Getting Residency
 

OK, apologies if this subject has been covered a hundred times before but I have searched some of the threads for an answer.

Where do I start to apply for residency of Barbados? Should I do it in the UK or can I do it once I arrive on the island? I'm no longer a UK tax payer.

I've been to the island many times before and have stayed there for 60-90 days without any questions even when I've put this on my immigration card. I've never been asked to pay any fees.
I'm not planning to work in Barbados and can prove that I can support myself. But from now on I will probably be on the island for at least 9 months of the year so I think it is about time I got something sorted.

Thanks again for your help and advice.
Derek

Re: Getting Residency
 

Hi there,

Apologies in advance if I completely butcher this topic. I'll let you know what I do know, and hopefully someone will chime in to correct me if I'm way off!

I think what you could actually do is just go to the Immigration office (in Barbados) with all of your paperwork (airline tickets, proof of ability to support yourself) and ask for a Visitor's Extension. I just did this, and it was semi-painful as the process is not well explained, so you're kinda left figuring it out for yourself. I can help you here if you need it.

I am not sure there is an application for residency without a work permit. I simply don't know, so hopefully someone else can advise you.

Sorry if that's not much of a response :lol:

Foxy

Re: Getting Residency
 

Hi Derek,

I don't want to scare you off your plans completely, but honestly, forget your plan about applying for residency before you even lived AND worked there for at least 5 years.
I am one of the people (and it is an increasing crowd believe me) who had the worst experience with Bajan immigration.
Barbados - honestly said - is not the paradise island anymore for a living, but it is for sure if you are visiting. The new prime minister has a strong eye on the foreigners coming to his island, and getting a work permit as a foreigner has become almost impossible, no matter who you know, except you are a very good friend of the prime minister itself. I can speak of my experience AND the experiences of friends within the last year, so I do believe that what I say is more than realistic.

My advise - come as a visitor, don't EVER tell immigration you plan to stay here for a longer time, just go there min. 2 weeks before your tourist visa will expire, and just apply for an extension of the max. you can get, which is 6 months for UK citizen as far as I know. 3 months for EU citizen except UK. They will ask for a reason of the extension on the application form, just put there "extension of vacation". Like I said, don't ever tell them you plan to work there or stay longer, I mean, don't tell the immigration officer that, that is not their business and they will not treat you better because of that, you will only achieve the opposite, trust me. Fact is, the Bajans don't like more foreigners in their country as there are already.

Maybe I will get kicked by a few people in here, but let me tell you that I have my sources in Barbados, so I know very well what I am talking about. Actually the chances seem to get better since the previous Chief Immigration Officer Mr. Greaves was just replaced by another fella, from who I heard he is better.

But still, trust me, just do what I advised you and you will get 1 or even 2 extensions without problems. Just make sure that you always go to Immigration for it early enough, because they will keep your passport for a week to work on the extension, and in many cases, if they decide not to grant you the extension, they will not give you any notice, they will eventually just let you come over there but keep you there and send you back to your country right away. And trust me, this is no nice experience at all, Bajan Immigration generally doesn't care from which country you come from, which background you have, you could easily end up in the immigration "waiting room" with real criminals in handcuffs sitting right besides you, waiting for your flight to go back home.

Re: Getting Residency
 

At the moment, it's taking quite a bit longer than a week or two for the visitors' extensions to go through. I've heard they have mandated that the Guyanese all submit new paperwork, regardless of the status of their work permit. Annoying for everyone.

I would suggest going to Immigration almost a month before your visitor's visa expires if that is possible. I had to leave the country 3 weeks after submitting my info, and had to BEG for my passport back, with or without the extension. Luckily, my extension was approved, but I was going to have to take the passport without it if necessary.

Good luck.

Re: Getting Residency
 

Foxy thanks for this update, I didn't know that. Even worse...........so you know what I am talking about ;)

Re: Getting Residency
 

Yeah, it pretty much sucks right now! LOL!

Re: Getting Residency
 

Well, let me tell you, Grenada was such a surprising experience compared to Barbados. While treated like a criminal by Bajan immigration, here they are even friendly, and without stress, you wouldn't believe it!

Re: Getting Residency
 

Derek, are you considering buying a property in Barbados? I can tell you it is a lot easier to gain non-national residency if you do. You will also need 2 - 3 years worth of UK accounts/tax return info for proof of your UK income, which obviously has to come from a source that can be sustained while you are out of the UK.

Re: Getting Residency
 

Yes, I've already bought a property. Will move in on Now 3rd when I return to island.
I'm not looking to become a national, only to get residency. I'm also not looking for a work permit.
I would have thought they'd be glad to get some tax from me.

Re: Getting Residency
 

Hi Belinda, thanks for that. It sounds a bit grim.

I'm not looking to become a national, just to get a residents permit. I'm also not looking for a work permit.

I would have thought that the government would be keen to get tax on any money I bring to the island though.

Re: Getting Residency
 

I keep saying that, too!

Re: Getting Residency
 

Hello,

This is my first post :)

I also have a residency question.

