Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES:  While you are traveling in Belize, you are subject to its laws.  Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from our own.  Persons violating Belizean laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned.  Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Belize are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines.  If you break local laws in Belize, your U.S. passport will not help you avoid arrest or prosecution. 

There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States.  You can be prosecuted in the United States for engaging in sexual conduct with children or for using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country regardless of the legality of these activities under that country’s laws.  Counterfeit and pirated goods are illegal in the United States and if you purchase them in a foreign country, you may be breaking local law as well. 

Arrest notifications in host country: 

While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in that country, others may not.  To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:  Visitors entering Belize must make a customs declaration of any currency or financial instruments exceeding a total value of 5,000 USD.

U.S. citizens should consider hiring legal counsel before entering into business ventures or other commercial arrangements.  There have been recent cases where investors have disputed commercial agreements with the Government of Belize through formal commercial dispute resolution procedures and the cases are not yet resolved.  There have been several cases of fraud involving land title in recent years that affected U.S. citizens in Belize.  The Embassy cannot intervene to settle business disputes, though local business and trade associations, including the American Chamber of Commerce and Belize Chamber of Commerce, as well as government offices, may be able to provide information regarding Belize commercial requirements, validity of businesses, and reputable vendors and business agents.  More information about investing in Belize is available in the Business Section of the U.S. Embassy, Belmopan website.

LESBIAN GAY BISEXUAL or TRANSGENDER (LGBT) RIGHTS:  The current criminal code states that “carnal intercourse” with any person “against the order of nature” shall receive a punishment of 10 years’ imprisonment.  This law is interpreted as including only sex between men, but the law is rarely enforced.  Additionally, the Immigration Act prohibits “homosexual” persons from entering the country, but immigration authorities have not enforced that law and the law is currently facing a challenge before the Caribbean Court of Justice.  In May 2013, the Government of Belize released its Revised National Gender Policy 2013 (RNGP), shortly after the closing arguments before the Supreme Court on a constitutional challenge to the “anti-sodomy” element of the Belize Criminal Code.  The Court has not yet issued its decision.  The RNGP was the first document that was endorsed by the Government of Belize cabinet to include sexual orientation as a protected status.  This has generated some opposition and protest by socially conservative groups. 

The tourist friendly San Pedro Town, Ambergris Caye, remains relatively open and welcoming to the LGBT community.  Outside of the tourist friendly Cayes, LGBT persons, especially males, are reluctant to display affection in public (including holding hands) because incidents of verbal or physical assault have been reported.  There continues to be a significant hostile sentiment towards individuals who identify themselves as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered.  LGBT issues are frequently highlighted in the press and can spur passionate discussions at community forums or public protests, and there have been some instances of violence reported against LGBT individuals, and LGBT groups have reported that the police at times refused to accept reports of crime from LGBT persons.

For more detailed information about LGBT rights in Belize, you may review the State Department’s Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2014..  For further information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Belize, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from in the United States.  The law does not expressly prohibit discrimination against persons with physical, sensory, intellectual, and mental disabilities in employment, education, air or other transportation, access to health care, or the provision of other state services.  The law does not provide for accessibility to persons with disabilities and most public and private buildings and transportation are not accessible.