BELIZE IMMIGRATION ACT CHAPTER 156 REVISED EDITION …

1 BELIZEIMMIGRATION ACTCHAPTER 156 REVISED EDITION 2000 SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000 This is a REVISED EDITION of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissionerunder the authority of the Law Revision Act, CHAPTER 3 of the Laws of BELIZE , REVISED EDITION 1980 - EDITION contains a consolidation of the following laws-PageARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS3 IMMIGRATION ACT6 Amendments in force as at 31st December, ACTCHAPTER 156 REVISED EDITION 2000 SHOWING THE LAW AS AT 31ST DECEMBER, 2000 This is a REVISED EDITION of the law, prepared by the Law Revision Commissionerunder the authority of the Law Revision Act, CHAPTER 3 of the Laws of BELIZE , REVISED EDITION 1980 - EDITION contains a consolidation of the following laws-PageARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS3 IMMIGRATION ACT6 Amendments in force as at 31st December, SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZEREVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,No.

2 1 Power Lane,Belmopan, by the authority ofthe Government of [CAP. 156[]3 CHAPTER 156 IMMIGRATIONARRANGEMENT OF powers of IMMIGRATION of prohibited of expenses incurred in respect of prohibited are not prohibited for permanent of of temporary transit 156]THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZEREVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,No. 1 Power Lane,Belmopan, by the authority ofthe Government of [] s employment s s may be and restrictions relating to permits and of immigrants on entering to furnish particulars and list of persons on board his of entry by prohibited for prohibited immigrants to leave against detention of a prohibited permits pending removal, appeal, to convey prohibited immigrant back on SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZEREVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,No.

3 1 Power Lane,Belmopan, by the authority ofthe Government of [CAP. 156[] by persons permitting prohibited immigrants to of emigrants leaving and on public carriers for bringing illegal immigrants to of of and burden of to make free of stamp may institute 156]THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZEREVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,No. 1 Power Lane,Belmopan, by the authority ofthe Government of [] CHAPTER 156 IMMIGRATION [1st January, 1958] Act may be cited as the IMMIGRATION (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires- alien means a person who is neither a citizen of BELIZE nor a Commonwealthcitizen; departs or leaves includes departure or leaving by any form of conveyanceor on foot and references to departure and leaving shall, unless the contextotherwise implies, be deemed to include references to attempting to depart orleave; dependent in relation to another person, means-(a)the wife of such person, unless she is living apart from himunder a deed of separation or the decree of a competent court.

4 (b)the child or step-child under the age of sixteen years, of suchperson;Ch. 163, , 121, of of of of of of of of of of SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZEREVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,No. 1 Power Lane,Belmopan, by the authority ofthe Government of [CAP. 156[]7(c)an adopted child under the age of sixteen years having beenadopted by such person in a manner recognised by law; Director of IMMIGRATION and Nationality Services means a person appointedas such by the Governor-General acting in accordance with the advice of thePrime Minister; domicil means the place in which a person has his present home or in whichhe resides or to which he returns as his place of present permanent abode andnot for a mere special or temporary purpose; emigrant means a person who leaves BELIZE for a place outside BELIZE , whetherfor the first or at any subsequent time.]

5 Immigrant means a person who enters BELIZE from a place outside BELIZE ,whether for the first or at any subsequent time; IMMIGRATION officer means an IMMIGRATION officer appointed under this Act,the Senior IMMIGRATION Officer, or any police officer authorised by the Directorof IMMIGRATION and Nationality Services to act on his behalf, and includes wherethe context permits the Director of IMMIGRATION and Nationality Services; lands or enters includes arrival or entry by any form of conveyance or onfoot or by swimming, and references to landing or entering shall, unless thecontext otherwise implies, be deemed to include references to attempting toland; master means the person having command or charge of a vessel; passport means a valid passport referring to the person producing it, fur-nished with a photograph of such person and duly issued to him by or on behalfof the Government of the country of which he is a subject or a citizen, and fora period which, according to the laws of that country, has not expired, andincludes a certificate of identity or a travel permit and any other documentsImmigrationCAP.

