Friday, June 20, 2025

Amnesty Qualifying Criteria Extended

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The qualifying criteria for Belize’s Amnesty Program, which aims to regularize the status of undocumented migrants, has been extended. Initially, the program only applied to individuals who had been residing in Belize up to 2016. The updated criteria now include individuals who can provide documentation showing they have lived in the country since December 31, 2019.
According to the Government of Belize (GOB), this extension broadens the eligibility pool for the ongoing initiative, which is designed to assist long-term undocumented residents in obtaining legal status. The Amnesty Program, launched in August 2022 and closed in February 2023, was created to address the immigration status of approximately 60,000 migrants residing in the country.
Under the original guidelines from the Ministry of Immigration, registered asylum seekers automatically qualified for residency. Additionally, irregular immigrants who had continuously lived in Belize for five or more years were eligible.
However, as of November 2023, only 12,765 applications had been received, representing citizens from 32 countries. In response to the lower-than-expected participation, the government expanded the residency qualification to include those who have lived in Belize through the end of 2019, providing them another opportunity to apply for legal status.
The program primarily targets CARICOM (Caribbean Community) and Central American migrants. Eligible individuals seeking more information can contact the program via WhatsApp at 610-3674 or visit their nearest immigration office.
The GOB reported an approximately $3 million BZD investment in the Amnesty Program. While it fell short of reaching half of the estimated undocumented migrant population, the initiative has still been considered a success in helping thousands move toward legal residency.
To qualify for Belize’s Amnesty Program, individuals must meet at least one of several criteria. Eligible applicants include those who registered as asylum seekers with the Department of Refugees on or before March 31, 2020; individuals who have continuously resided in Belize before December 31, 2016; or those who have at least one child born in Belize on or before December 31, 2021. Additionally, persons who have completed primary, secondary, or tertiary education in Belize, are married to a Belizean citizen for at least one year or have been in a common-law union with a Belizean citizen for at least five years may also qualify. Other qualifying groups include individuals referred by the Department of Human Services, such as minors, adolescents, and victims of human trafficking, and those who have maintained gainful employment in Belize for a minimum of five years.

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