Belize Border Crossing
5/24/09
From Chetumal, the Belize border is just a few miles drive. Many people cross this border to shop in the “Free Zone”, which provides goods tax-free to Mexican citizens. These cars and pedestrians pass through the border without really stopping as the customs/immigration for Belize lies beyond and to the west of the Free Zone.
If you are crossing into Belize with a vehicle there are a few simple steps you must take. On the Mexican side just before the big Aduano (Customs) sign, stop at the small immigration booth on the right to get your passport stamped and visa canceled. Next pass under the Customs banner and go to the parking lot on the left to access the Banjercito office. You will need to provide the original blue vehicle permit and the sticker from your windshield to the Banjercito officer. They will cancel the vehicle permit and give you back any deposit you have made. Make sure you get a copy of the canceled permit, especially if you plan to return to Mexico.
From the Banjercito office, stay right and cross over the bridge into Belize. The Free Zone is on the left and the road to immigrations and customs is on the right. Just before the fork, there is a yellow Atlantic Insurance booth on the right. We found them to be helpful and reasonably priced, but we didn’t have much of a choice as the official insurance office is not open on Sundays. After obtaining insurance (at about $1 a day), head to the fumigation booth. For us, they simply sprayed the underside and tires of the van and charged us $5 for the certificate. No one ever asked us to see this certificate, but we were told this was necessary to enter Belize. After the fumigation booth, you will see immigrations and customs. Park in the international arrivals lot on the left and head inside the large building in front. The first desk inside the office will process your passport and give you a thirty day visa stamp. The second desk will process the vehicle permit, again for 30 days. Belize only grants visas and permits for 30 days, but they are supposedly easy to extend at any immigration office, which are located in all the major towns. You will need the vehicle title to obtain your permit. The officer will then instruct you to drive the car to the customs overpass where they will check your vehicle semi-thoroughly before allowing you into Belize.
Our border crossing was easy and painless border only took 45 minutes. Most of the other cars were simply heading to the Free Zone, so there were no lines or waiting. There will most likely be someone trying to help you across the border, for a suggested “tip” of $20. While it is a simple border crossing, it can be helpful for someone to point out where to go, plus it is sometimes difficult to say no. However, remember that it is your choice. Perhaps a good tactic would be to say you have already crossed the border so you don’t need help, if in fact you don’t want help. There will also be porters in yellow shirts asking you for luggage when you park at immigrations and customs. All of our belongings were packed away in the van so we just said we had no luggage, but if you have loose bags you will likely need to hand them over for a baggage check.
After leaving customs and immigrations, bear left to get onto the main road in Belize. In a few miles you will enter Corozal Town, which is a small village on Corozal Bay. After checking out the many available hotels in town, we booked a week at the Hotel Maya located just out of the main town across from the bay yet within walking distance to everything. The Hotel Maya has everything from single rooms to one and two bedroom apartments which are all very reasonably priced. We chose an upstairs room facing the bay adjacent to a lovely patio overlooking the park strip which gets all the nice breezes from the bay.
View of Corozal Bay from Hotel Maya
From Chetumal, the Belize border is just a few miles drive. Many people cross this border to shop in the “Free Zone”, which provides goods tax-free to Mexican citizens. These cars and pedestrians pass through the border without really stopping as the customs/immigration for Belize lies beyond and to the west of the Free Zone.
If you are crossing into Belize with a vehicle there are a few simple steps you must take. On the Mexican side just before the big Aduano (Customs) sign, stop at the small immigration booth on the right to get your passport stamped and visa canceled. Next pass under the Customs banner and go to the parking lot on the left to access the Banjercito office. You will need to provide the original blue vehicle permit and the sticker from your windshield to the Banjercito officer. They will cancel the vehicle permit and give you back any deposit you have made. Make sure you get a copy of the canceled permit, especially if you plan to return to Mexico.
From the Banjercito office, stay right and cross over the bridge into Belize. The Free Zone is on the left and the road to immigrations and customs is on the right. Just before the fork, there is a yellow Atlantic Insurance booth on the right. We found them to be helpful and reasonably priced, but we didn’t have much of a choice as the official insurance office is not open on Sundays. After obtaining insurance (at about $1 a day), head to the fumigation booth. For us, they simply sprayed the underside and tires of the van and charged us $5 for the certificate. No one ever asked us to see this certificate, but we were told this was necessary to enter Belize. After the fumigation booth, you will see immigrations and customs. Park in the international arrivals lot on the left and head inside the large building in front. The first desk inside the office will process your passport and give you a thirty day visa stamp. The second desk will process the vehicle permit, again for 30 days. Belize only grants visas and permits for 30 days, but they are supposedly easy to extend at any immigration office, which are located in all the major towns. You will need the vehicle title to obtain your permit. The officer will then instruct you to drive the car to the customs overpass where they will check your vehicle semi-thoroughly before allowing you into Belize.
Our border crossing was easy and painless border only took 45 minutes. Most of the other cars were simply heading to the Free Zone, so there were no lines or waiting. There will most likely be someone trying to help you across the border, for a suggested “tip” of $20. While it is a simple border crossing, it can be helpful for someone to point out where to go, plus it is sometimes difficult to say no. However, remember that it is your choice. Perhaps a good tactic would be to say you have already crossed the border so you don’t need help, if in fact you don’t want help. There will also be porters in yellow shirts asking you for luggage when you park at immigrations and customs. All of our belongings were packed away in the van so we just said we had no luggage, but if you have loose bags you will likely need to hand them over for a baggage check.
After leaving customs and immigrations, bear left to get onto the main road in Belize. In a few miles you will enter Corozal Town, which is a small village on Corozal Bay. After checking out the many available hotels in town, we booked a week at the Hotel Maya located just out of the main town across from the bay yet within walking distance to everything. The Hotel Maya has everything from single rooms to one and two bedroom apartments which are all very reasonably priced. We chose an upstairs room facing the bay adjacent to a lovely patio overlooking the park strip which gets all the nice breezes from the bay.
View of Corozal Bay from Hotel Maya
Wow! You are actually in Belize! That is so awesome. Somehow you feel even farther away
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