Amnesty Program Will Be Ready for August

Eamon Courtenay

In December, the Government of Belize announced that it would conduct an amnesty program for foreigners who have been living in Belize and want to officially make the Jewel their permanent home. The program will look at registered asylum seekers and irregular migrants who have children born in Belize prior to 2020, or who have, themselves, been living and working here, have completed their primary or secondary studies in Belize, or are married to a Belizean. But there’s been a delay in starting the program and today the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Senator Eamon Courtenay explained that there were some delays with the supply chains but that by the start of August, the program should be up and running. But importantly, foreigners who do get approved for amnesty will not be granted citizenship, nor will they be allowed to vote in elections until after they become Belizeans several years later, Courtenay advised.

Eamon Courtenay, Minister of Foreign Affairs

“We’re not granting citizenship and secondly, people will not be allowed to vote in elections until and if they become Belizeans. I think many people were wondering whether this was some sort of a gimmick to try to get people on the electoral roll and that can’t happen for a minimum of five years. Secondly, and I think this is important, if the estimates by the government and international organizations is anywhere near accurate, between forty to sixty thousand people. If that amount of people apply, this will be a net income earner for government, based on the fees that have to be paid. So it is quite likely that we will end up without any loss to government.”