AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums Belize Life Living in Belize Changes in Immigration

There is an article in the BMG on "Chief Executive Officer in the Ministry of Immigration Placed on Administrative Leave"

I'd love to have posted it too, but, I'm not that computer smart. Could someone post it for me, thanks.



I went to Belmopan in January, with my kitty litter bucket, to find out why after we had gone through all their hoops, for over 2 years, we still don't have our residency. One lie after another. Call after call. Told there are "NO Expediters" in Belize by immigration, which is an out right LIE! NOW THIS!!!! I've met Mr. Zungia. My faith in Belize Immigration is, at best, like stepping out on thin ice that you can see the water moving AND it's cracked. There are too many files from floor to ceiling and the employees are far too afraid of Ms. Marin and Mr. Wade, which I for one, completely understand their feelings. To NOW put Mr. Zungia over the Immigration department is like putting Mother Teresa into the middle of the Ebola outbreak and telling her "here you clean up this mess." I wish you all the luck Mr. Zungia. You're going to need it.......

My wife completed everything in Nov 2014. Nothing yet!
Wouldn't it be interesting to find out how many people have completed every detailed step that the Immigration Dept has required only to be placed in an interminable waiting pattern with absolutely no communication.
Remember...these are people who have made a commitment to make Belize their home, and are treated with indifference and/or ignored by our Vaunted Immegration Department.
I would also welcome the opportunity of hearing any of success stories that have occurred within the last year.

So that's 6 months and you're ranting? Pleasantries and communication are up to you not the government. The more pleasant and patient you are then the faster things will go.

If you expect immediate gratification you'll wait forever.

I'm not saying this is your situation but I'm stunned by the number of people that scream about how long it takes to get legal here but if a Belizean was trying to get legal in their country they would be voting for the nearest anti-immigration politician. Do you have any idea how hard it is for a Belizean to get a work visa or residency in the US or Canada? It's nothing compared to a foreigner coming to Belize.

Well said SimonB.

I appreciate your opinion, but after fulfillng the time requirement, obtaining the appropriate documentation, enduring the immigration and police interview.....the only step left is a signature by the authorized individual, why does it take months/years afterward to secure the approval?

While I am empathetic to the challenges of emigrating to ANY country, it seems to me that when the requirements (delineated by that country) have been met, the process should be seamless. If there is an annual quota for Belize residency, then illuminate it and provide the applicants with an estimate of when their application will be approved.

Not difficult.

Keep us posted on how that's working for you. ...

Some lessons are harder when met with much resistance.

Attitude makes a big difference!
That is my observation.

Well, we've lived here long enough and were raised to be courteous and polite to everyone....including public employees. It's only after reading the first post of this thread that raised the question of timing.

It appears though that there are only a couple of us playing the waiting game....and as you know, this island is a marvelous place to do just that.

No rush. No worries.

I may have been a little harsh on the rant side. I spent the last week with an American that wanted everything done right this minute and went into temper tantrums up to and including throwing things when she couldn't get what she wanted. I had to apologize for her disgusting behaviour in the customs department on her behalf as I didn't want them to assume we were in any way associated with her other than doing some labour.

I do feel that everything else I said is quite valid these days.

We finished our paperwork in December 2013. When I was in Mr. Wades office in January, 2015 he told me residency files that were submitted in 2012 were being handle today (1/13/15.) He told me that 2013 wasn't going to be handled until 2016 if he had his way.

As of 1/15 the "waiting game" for residency, passports for Belizeans, visa request, and exit visas were over 75,000 waiting per Mr. Wade. "Waiting" in Mr. Wades opinion is anything over 12 months. Per Immigration, Mr. Wade, and Mr. Zungia "there are no expediters in Belize." Okay, all of us can laugh now. :0

Argh...a definite serenity buster

So - what problem does waiting cause you? If all your paperwork is in order just go about your business. When I bought into QRP there was a big scandal (shocking?) about stolen residency cards. It was two years before my card came through. I simply carried my folder with all my papers, including the letter of acceptance, each time I went in/out of the country.

When my card finally did arrive it plainly states "Temp" and I have to renew it each year. I learned that the Belize Tourism Board initiated and runs the QRP - they did not work with immigration officials whose nose is out of joint and don't honor the card.

POLITICS - GO FIGURE? But - sit back and relax - you are here!

Yep, that's what we've been doing. I just love watching the hamsters here. After watching them with their little check off lists, trying to make heads or tails from them, I couldn't help but smile. The poor employees do what their told to do, then Mr. Wade and Ms. Marin change their little check off list. I came to the conclusion that, it was job security for the little hamsters and the rooster and head hen got to strut their stuff.... Thanks for the input though on how to travel once the paperwork is in their hands. We chose not to go the QRP way. Strictly personal. We have not traveled because Mr. Wade told us, "you leave, you forfeit all you have submitted." So, we have tried to abide by their rules long enough. If they won't allow us to have residency, then so be it. This year we're traveling.....

