or indeed any other. We lost our application fee, almost had our boat confiscated, paid a lot in extra fees and subsequently found out, after a full YEAR of many, MANY difficulties, that our QRP application was never even submitted. They also appear to have altered the content of a letter I sent and then forged my signature and sent that into the Customs department getting me in even more trouble all while encouraging me to just leave Belize and never come back.

It was a disaster and has ruined our plan to live in Belize, at the very least putting us off by over a year and now we are on record as having violated our visas as a result of all of that. That's not a good thing when you are a rule-follower (as my wife and I are) and trying our best, in good faith, to do what they wanted us to do.

so sorry for you
belize nice place  just full bad people not all
good luck hope all works out well for you[Vancouver island bc
Canada.planning trip for October 2019
maybe we can get together?

where do you live?
art
***

We live on our boat and move around to different places. Whether we stay in Belize or not after March-April timeframe depends on a few things that we do not control. I love it here, but the government and the criminals make it difficult to stay. We shall see...

CapnBri wrote:

We live on our boat and move around to different places. Whether we stay in Belize or not after March-April timeframe depends on a few things that we do not control. I love it here, but the government and the criminals make it difficult to stay. We shall see...

I live in Placencia about half the year. Are you referring to the local Village counsel here when you say "government"?

I know some folks with beachfront homes have had beak-ins and needed to improve the security of their homes, and start locking up rather than leaving them unlocked when they were going out for a while. However this is the first time I have heard of boaters having a problem....but then I don't get to Yoli's as much as I used to.  Have you reported the criminal activity to the local police?

I know Chester Williams was appointed as the new Commissioner of Police for Belize effect January 9, 2019 . Knowledgeable locals think this guy can actually get things headed in the right direction. Time will tell.

Hi,

I am trying to figure out if the QRP program is right for me.  So, how do you value your personal effects?  I have furniture that I want to bring, but none of it is new (most more than a decade old).  In Canada, if I tried to sell this stuff, I might get 1 to 2 hundred for the lot.  I also have a fair bit of kitchen stuff that I want to bring.  No idea what it is worth.

With regards to a car, I would prefer to buy in Belize.  Is the import duty taken off what the dealer paid, or what the customer paid?  Does this only work for new cars?  What happens if you buy used?

Thanks for your advice

Does anyone went on the full residency in belize other than the QRP program.?

thx

    Hi,
I am trying to figure out if the QRP program is right for me.  So, how do you value your personal effects?  I have furniture that I want to bring, but none of it is new (most more than a decade old).  In Canada, if I tried to sell this stuff, I might get 1 to 2 hundred for the lot.  I also have a fair bit of kitchen stuff that I want to bring.  No idea what it is worth.
With regards to a car, I would prefer to buy in Belize.  Is the import duty taken off what the dealer paid, or what the customer paid?  Does this only work for new cars?  What happens if you buy used?

Thanks for your advice
   

    -@jacquizzzgill

I'd leave your furniture. Anything made of wood,  you'd need an import permit. You can buy or have beautiful and very reasonable furniture custom made here. 

Pack your kitchen and personal items in bins. Make an inventory sheet for each bin, with garage or second hand prices. Anything new, keep receipts.

In my opinion, if you currently have a reliable vehicle in good mechanical condition, I'd drive it down with your belongings. Get a Belize broker.

Vehicles over 5 years old do not qualify for the QRP duty exemption.

Happy planning!

I have a range I would like to bring with me.  It is a Bosch Induction range that cost me around $5100 Cdn, 5 years ago.  I can't find any used ones for sale and it has been discontinued.  How do I go about valuing this?