| Customs on Items Brought
by Travelers
All personal belongings
can be brought in duty free if you are just visiting. If you wish
to leave any personal items, you are allowed up to $1,000 per family
on your incoming flight.
There are restrictions on certain foods brought
into the country. A list of restricted foods that may be confiscated
by Honduras customs officials is available.
Shipping to Roatan
There are four shipping companies servicing the
island of Roatan: Jackson Shipping from Tampa, Hyde Shipping out
of Miami, Carnival from Morgan City, and Caribbean Shipping
out of Bayou le Batre, Alabama. The cost of the shipping varies
with weight and size as does the duty costs depending on the item.
Many boats ship from the mainland of Honduras to Roatan very inexpensively.
Special Incentives for Retirees
If you need another reason to consider the idea
of retiring to Honduras, consider the government’s generous
incentive program offered to all foreign retirees, which is comparable
to the former pensioado program in Costa Rica. Once you acquire residency,
you are allowed a one-time exemption from all import duty. Before
you move, make a list of everything that you will be bringing into
the country and have it notarized by an official of a Honduran Embassy
or Consulate in the United States.
After you acquire your residency papers, you will
need to present this list to the customs agent at the airport or
at the port if you ship your items by freighter. You may include
any kind of household goods, appliances, personal effects, and clothing.
Furthermore, as a foreign retired resident of Honduras, you are permitted
to import one car and one boat duty
free. Every five years you may trade your car or sell it and bring
in another one duty-free. |
