What you need to enter Belize with an American passport

Authorisation system

Visa exemption up to 30 days, extendable

All travellers, including those in transit through Philip Goldson airport, complete an immigration and customs form, and the authorities recommend the digital version before travelling. To stay longer than granted, apply for an extension (Visitor's Permit Extension) at an immigration office, which is stamped in the passport and costs 200 Belize dollars for every 30 days, up to a maximum of six months; beyond that, immigration may ask you to justify the stay or switch to another type of visa. EU citizens need no visa for tourist stays of up to 30 days.

Required documents

• Passport valid for the whole stay and for at least three months from entry; some airlines refuse boarding with less than six. ID cards, driving licences and birth certificates are not accepted, except for cruise passengers.
• Return ticket or other means guaranteeing departure, hotel booking and sufficient funds. Airlines often check these at check-in too.
• Immigration and customs form, preferably digital and completed before travel.
• Under-18s travelling alone, with an adult who is not their parent or with only one parent: a notarised letter of consent from the other parent or guardian.

Transit rules

Leaving by land or sea towards Guatemala or Mexico, a departure tax of 40 Belize dollars or 20 US dollars is paid at the border. By air, the departure tax is 73.50 US dollars and is usually included in the ticket. The adjacency zone with Guatemala and the border crossings with Mexico are dangerous because of criminal activity.