Everything you need to know about a Barbados Visa

British passport holders normally do not need a visa to enter Barbados, provided they stay in the nation for a period of up to 180 days and travel only for tourism, visit, or business activities.

This span is the maximum permissible limit but when you arrive in the country, immigration officials will stamp the allowable period on your passport, depending on your purpose of travel.

You can apply for an extension of stay through the Barbados Immigration Department, for a certain fee. However, you cannot overstay your limit or work under the visa-free regime.

The passport validity required for availing of the visa-exemption facility is up to six months but the authorities generally allow entry if the passport is valid for the proposed duration of your stay.

We would advise you to maintain a minimum of two blank pages on your passport and carry the necessary evidence of sufficient funds as well as return/onward travel.

Visa requirements for foreigners

Travelers who are not UK nationals and who do not fall under the visa-free policy might need an entry visa for travelling to the nation.

If you need to check whether you need a visa, just go to thislink, scroll to the bottom, enter your nationality, and you will get your answer.

A single-entry visit visa is valid for up to three months and a multiple-entry visa is valid for six months. In order to apply for a visitor visa, you will need:

• One application form that is filled in with all the required details and signed in original
• One passport size photograph
• Copies of the biodata pages of your passport
• A birth certificate or a marriage certificate (if and when applicable)
• A covering letter, which is addressed to the ‘Chief Immigration Officer’. It should also contain your return address, phone number, fax number and email ID. The document should describe the purpose of stay, entry date, and intended stay period
• A copy of your appointment letter
• An employment letter or a letter from your academic institute
• A copy of your valid UK work permit, student visa, UK visa, or residence permit
• A signed and dated bank draft addressed to Chief Immigration Officer

You can apply for a Barbados visa at the High Commission of Barbados in London. Normally, a visa takes three weeks to be processed if approved.

You do not need to submit your original passport and only a copy will be sufficient. This is because the visa is issued as a letter which is accepted at points of entry in the country.

Working and studying in Barbados

You cannot work or study in Barbados without a visa. You would need to apply for a work permit or a student visa.

A student visa can only be issued by the Immigration Department in Barbados. For this purpose, you will need two forms, H1 and H2, which has to be filled by you and stamped by the school principal.

Along with this, you will require your valid passport, four passport-size photographs, and you have to submit the whole package to the Chief Immigration Officer. If your parents are residents of Barbados, you have to attach proof in the form of a valid work permit.

If the visa is approved, you should receive your stamped passport within four to six weeks.

Next, working in Barbados is only permitted when an open position does not have qualified Barbadian nationals to fit in the post. For this, you need a work permit, which can only be processed by your employer in Barbados.

Visa requirements for officials travelling to Barbados

Officers who wish to visit Barbados should submit a copy of the bio data page of the passport, accompanied by an application form, J-form.

This application is then forwarded to the Barbados Immigration Department via Memorandum, who then sends the approval to the Ministry.

The response is received by the Mission or International Organisation or officials via Diplomatic Note or Letter respectively. A copy of the approval will be retained in the official file and the officer can receive his/her visa after arrival in Barbados

Permanent residence in Barbados

If you wish to lodge an application for permanent citizenship in Barbados, here’s the full list of documents:

• A copy of the bio-data page of applicant's valid passport
• Birth certificate and marriage certificate (if applicable)
• If you are the spouse of a Barbadian native, you need to share your partner’s birth certificate and your marriage certificate. Divorced individuals must submit the required proof
• Applicants who have Barbadian parent(s) must submit the parent(s) birth certificate as well as marriage certificate
• A general medical certificate of health from a certified doctor
• A character certificate from the nations where you have resided for at least 6 months in the past 3 years
• Four passport size photographs, one of them being certified by a Justice of the Peace or Notary Public
• If you studied in Barbados, letters from your individual institutes
• A letter of employment
• Proof of qualifications
• The required application fee
• Minors must share a Letter of Consent from the parent(s) if the application contains the signature of legal guardians/other adults

You must submit all the documents in originals as well as photocopies.