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The majority of tourists do not need a visa to visit Barbados.

On arrival, you will be given an entry stamp, which allows you to stay on the island for up to 180 days (six months), always depending on your country of origin.

Children younger than 18 years old without a guardian or parent need to have a notarised letter of authorisation from the guardian or parent.

Being granted a Barbados visa does NOT guarantee entry to the country. It lies solely at the discretion of the immigration officer at the port of entry whether you are given permission to enter the country or not.

Travellers from China, Japan, EU members (except for France and Ireland), and other countries can stay for up to 90 days (three months).

Travellers from specific countries are only allowed to stay in Barbados for up to 28 days.

Travellers from the USA, UK, Caribbean Community nations, Uruguay, Switzerland, Israel, Ireland, Iceland, France, Canada, Brazil, and Australia, along with many Commonwealth Countries can stay in Barbados for up to 180 days (six months).

Kindly visit the Barbados Ministry of Foreign Affairs website (COUNTRY (foreign.gov.bb)) for the full list of visa-exempt countries and the respective maximum days of stay.

Visa-exempt travellers visiting Barbados need to show their passport on arrival, which has to be valid for the duration of their stay. In addition, they must have:

  • A ticket for their travel out of the country.
  • Document(s) demonstrating the intended address, meaning the hotel or villa reservations (at least for the first few nights) or the address of the place they will be staying (if they are a Barbados resident’s guest). It is not paramount to show hotel or villa bookings for the full duration of your visit.
  • Proof of funds that are enough to cover your costs during your stay. This is something the immigration officer might ask, rather than standard procedure. In this case, a personal credit card and a personal bank statement will do.

You don’t need to have a Barbados visa to enter the country if you are a:

  • Passenger of a cruise ship transiting from cruise to the airport terminal or vice versa.
  • Passenger of a cruise ship arriving at Barbados and departing from the country on a sail vessel.
  • Crew member transiting to a vessel from the airport within twelve hours. Nevertheless, if you are staying overnight at Barbados and then transiting, then you must get a Barbados visa.
  • Regular passenger heading to another destination but transiting at Barbados (within 12 hours). In this case, you will be treated as a Direct Transit Passenger, which means that you will be escorted to the departure lounge of your onward flight. In the meantime, you will be accommodated in the arrival terminal.
  • Member of the Diplomatic Corps (only from the countries that are not visa exempt). This does NOT mean that you don’t need a visa to enter the country. It means that you won’t need to pay to get a visa issued. Plus, you will have to complete the application form J (visa_applictaion.pdf (immigration.gov.bb)) and then submit it to the Barbados immigration Department with the bio page of your passport (a copy).

If you come from a country with a Barbados visa requirement, you could opt for either the single-entry visa or the multiple-entry visa. The first will enable you to stay for up to 90 days (three months) and costs $107 (USD), while the latter allows several visits over a period of 180 days (six months) and the relevant cost is $211 (USD). However, please check with the Barbados Immigration Department for the latest visa fees and requirements.

You have two options. You may either send the required documents via courier to the Bridgetown Immigration Office or apply in person at Barbadian consulates and missions overseas. You can find their offices in both Europe (Geneva, Brussels, and London) and North America (Ottawa, Toronto, Washington, Miami, and New York).

As for the visa processing time, it may take around three weeks from the moment your visa application is received. For that reason, kindly try to apply for a visa (if you are from a visa-exempt country) quite early so you have enough time to book the other aspects of your trip. Please do NOT book a hotel room or villa or a flight ticket before you get visa approval.

Note: Barbados visas are not stamped in travellers’ passports. So, expect to be given a letter that you must show on arrival in the country.

If you need to stay for a longer period of time than the one indicated by your visa (i.e., for ongoing medical treatment), irrespective of whether you are a traveller with a tourist visa or from a nation that is visa-exempt, you can apply for an extension of stay (comes with a US$100 fee).

The Department of Immigration will decide the duration of the extension based on the date on your travel ticket, the reasons for the extended stay, and what you ask for. In this case, you will need to provide the following:

  • A valid ticket showing your intended departure.
  • A copy of your passport data page.
  • A passport-sized photograph.

Important Note: Again, the immigration official will be the final judge of your visa extension application and either accept or reject it. Paying the fee for your extension application does NOT guarantee that you will be granted a longer stay.

Remote workers and digital nomads working remotely for a foreign company (NOT a Barbadian business, though) can get the new Barbados Welcome Stamp Visa that enables them to stay in Barbados for up to one year.

The relevant fee is US$2000 (US$3000 for families), while you also need to take out a medical insurance policy that covers the duration of your stay. The application is processed within 7 business days. After the approval, you will need to activate your visa by coming to the island within 12 months. Once all is checked out well, you will be free to enter and exit the country as you please.