Barbados Short Stay Visa: Guide on How to Apply
Are you looking to get a Barbados Short Stay Visa? One would guess that you’re headed there on vacation. However, there are plenty of other reasons you people decide to visit Barbados. No matter your reason, as long as you don’t intend to move to Barbados permanently, a short-stay visa is what you need.
Barbados is an island country in what is known as the Caribbean region in the Americas. It is one of many Islands called “The Caribbean Islands”. Barbados is a developed nation and is considered a rich country by many standards. This makes the country a choice venue for different kinds of visitors; for leisure, commerce, work, etc.
This article explains all you need to know about the Barbados short-stay visas. It explores the kinds of short-stay visas available and explains how you can get them. Finally, you also get to determine whether you need one of these visas. Spoiler: There is a high probability you don’t need one.
About Barbados Short Stay Visa
A Barbados visa is a travel document that authorizes foreigners to enter Barbados for defined reasons and a defined period legally. There are two major categories of Barbados visas, depending on how long you plan to stay in the country;
- long-stay visa
- short-stay visa
Our focus in this article will be on the latter. The Barbados short-stay visa is a visa that allows you to enter Barbados and stay no longer than six (6) months. In addition, Barbados has a single-entry visa that allows you one entry within three (3) months and a multiple-entry visa that allows you to enter multiple times within six months.
Types of Barbados Short Stay Visas
Three primary visas fall into the category of Barbados short-stay visas;
- Barbados Tourist Visa:Â The tourist visa is the most popular visa issued by the Barbados consular authorities. The Caribbean Islands are known for their beautiful beaches, sunny days, and thousands of vacation/leisure visitors; therefore, Barbados is no different. The tourist visa is a single-entry visa; hence, you can only stay up to three months with it in Barbados.
- Barbados Business Visa: Another popular Barbados short-stay visa is the business visa. The Barbados embassy issues this visa to foreign nationals coming into the country for commercial reasons. Some such reasons include business meetings, investment reasons, business conferences, etc. You can get the Barbados business visa as a single-entry visa or a multiple-entry visa, depending on how often you visit the country.
- Barbados Family Visit Visa:Â For foreign nationals who have direct relatives as citizens or residents of Barbados, you can visit them temporarily with the Barbados family visit visa. This should not be confused with the family reunion visa, which is long-term; the family visit visa is a short-term visa for those who only wish to spend some time with their relative in Barbados before heading home to their country.
Required Documents for Barbados Short Stay Visa
When applying for a Barbados short-stay visa, there are several documents you need to present to the embassy. These documents will help the consular authorities decide whether you qualify to get the visa you’re requesting for. The documents you need to submit include;
#1. Application Form
Before anything else, you need to download and fill out the Barbados visa application form. You will enter your personal and travel details in the form, including what kind of short-stay visa you intend to obtain. Ensure you enter only correct details, as wrong or conflicting information could result in disqualifying you.
#2. Passport-Sized Photograph
On your application form, you will attach a recent passport-sized photograph; it must not be older than six months. The passport must also conform to all the necessary passport photo requirements by the Barbados visa in dimension and color.
#3. National Passport
Your national passport identifies you as a foreign national in Barbados; you must have it to enter the country. This passport will carry the visa sticker if your visa is approved.
For the embassy to consider your passport valid, it must have at least two blank pages and expiry date of at least six (6) months beyond your proposed return date.
#4. Proof of Funds and Accommodation
Along with the documents already mentioned, you also need to submit a document proving you have the necessary means to fund your stay in Barbados and another document proving you have a place to stay when you’re there. You need a bank statement spanning at least six (6) months from the submission date for proof of funds. Meanwhile, for proof of accommodation, you should submit a hotel reservation or a letter from a Barbados citizen/resident stating that they will host you during your stay.
#5. Travel Itinerary
Next, you should provide your flight itinerary. This document will normally contain your travel ticket (a round-trip ticket) and other flight details; the airline you’re traveling with, flight date, time, etc. All details must be available for both the ‘to’ and ‘from’ journeys.
#6. Travel Health Insurance
As a policy, when traveling to Barbados, you must purchase a travel health insurance plan to cover your stay there. This plan will take care of any medical emergencies you might encounter while you’re in the country.
#7. Police Report
You will also need to provide a criminal report from the law enforcement authority in your country. This report will verify how good or bad your criminal record (if any) is and will aid in the decision-making. Essentially, it would be best if you did not pose a threat to public safety in Barbados.
