Crossing the Belize -> Guatemala border with a motorcycle

EASY!! I’m waiting for these horrible Central American borders that I read about. Maybe I keep getting lucky, but this one was even easier than the Mexico -> Belize border. The whole experience only took about 30 minutes. None of it was waiting in lines. Most of it was me just chatting with a money changer. BTW, if you use a money changer, use one on the Guatemala side. They gave a significantly better rate than the changers on the Belize side. You just have to do your negotiating in spanish. I uninformedly (is that a word?) changed $25USD (50 belize) on the Belize side. They offered me 6 quetzales per USD, I got them up to 6.5. On the Guatemala side, you can get 7.10 / USD.

Anyway. Here’s the step by step.

What you need:
* Passport with Belize entry stamp for you and your motorcycle
* Customs declaration page for your motorcycle
* Your “Original” title (see note)
* 1 copy of your title
* 1 copy of your drivers license
* 1 copy of your passport

1. Park bike under the trees under the P sign right next to the final checkpoint
2. Enter the Departure Hall and present passport and $37 belize to immigration. The $37 is your exit fee.
3. After paying the bill, get your exit stamp at the next counter
4. Walk all the way back out of the door you entered and enter the “Entry Hall”. There will be lots of taxis and tourist promoters. They’ll ignore you because you’re going the opposite way that everyone else is
5. Stop at the customs desk ignoring the desk at the end of the hall with the big line. That is for people coming from Guatemala. You only need to visit customs.
6. Give customs your passport and your customs declration page for your motorcycle
7. They will cancel it with a stamp and take the paper from you
8. Exit the hall from the door you entered. Now all the tourist guys will bother you even though they just saw you walk in from the Belize side 4 minutes ago.
9. Remount the bike and show checkpoint gaurd your stamped passport
10. Drive to Guatemala side

Guatemala Side:
1. Bypass the fumigation station by driving on the pedestrian section
2. Park on the sidewalk right next to the migration building on the left.
3. Stand in line at the Migration Entry side. There are two lines. One is for exiting, the other is for entering. In my case, the Exit line looked like it would take about an hour. The Entry line only took 1 minute.
4. Stamp into Guatemala. This costs $7 quetzales. I paid $3 belize
5. Hop the rope barrier to your left and talk to customs
6. Show them your “Original” title, and present them the 1 copy each of your DL, title, and passport
7. The officer will enter your info into the computer and hand you a sticker for your windshield
8. Cross the bridge and BOOM, you’re in Guatemala

NOTE: I thought I was going to have a close call. I never present my original ANYTHING except my passport. Everything else I present, even as originals, is a copy. I have a fantastic photocopy of my title that I use. I was afraid I’d get questioned about it because the guy next to me was importing his VW Jetta from Texas. So there were two Texas titles within 5 feet of eachother. Mine looked a littttle fake. I guess he never actually asked me for my original. He just assumed that the little doublesided printed piece of paper was my original title.

The immigration/customs building:

Skip this fumigation:

Across the bridge, you’re instantly in a new place:

A preview for my next post. This is the main highway to Belize. Lots of fun!!