Belize Brings Passport and Vital Statistics Services to Diaspora in South Florida

Belizeans living in South Florida no longer had to travel home to access essential government services this past weekend, as the Immigration Department and the Vital Statistics Unit brought a three-day mobile service hub directly to the diaspora.  The outreach initiative began on Thursday, July 9, at the Miramar Town Hall, but organizers later relocated operations to the Home2 Suites by Hilton in the City of Weston after encountering technical limitations at the original venue. Despite the move, the exercise continued uninterrupted, allowing Belizeans from Miramar and surrounding communities to obtain passports, nationality documents and birth certificates.  Leading the delegation was Director of Passports, Dayna Blades, who said the initiative not only made government services more accessible to Belizeans abroad but also provided valuable experience for her team. Director Blades noted that before the delegation even arrived in Florida, nearly 250 appointments had already been booked through the online portal, with additional walk-in clients also expected throughout the three-day exercise.

Supporting the operation was Immigration Department IT Manager Rodolfo Bol, who was responsible for ensuring the technology behind the mobile service functioned seamlessly. Bol said his role was to address any technical issues, install the necessary systems and ensure secure connectivity so that applications could be processed just as efficiently as they are in Belize.

The outreach also featured officers from the Vital Statistics Unit, allowing applicants to access multiple government services in one location without having to travel to Belize.

For many members of the diaspora, the convenience of the initiative was greatly appreciated. Two Belizean women, Penny Cassasola and Sandra Usher, who accessed the services praised the professionalism of the staff and welcomed the Government’s decision to bring these services directly to the community.

The services offered included passport applications for US$250, replacement of lost passports for US$300, nationality certificates for US$150, and replacement nationality certificates for US$200.