6 156]THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZEREVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,No. 1 Power Lane,Belmopan, by the authority ofthe Government of []establishing to the satisfaction of the IMMIGRATION officer the nationality andidentity of the person or persons to whom it refers; stowaway means any person arriving in BELIZE on board any vessel who, bysecreting himself on board the vessel, or by getting or remaining on board thesame without the consent of the owner, consignee, master or other personentitled to give that consent, has obtained a passage on the vessel withouthaving paid for it; vessel includes any steamship, ship, vessel, sloop, boat or other floatingcraft and any description of aircraft, motor vehicle or any animal drawn cart.

7 (2) For the purposes of this Act-(a)a person shall not be deemed to have acquired a domicil inBelize unless he has resided therein for at least two yearsotherwise than-(i)under terms of conditional or temporary residencepermitted by this Act or any other enactment in BELIZE ;or(ii)as a person under detention in a prison or reformatory,or other place for the reception of prisoners foundguilty of offences; or(iii)as a person under detention in an orphanage, mentalhospital or a leprosy asylum;(b)a person shall be deemed to have lost his domicil in BELIZE ifhe voluntarily goes and resides outside BELIZE (except for aspecial or temporary purpose) with the intention of making hishome outside BELIZE ; and domiciled shall have a corres-ponding SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZEREVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,No.

8 1 Power Lane,Belmopan, by the authority ofthe Government of [CAP. 156[]9(3) For the purposes of this Act a person shall be deemed to belong toBelize-(a)if he is a citizen of BELIZE ; or(b)if he is a Commonwealth citizen and(i)was born in BELIZE or of parents who at the time of hisbirth were domiciled or ordinarily resident in BELIZE ; or(ii)has been ordinarily resident in BELIZE continuously fora period of seven years or more and since the com-pletion of such period of residence has not beenordinarily resident in any place outside BELIZE con-tinuously for a period of seven years or more:Provided that any person who-(a)falls within the definition of convicted persons in section 2of the Deportation (British Subjects) Act, the offence forwhich he is convicted being one which, in the opinion of theMinister, indicates that he is or has been conducting himself ina manner dangerous to peace, order and good government.]

9 Or(b)falls within the definition of undesirable persons in section 2of the Deportation (British Subjects) Act by reason of the factthat, in the opinion of the Minister, he is or has been conductinghimself in a manner dangerous to peace, order or goodgovernment,shall not be deemed to belong to BELIZE , if the Minister so directs;CAP. 156]THE SUBSTANTIVE LAWS OF BELIZEREVISED EDITION 2000 Printed by the Government Printer,No. 1 Power Lane,Belmopan, by the authority ofthe Government of [](c)if he has obtained the status of a British subject by reason ofthe grant by the Governor of a certificate of naturalisation un-der the British Nationality and Status of Aliens Act 1914 orthe British Nationality Act 1948;(d)if he is a dependent of a person to whom any of the foregoingparagraphs applies.

10 (4) For the purposes of this Act, a person shall be deemed to belong to aparticular place outside BELIZE if he is a national of the country or state ofwhich that place forms part or of which it is a dependency and-(a)was born in that place or of parents who at the time of hisbirth were domiciled or ordinarily resident in that place; or(b)is domiciled in that place; or(c)has been ordinarily resident in that place continuously for aperiod of seven years or more and since the completion ofsuch period of residence has not been ordinarily resident inany other place continuously for a period of seven years ormore; or(d)is a dependent of a person to whom any of the foregoingparagraphs applies.(5) For the purposes of this Act, a person enters BELIZE if he arrivestherein by land, sea or air; and a person leaves BELIZE if he departs therefromby land, sea, or (1) There shall be a Director of IMMIGRATION and Nationality Serviceswho shall be a public officer appointed by the Governor-General acting inaccordance with the advice of the Prime & 5 Geo.