I think the process took about a yr for me, and I know people, but let it happen on its own without assistance

Yikes, hamsters and roosters ...?

Ya....they're crawling all over each other in that building. Files stacked from floor to ceiling in every nook and cranny. One office is JUST files. A woman, who was on the phone put the caller on hold, walked into the file office, looked around, then walk out. Got back to the phone and told the person "I can't find your file." It was all I could do NOT to break out in laughter. The files are all so colorful too. I just love the little string they use to hold the papers together. It cracked me up, just watching them with the toothpick at the end of the sting to punch a hole in the paper.

Just read another family leaving the island because of the issues here on this link. I wonder how many others of us "Cash Cows" will be leaving and taking our money to another Country?

http://www.akingslife.com/2012/05/negotiating-our-way-out-of-corrupt-belize/

Very interesting read too. The same immigration woman (still can't call her a Lady) doing the same thing as she did to us but, we paid. Not worth the hassle. Yet, again we "gringos" will pay because we're visitors and don't want to make waves. I can't help but wonder,we'll be the "ugly" ones to the locals when we stop spending our time and money on and in their Country?

That article is from 2012.

WOW!!! Thanks for bringing that to my attention....let's me know the exiting has been going on for sometime. Just came back from town and was told our local businesses haven't fared as well this year as last. Not great news for those who came in after 2012 thinking this was "their" paradise now.

There are two sides to every story. Unless you know Sabina King, you have no reference point for this blog post. I knew her very well. None of what she wrote surprises me in the least. As I have always said "you get what you give", and she gave (and probably still does) with the best of them. btw, her husband is a saint.

I don't know the woman who writes the King's Life blog but the female immigration officer in the picture used to work in the office and she was the one who gave me my stamp each month. She was always lovely, kind and did in fact smile a lot at me. I was late once and she gave me the obligatory lecture but was really good about it. I'm sure these people had a horrible time here and were forced to leave but I disagree with what she says about that officer.

"Just read another family leaving the island because of the issues here on this link. I wonder how many others of us "Cash Cows" will be leaving and taking our money to another Country?

http://www.akingslife.com/2012/05/negotiating-our-way-out-of-corrupt-belize/

Very interesting read too. The same immigration woman (still can't call her a Lady) doing the same thing as she did to us but, we paid. Not worth the hassle. Yet, again we "gringos" will pay because we're visitors and don't want to make waves. I can't help but wonder,we'll be the "ugly" ones to the locals when we stop spending our time and money on and in their Country?"


My post said nothing negative regarding Mr. and Mrs. King. I only used their well written post as an example of a gentle family who was treated with little respect from Government employees. I read not just this one post, but, many of their beautiful experiences here on the island and in Belize. I'm sorry they left and hope, others like them, will stay. But, if I offended you by using their experiences, I apologize. I found the post on Facebook.

After working with many of the immigration employees these past years, I understand why many of them become disillusioned in their positions. Pulled from their families, moved over and over again, and the list goes on. Little pay and no respect from their superiors. Subjected to conditions not fit to work in, most of us, would walk away from, but, they don't. They stay. I'm sure she has had good and bad days, like all of us. If I were in her shoes, I wouldn't smile much either, ergo, I can have compassion for her, that's why we paid. If it gives them money to put food on the table, then I gladly pay it, be it in Belize or Mexico.

You took my post the wrong way. I'll come right out and say it...Sabina had (and, again, probably still does) a strong sense of entitlement. She thought she deserved special treatment and often demanded it in a not so pleasant way. Of course her blog doesn't reflect that to the casual reader. It is _her_ blog after all.

I've dealt with immigration in more than one country. I've always found the immigration people in Belize to be some of the better ones. I've never had any problems with them and also understand that they are going through a difficult time, administratively, right now. I'm sure people get frustrated when things don't happen as quickly as they think they should, when mistakes are made and when paperwork goes missing but that happens all over the world. As a UK citizen, trying to get a passport renewed recently has been an absolute nightmare. Try going through the process of getting something as basic as a tourist Visa with a Belizean to the USA and you'll see a truly inhuman and humiliating process. Try being a Belizean trying to get a Green Card. Sure there are corrupt individuals (as there are in governments everywhere) and sure, mistakes can and are made - but I think the overwhelming experience of most people I know is that even though it may take an annoying length of time and even though it's not always perfect, it's pretty awe inspiring that Belize welcomes us all and allows us to live and work here.

SnowWhite5080, when you said you "paid" do you mean you continued to go in for your stamp and pay for it? Or did the immigration officer actually make you pay them also to get the stamp? That was never asked of me.

Re: the officer in the photo, I went in to get my stamp just after she was attacked by two women who came in to the office (to get passports or something - I don't remember) and got angry because they needed to show ID - their word was not enough to identify them as Belizean. Her face was pretty beaten up but she was still friendly and professional. I'm not saying others did not have bad experiences with her, just that I feel lucky that my visits were always so easy and pleasant.