NATIONALITY

Citizenship
To acquire citizenship, applicants should have permanent residence and/or be a resident for a minimum of five years in accordance with the Belizean Nationality Act of 1981; there is also a provision for the registration of minor children along with the applicant.

Applications for Permanent Residence or Citizenship are to be accompanied by: Evidence proving you are in Belize for 1 year prior to application (passport pages/refugee card)

Immigration Fee

• Police record of applicant and family member over 16 years

• Documentary evidence that applicant has acquired land in Belize or has access to land

• Certificate of Health including HIV and VDRL tests for applicant and family members

• Three recent passport size pictures of applicant and family members

• Wife's/Husband's Birth Certificate

• Marriage Certificate

• Sworn declaration of support (from husband or common-law husband)

• Recent Local Bank Statement or otherwise where means of financial support is not indicated

• Temporary Employment Permit if applicant wishes to engage in gainful employment

• Income Tax Statement

If applicant is including his wife and children, their passports must also be checked for the one year legal status; otherwise they can be included in the applicants file when they qualify.

If children are included, their birth certificates must be submitted.

Replacement of Permanent Residence

1. Declaration from the applicant stating what happened. This declaration is stamped by the Immigration Officer and given a three month waiting period to return. (Declaration must state as much information as possible, application number, permit number, date issued etc.)

2. When the three months are up, applicant must bring in the declaration form, along with a police report

3. Two recent pictures

4. Copy of applicant passport

5. Payment of $50.00

6. Period of six weeks to be given for them to check back

Belizen Nationality

Belizean Nationality can be obtained through
a) Descent
b) Marriage
c) Registration

Acceptance of Nationality Application - Section 10

1. Application must be properly filled out. Applicant must sign application form on page 1 and page 3, a justice of the peace must sign on page 3 also and place his seal. The name, date of birth, place of birth and complete address of the applicant must be clear. On page 4 the referees who should be Belizeans by birth must write in their names, complete address and number of years they know the applicant and sign the application form.

2. All pages of the passport must be requested (please note that applicant tend to say that they do not have), birth certificate/cedula of the applicant. Original must be seen and copy certified correct by the officer receiving documents.

3. Three recent passport photographs of the applicant must be requested.

4. Police record of the applicant must be received and he/she must sign it. Please note that these are only valid for six months therefore you must check the date on the Police Record to make sure it hasn?t expired. Most Police Records also state passport numberr therefore if a person claims they don?t have one it can be verified.

5. Medical Certificate must be properly filled out. The applicant must also sign the certificate and the medical officer must sign the front and back of the certificate and place his seal. HIV/VDRL Lab result must be attached to the certificate from a Laboratory in the country of Belize. Most laboratories have a seal also. Medical reports are valid for six months only.

6. Proof of five years residence in the country. If applicant has permanent residence card, the date of arrival is checked to see if five years have passed, along with their passports to check date of arrival on passport and also to check that the person has not left the country for a long period of time. If a person has refugee status the PRF No. is checked to see if the applicant has ld this status for five years. The PRF No. will have the year first issued and the date the card should be renewed is the month and date. These cards are valid only for a year; therefore they should be renewed yearly. If applicant has an expired refugee card they must first renew them. Applicants can also prove the five years residence only with copies of their passports, as they can be receiving work permits/students permits/dependents permits etc. Five years can also be proven with birth certificates of Belizean children along with letters of employers and social security payment records, if they are consistent. School records if they have attended primary/ secondary schools here in Belize.

7. Under the Nationality Act Section 12(4) if the applicant parents have received Nationality and they are now 18 years of age they can apply once they were minors at the time of their parents receiving Nationality. They must present the Nationality Certificate of the parent and the birth certificate of the applicant, which clearly states the parents? name. Enclosure 1-5, 8 and 9 (if necessary) must be presented.

8. Identification of both referees is needed for each applicant. The signature on application form and signature on passport/ voters? ID can be crosschecked. Referees must be Belizeans by birth.

9. Renunciation forms need to be filled by all Guatemalans applying for Nationality.

10. Marriage Certificate needs to be submitted for all married women. Only marriage certificates issued by the General Registry in Belize should be accepted. For applicants married outside of Belize, their marriage certificates should be authenticated by their respective Embassies.

11. Applicants should be given a receipt stating all documents submitted and retained by the Department. A file number should also be given to the receipt issued stating clearly if it is for Nationality (BNA F#12345 e.g.) or Permanent Residence (PR F#12345 e.g.)

12. Official Documents are rendered invalid if they contain any erasures/ alternatives/superimpositions.

a. If applicant is including his/her spouse they should submit from number 2 to number 7, along with the marriage certificate

b.If applicant es including children en the applicattion he/she should submit the following for the children:

• Birth certificates of all children
• Three recent photographs of each child
• Medical certificate including HIV/VDRL results
• Passport copy
• School records

Please note that you can ask applicants as much questions regarding his application when he/she is submitting it. If you find out any discrepancies you must inform us immediately. Questions that could be asked are:

• How long have you been living in the country?
• What is your address?
• How long have you been living at this address?
• Are you working? Where? For how long?
• Have you attended any school institute in the country?

