Pages

06 October, 2009

Another Hoop Jumped Through

One of the questions from the Belize Social Security Board's FAQ is:
Is registration for the new card compulsory or voluntary?
All eligible people in Belize are required to have a Social Security card. Everyone who is legally resident in Belize is eligible.
That seems a somewhat awkward way of saying, if you are eligible, you must have a Social Security Card.

Anyone who is a Belizean National is required by law to register with Social Security from birth.

Foreign-born persons with legal Immigration status (e.g., Permanent Residents, Qualified Retired Persons (QRP), and Temporary Work Permit holders) are legally required to register themselves and their dependents. there are several other categories, but these are the main ones of interest to most expats.

So, since we now fit in the Permanent Resident category, in order to comply with the law, we visited our local Social Security Board Office. The SSB Office is located on the Northern Highway, just in front of "Cannon Corners." But, since Cannon Corners isn't Cannon Corners anymore, you may not know where it's located. How's that for a Belizean-style location description?



Dianna Picking Up Her New Social Security Card

I fess up... They were too quick for me for the photo above. I had to have them pose so I could capture the moment.

I had done my card the previous week. It's an easy process. You go in, they ask you a bunch of questions, you sign the form. Then, come back in a week and pick up your card. No charge for it either. What's cool, is it's pretty modern, complete with holograms, your photo, your signature, just all sorts of stuff. I understand the driver's licenses are going to this sort of system soon.

Speaking of driver's licenses, this was the primary reason (ok, secondary, besides it being a requirement) we got our SS card. In order to get a Belize driving license now, you have to have a SS Card.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Is it a US Social Security or Belizian SS?

Dave Rider said...

Belizean Social Security Card.