Belize
Regulations on entry, stay, residence, and treatment access for people living with HIV
The categories of restriction are:
- Restrictions on long-term stays which in most cases is defined as over 90 days.
The types of restriction are:
- HIV testing/disclosure required for residence.
- Ban on residence.
Restrictions on entry to Belize
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on entry to Belize based on HIV status.
The US Department of State reports that there are no HIV entry restrictions for visitors to Belize.
Restrictions on short-term stay in Belize
We found no evidence of any official restrictions on short-term stay in Belize based on HIV status.
The Ministry of Immigration provides a list of supporting documents that should be included with applications for a temporary work permit and a student permit and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
Restrictions on long-term stay in Belize
We are aware of some official restrictions on long-term stay of people living with HIV in Belize.
According to UNAIDS, Belize requires HIV testing for residency permit (longer than 90 days).
The Ministry of Immigration provides a list of supporting documents that should be included with the applications for a long stay (up to 6 months) permit, and none of those documents makes reference to HIV or the general health of the applicant.
However, the same website includes information for permanent residency and citizen status applicants, and these require medical certificates including HIV tests.
Anecdotal information shared by a user supports the information that we have on these restrictions in Belize. See the case studies section below.
Treatment access in Belize
The following summarises available information on access to healthcare for people living with HIV in Belize. There is no evidence that non-nationals are restricted from accessing treatment in the same way as nationals.
According to IOM, migrants, regardless of status, have access to primary healthcare. It quotes a publication from the United Nations Human Rights Council Working Group (2018), which states that the Ministry of Health in Belize provides equal access to health services to all without discrimination. For example, there is no distinction between service provision for seasonal migrant workers in the Banana Belt area and service provision for permanent citizens of the community.
Case Studies
11 November 2024:
I have been to Belize a number of times. For stays for more than three months, people need to present a negative HIV-test result. The same applies if a person wants to establish residency.
Sources
The HIV Justice Network's Global HIV Criminalisation Database
There is no known HIV criminalisation in Belize. We are not aware of any HIV-specific criminal laws in force, and there have been no reported prosecutions for alleged HIV ‘exposure’, non-disclosure, and/or transmission under general criminal laws.
Visit the Belize page on the Global HIV Criminalisation Database to see more information about known HIV criminalisation laws in this country, an overview of how the laws are used, and any significant advocacy developments.
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