Acceptance Of Nationality Application - Section 11 (Form G)

13. Application must be properly filled out. Applicant must sign application form on page 1 and page 3, a Justice of the peace must sign on page 3 also and place his seal. The name, date of birth, place of birth and complete address of the applicant must be clear. On page 4 the referees who should be Belizeans by birth must write in their names, complete address and number of years they know the applicant and sign the application form.

14. All pages of the passport must be requested (please note that the applicant tend to say that they do not have a passport when they do have), birth certificate/ cedula of the applicant. Original must be seen and copy certified correct by the officer receiving documents.

15. Three recent passport photograph of the applicant must be required.

16. Police record of the applicant must be received and he/she must sign it.

Please note that these are only valid for six months therefore you must check the date on the Police record to make sure it hasn?t expired. Most Police Records also states passport number therefore if a person claims they don?t have one it can be verified with that.

17. Medical Certificate must be filled out. The applicant must also sign the certificate and the medical officer must sign the front and back of the certificate and place his seal. HIV/VDRL Lab result must be attached to the Certificate from a Laboratory in the country of Belize. Most laboratories have a seal also. Medical reports are valid for six months only.

18. Proof of one-year residence in the country. Marriage certificate dated one year prior to date of application. Nationality document of Belizean spouse (birth certificate, nationality certificate, Belize Passport). Only marriage certificates issued by the General Registry Office in Belize City must be accepted and marriage certificates authenticated by the respective embassies.

19. Identification of both referees is needed for each application. The signature on the application form and signature on passport / voters? ID can be crosschecked. Referees must be Belizean by birth.

20. Successful completion of Citizen Test.

21. Renunciation forms must be filled by all Guatemalans applying for Nationality.

Replacements of Nationality Certificates

• Declaration from the applicant stating what happened to his Nationality Certificate. (Declaration must state certificate number/ date issue/ date when the person applied etc. to be able to locate records quick.)
• Police Record
• Two recent pictures
• Copy of applicants birth certificate/ passport/cedula
• Payment of $100.00 if received under registration process
• Payment of $40.00 if received thru descent
• Period of six weeks time to be given for them to check back

Guide for Citizenship by Descent Application
The Belizean Nationality Act 1981 and its subsequent Amendment Act No.15 of 1985 govern citizenship by Descent. Citizenship by Descent has both pre-independent and post independent provisions and these can be located in Sections 4 and 5 of the Act.

Pre-independence
Parents: (Section 4(3)): Any child born outside of Belize before 21st September 1981 of elizean Parentage (either father or mother) may claim citizenship under Section 4(3) of the Belize Nationality Act 1981.

Grandparents: (SECTION 4(4)): Any child born outside of Belize before 21st September 1981 and either his father or mother?s parents was Belizean at the time of his birth, may claim Citizenship through the Belizean grandparent under Section 4(4).

Husband: (SECTION 4(5): Any non- Belizean woman who was married before 21st September 1981 to a Belizean man may claim through her husband under Section 4(5).

Post Independence
Parents: (SECTION 5(2): Any child born on or after 21st September 1981 outside of Belize of Belizean Parentage (either father or mother) may claim citizenship through their parent under Section 5(2).

Procedure
1. Applications for Citizenship by descent must be made in the prescribed form by the applicant or in the case of minors (under 18) by their parents (Section 27(2)). Counter clerks are to ensure that the appropriate form is complete and submitted on file.
2. Original and copies of the relevant documents certified by the competent authorities must accompany all applications. These should be submitted together with copies, which the Immigration and Nationality Department will retain for records.
3. Documents which are not in English, our Official Language, and/ or not easily read understood should be translated and bear the name, address and occupation of the translator.
4. Some documents may require authentication by the relevant Embassy/ Consulate in Belize if there is any doubt as to their authenticity.
5. All birth certificates of applicants should carry the names of both the applicant and the Belizean through whom Nationality is being claimed. School records and official documents establishing differing names may be required. Unresolved discrepancies may result in non-approval of application or re-routing under Section 6.
6. Declarations on any matter requiring clarification may be required to accompany applications. These are invalid without the required $1.50 stamps.
7. Payments should be made and receipt issued prior to approval only in straight forward cases (where all is in order).
8. A Renunciation of Guatemala Citizenship and must bar the required Justice of the Peace signature and $1.50 stamps. Parents may complete this form on behalf of minors. Guatemalan applicants are also required to make a declaration regarding the possession of a Guatemalan passport.
9. Properly completed applications will be processed and certificate available for delivery upon payment of a processing fee of forty dollars ($40.00) within eight weeks.
10. Applicants should be given a receipt for any original documents submitted and retained by the Department.
11. Official documents are rendered valid if they contain

Erasures/Alterations/Superimpositions
Forms used by the Nationality Section

N1 - Any adult applicant applying for descent except Guatemalans
N2 - Guatemalan Adult
N3 - Any minor child applying for descent except Guatemalans(Belizean parent must sign on their behalf)
N4 - Guatemalan minors (Belizean parent to sign on their behalf)
Section 10 Form - Any adult applying for Nationality through living here in the country for five years, or children of registered Belizeans who want to apply on their own.
Section 11 Form - Any adult applying for Nationality through marriage.