The Central Bank of Belize has broadened its delegation of exchange control authority to authorised dealers (domestic banks), enabling them to approve residents’ purchases or transfers of foreign currency for eight additional purposes without prior Central Bank approval, provided the transaction does not exceed BZ$100,000. The expanded delegation took effect from 3 November 2025, while transactions above the threshold continue to require Central Bank approval. The newly covered transaction types are advertisements, business management consultancy, freight charges, insurance premiums, international and regional organisations, military units and agencies, pension, taxes, and winnings, and rental of equipment. Customers must submit a completed Foreign Exchange Application (Form XCH-1) and supporting documents such as bills, contracts, or invoices to their domestic bank, in either physical or electronic form; transaction-specific requirements are set out in Exchange Control Direction Number 17 (2025).
Central Bank of Belize 2025-11-05
Central Bank of Belize expands authorised dealers’ exchange control delegation for eight additional transaction types up to BZ$100,000
The Central Bank of Belize has expanded exchange control authority for authorised dealers, allowing domestic banks to approve foreign currency transactions up to BZ$100,000 for eight additional purposes without prior approval. These purposes include advertisements, consultancy, freight charges, insurance, and more. Transactions exceeding this threshold still require Central Bank approval.