Belize and the U.S. Sign Biometric Data Sharing Agreement

The Government of Belize has received approximately US$250,000 in equipment and hardware from the Government of the United States of America under the newly established Biometric Data Sharing Partnership (BDSP.

The official signing ceremony took place in Belmopan and involved representatives from the Ministry of Immigration, Governance and Labour, the Ministry of Home Affairs and Enterprise, and the U.S. Embassy in Belize. The signing formalized the partnership and the transfer of equipment designed to modernize Belize’s immigration and border management systems.

Through the BDSP initiative, the Ministry of Immigration will enhance surveillance and screening at the country’s points of entry by introducing fingerprint-based biometric technology. Once fully implemented, immigration officers will be able to conduct more robust background checks on visitors by accessing the United States Department of Homeland Security’s identity database, one of the largest biometric law enforcement databases in the world.

Officials say the partnership will strengthen Belize’s ability to detect identity fraud and improve border security.