Acquisition of Animal Health Import Permit

1. Application forms for requesting permits to import plant and plant products, animal and animal products, veterinary drugs, veterinary biologicals, veterinary pesticides, supplementary animal feed, can be obtained from all of the BAHA offices listed below:

Central Investigation Laboratory, Belize City Tel: +501-224-794/223-4457
Orange Walk Office, Orange Walk Town Tel: +501-302-1388
Santa Elena Northern Border, Corozal Tel: +501-403-8058
Headquarters, Belmopan Tel: +501-822-1378/0197/0818
Permit Unit, Belmopan Tel: +501-822-1378/0197/0818
Animal Health Department, Central Farm, Cayo Tel: +501-824-4872
Plant Health Department, Central Farm, Cayo Tel: +501-824-4873
Quarantine Department, Central Farm, Cayo Tel: +501-824-4899
Benque Viejo Western Border, Cayo Tel: +501-803-2455
Phillip Goldson International Airport, Belize Tel: +501-205-2521
Belize Port Authority, Belize Tel: +501-203-1814
Punta Gorda Town, Toledo Tel: +501-702-2563
Big Creek, Stann Creek Tel: +501-503-2251
San Pedro Ambergris Caye, Belize Tel: +501-206-5111

2. The application forms with all relevant information is to be submitted at any BAHA office. Please note that there is an application fee that applies.

3. For those products that require special permits or licenses by other Authorities, BAHA will liaise for an additional fee with the relevant authorities

4. Completed application forms will be submitted to the relevant authorities within BAHA for review and risk analysis, and if approved, issuance of the permit. Note, however, that
(i) The importation of certain commodities, from certain countries, may pose a risk to the human, plant and/or animal health in Belize. To minimize such risk, a risk analysis needs to be conducted. This helps to determine whether the product can be imported and under which conditions.
(ii) The result of the risk analysis determines whether:

(a) The import permit is granted, and if so the conditions that need to be satisfied for the importation, or
(b) Whether, due to the high risk to plant, human and animal health, the permit is denied. Example: the importation for certain animal products from countries reporting outbreaks of certain diseases such as Avian Influenza, Classical Swine Fever, etc.

(c) The time frame for the completion of a risk analysis may vary from several weeks to months, depending on the availability and accessibility of relevant information.

5. Under normal circumstances, the application process for a frequently imported commodity may take up to seven (7) days.

6. All imports must comply with the conditions as indicated on:

(i) The valid import permit from BAHA
(ii) Conditions of importation attached to the BAHA import permit
(iii) Special permits or licenses requested by other relevant authorities.

7. The issuance of an import permit does not guarantee entry as the pest or disease status of the country of origin may have changed from the date the import permit was issued and the date the commodity arrives in the Country.

8. Any liability associated with the importation of any commodity is the sole responsibility of the importer.