Crossing the border from Mexico to Belize overland at the Chetumal border with our foreign vehicle was seamless. The Mexican side was a brand new border post and very efficient. On the Belize side, both immigration and customs were friendly, they also spoke English.
It took us around 40 minutes to pass through both borders and there were no queues at any point in the process, so I would plan for it to take an hour to an hour and a half, just in case.
Mexico Exit
- Immigration Drive to the new Border immigration booth here, 18.504166, -88.390404 They will stamp your passports. Make sure you have both the Tourist visa card and bank receipt for payment of the same. If you do not have it, they will charge you the tourist visa fee again!
- Temporary Import Permit (TIP) Then go to the Banjercito here 18.503923, -88.390976, to have your temporary import cancelled. Take with you the sticker from the car, the original receipt, passport & your registration document. The lady will come out to take a picture of the vehicles VIN number and will then process your receipt. The money is normally refunded back to your card within three working days.
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Entering Belize
If you need to change your Mexican Peso to Belize Dollars, you can do so here before you arrive at the Belize border 18.487214, -88.399081. They will not change the money on the Belize side of the border.
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- Fumigation Drive towards the border crossing but before reaching it go here 18.488677, -88.398911 to have the car fumigated, it’s a very small hut. Cost BZ$10.
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- Park Head to the main border and pull up before the booth and park here 18.485907, -88.399787
- Immigration Head to the office building opposite. Go to the first desk which is immigration and get your passport stamped. There is no charge for the visa.
- Temporary Import Permit (TIP) Go to customs (which is the desk behind immigration). They will provide you with a 30 day temporary import permit for free, which can be extended up to 90 days. No photocopies were required, just registration certificate and passport. They will want to check your vehicle, VIN, and place a sticker in your window.
- Insurance Drive to the Insurance Corporation of Belize 18.484565,-88.3999842. and purchase your insurance, BZ$46 for two weeks. You are required to place the insurance sticker on the driver’s side of the vehicle.
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Notes
- Carnet is not required to enter Belize with a foreign vehicle
- Insurance is required to drive a foreign vehicle in Belize
- The first ATM’s we came across were in the main square in Corozal town.
- Commercial quantities of alcohol are not allowed (as with all border crossings). Small non-commercial amounts for personal use are fine.
