Ambergris Caye  is a port of entry for Belize and entry protocol is usually easy.

Once your vessel is secured, you must contact Customs and Immigration; their office is located downtown San Pedro, opposite the airport above Scotia Bank.  If you entered Belize from a different  port of entry, please provide Customs/Immigration Offices in San Pedro with copies of your documents (you should have 2 copies), to include your exit paperwork from previous port, ship's documents, a "Crew list" of all passengers and crew, including passports and a Belize Immigration entry form (you can pick this up at Immigration office). US, Canadian & UK visitors do not need Visa's for entry. All other nationailities should check to see if they need Visa's.  Typical fee for for Customs & Immigration service is Bz$50.

Note, Customs & Immigration are open normal business hours Mon-Fri and are closed Weekends and Public Holidays. During these times arrangements should be made at least 48hrs IN ADVANCE, to have Customs and Immigration open for you.  There will be an extra charge for this.

You must also check in with the Health and Quarantine Dept.

There is a Departure tax when leaving Belize by boat, which curiously is substantially less than when departing by air (US$35  as of Jan. 2010)!  It is currently set at Bz$7.50 per person when departing by boat!! If you are arriving and departing within 48hrs you can very often check in and out at the same time to avoid two trips to Cutoms & Immigration.

Boaters coming into Belize will initially be given an immigration permit for 30 days and boat permit from customs for the same 30 days. They may even get an extension for another 30 days at a cost of BZ$50 and again the same extension from customs at no cost. Anything beyond  90 days may require an additional permit from port authority..

Note, there are very few Customs registrictions as long as items on the boat are for boat consumption and are not brought ashore. The one exception is GUNS. Declare all guns, which will then be surrendered until the vessel is due to leave the country.

Immigration office - San Pedro: (501) 226-3341

For more information visit www.travelbelize.org