#8. Invitation Letter (Optional)
The invitation letter here only applies to business visas and family visit visas. For business visas, the corporate body in Barbados you’re doing business with will provide you with an invite. In contrast, for a family visit visa, the relative you plan to visit will give you one.
For business visas, you may also need to provide a letter from the corporate body in your country that you plan to represent in Barbados.
#9. Legal Certificate (Optional)
If you’re applying for a family visit visa, you must present proof of your relationship with a relative in Barbados. This could be a marriage certificate, birth certificate, etc.
#10. Cover Letter
Finally, you’ll write a cover letter and direct it to Barbados’ Chief Immigration Officer. This letter will contain your reason for wanting to visit Barbados and what plans you have while you’re there.
Application Procedure for Barbados Short Stay Visa
Once you have all the documents above, applying for a Barbados short-stay visa shouldn’t be too difficult. We’ve broken them down into simple steps below;
- Contact the embassy of Barbados in your country and confirm how best they can accept your documents; you may need to mail them to the embassy or submit them in person. Also, make sure there are no extra documents required for your country.
- Get the bank payment details for the visa fee and make the payment. You will submit the bank draft along with the rest of your documents.
- Wait for the embassy to process and respond to you accordingly. They will reply to you via mail to confirm whether your visa has been approved or not.
Visa Fees and Processing Time
Visa fees for Barbados short-stay visas are as follows;
- Single-entry visa: $107
- Multiple entry visa: $211
The visa processing usually takes about three (3) weeks to complete. Hence, you should begin your application up to one month earlier to cover any possible delays.
Do You Need a Barbados Short-Stay Visa?
Now you understand how to get a short-stay visa to Barbados; do you need the visa? Everyone who wants to visit Barbados should ordinarily get a visa. However, the country has visa-free travel agreements with more than half the countries in the world that allow such countries to visit Barbados for varying number of days; some 28 days, some 30 days, some 90 days, and others as long as six (6) months.
Citizens of these visa-exempt countries can come into Barbados using only their national passports. However, before you make your trip, you must find out how long your country’s citizens can visit without a visa. There are only about 60 countries whose citizens need a Barbados short-stay visa to visit the country. They include;
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Andorra
- Angola
- Benin
- Bhutan
- Bolivia
- Bosnia
- Cambodia
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- Central African
- Chad
- Comoros
- Congo
- the Cook Islands
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Djibouti
- the Dominican Republic
- Ecuador
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eritrea
- Ethiopia
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Honduras
- Iran
- Iraq
- Korea
- Kuwait
- Laos
- Lebanon
- Libya
- Macedonia
- Madagascar
- the Marshall Islands
- Micronesia
- Mongolia
- Montenegro
- Mozambique
- Myanmar
- Namibia
- Nauru
- Nepal
- Niger
- Pakistan
- Palau Islands
- Papua New Guinea
- Paraguay
- Sao Tome & Principe
- Somalia
- Sudan
- Syria
- Taiwan
- Togo
- the United Arab Emirates
Frequently Asked Questions
#1. How long can a foreign national stay in Barbados as a visitor?
As a visitor to Barbados, you can stay anywhere between 30 days and six months. This depends on the visa approved for you and the number of days it specifies.
#2. How long can I visit Barbados without a visa?
For foreign nationals from visa-exempt countries, the number of days you can visit without a visa depends on your country. Some countries have 28 days free; others have 30, others 90, and others six months. If you wish to stay longer than your country is permitted, you must apply to the immigration office to extend your stay.
#3. Do UK Citizens need a visa to visit Barbados?
UK citizens do not need a visa to visit Barbados and most other Caribbean islands. If you’re a UK citizen, the authorities will grant you a visiting period once you enter Barbados. If you want to extend your stay, you’ll also have to apply to the immigration department.
#4. Is Barbados cheap to visit?
Barbados is not a cheap place to visit. The country has a high standard of living, which is reflected in the visiting costs. If you’re getting a Barbados short-stay visa, ensure you come financially prepared.
#5. Can I Work in Barbados with a short stay visa?
No, you cannot. To work in Barbados, you must first obtain one of the Barbados long-stay visas called the Barbados work visa.
Conclusion
Visiting Barbados is always a lifetime experience. No matter what, you’re going there for yourself. Therefore, you can get a short-stay visa and begin planning your journey.