I'm married to a Barbadian man and have been living on the island for 1 year. I worked last year with a work permit but have since changed jobs. I was just informed I need a new work permit, but I also want to apply for citizenship.

Can anyone tell me if its faster, or the same, to apply for citizenship or residency? I tried to apply for citizenship already but the lovely woman at immigration told me that my marriage certificate wasn't sufficient because it didn't state that I nor my husband had never been previously married and signed by a JP (even though the APPLICATION FORM I filled out, in the presence of a JP stated I'd never been married before and neither had my husband) and so I plan to reapply because I know that it all depends on who you get at immigration. I'm also contemplating getting a lawyer.

So my main question is thus: Can you work while applying for citizenship? I know you can work while a work permit is being processed so can you work while citizenship papers are being processed? What about permanent residency?

Also, i know you can work while a work permit is being processed, but does that mean when the papers and forms and x rays are handed into the immigration department, or does "in process" refer to after you've received a letter from immigration stating the work permit application has been accepted (but not yet granted)

Sorry for all the questions thrown into one. I'm just feeling lost :unsure:

-bimchick

Re: Getting Residency
 

Ugh, I really feel for you! It's confusing at best, and service at immigration leaves much to be desired.

I don't have answers to all your questions, but I can tell you that for a work permit to be considered "in process" it means that after you have submitted everything and they have taken a look at it, they have decided to approve it and you are waiting on the actual paper and the subsequent stamp that goes in your passport. So, approved but not yet granted.

I am not sure if you'd be better off going the citizenship route. But one of the other members here can likely respond to that part.

Best of luck to you!
Foxy

Re: Getting Residency
 

Bimchick, we also had the same problem with the marriage certificate, after my citizenship application sat in the immigration office for 18 mos we were told that we needed the long form which has the entire contents of the marriage license.

I will tell you this, as of April/May they were saying that you cannot have both things working at the same time, ie. Citizenship and Work Permit. I am not certain the reason or logic. My citizenship was granted in May, and at that time I was also told that they were introducing a waiting period of an unspecified duration, presumably longer than 18 months.

Hope this is of help to you...

Re: Getting Residency
 

Bimchick-- where were you married?

Re: Getting Residency
 

Hi Zanne,

we were married in canada and we were also told we needed the long form of the license by the "kind lady" when she had a look at the documents before the process actually started... still mystified as the application form itself says everything they need the long form of the marriage certificate to say...

Re: Getting Residency
 

Can't you get the long form?

Re: Getting Residency
 

I was married in Canada.

Re: Getting Residency
 

Oops...

I can get the long form, it just will take a while. Meanwhile, I am supposed to be working but need to get my work permit sorted out and I dont know if i can work while a citizenship is being processed.

Re: Getting Residency
 

Why will it take a while? I am pretty positive that you can't have both things going at the same time-- that is what they told me.

Re: Getting Residency
 

So basically they expect people to just not work for 3 years while they are getting citizenship? That doesn't seem to make any sense...

It will take a while because I have to ask Stats Canada to mail me the form.

Re: Getting Residency
 

Yes it seems that way...

I authorized a friend of my to pick ours up in NYC and he FedEx'd it to me so all told it took about a week. I was livid when I found out that I needed it, it was about a week after we moved here to join my husband who had come the year before. Anyway while I was working in NYC I passed the City Clerk's Office nearly everyday and if I had known that we needed the form I could have brought it with me.

Did they ask you about being a Spinster?

Re: Getting Residency
 

Antiquated at best.. that's the Barbados Immigration office if you ask me.

When I did all this years ago, I was told that getting Citizenship was cheaper and faster than residency. As a Foreign women married to a Barbadian Man you can hold either citizenship or residency. As a matter of fact, you are entitled by law to hold citizenship, so they cannot technically deny you, cause it's the law..

I would have also said you cannot work with out the citizenship, residency or even a valid work permit, unless it's gone through the process of the advertising of the advert, then the immigration office advert that says, that this company, having found no suitible Barbadian for this job, is applying for a work permit.. that's the point at which you can work..

having said that there are many companies that make it so hard for a bajan to get the job because of the work requirements.. must speak fluent french or italian, must have 15years experience on this piece of equipment, etc etc... and it's mainly the fact that the company already has someone doing the job who isn't from here, so they have made up the requirements to keep the person working.

Anyway.. I would also say, you can't have it 3 ways.. so, you need to decide on what you want and apply. whatever it is, it might not be the fastest but it will ultimately get you what you want.

Re: Getting Residency
 

So I put in my application for citizenship yesterday, and applied for an extension today. Immigration said I can have my passport back in 28 days...

I am unemployed with nothing to do. Who wants to meet for coffee???

Re: Getting Residency
 

28 days?? Holy cow! And I thought I had it bad with a 2-week wait. Belinda, are you reading this??

Bimchick - where are you located? I have flexible work hours and would be happy to meet for a coffee :) You can feel free to send me a PM if you prefer.

I see you're in Worthing - I'm not far from you over here in Hastings. Let's connect.

Re: Getting Residency
 

Hi Foxy,

YEH, it seems it is getting worse every time I visit this forum LOL ;)
Well, I only can tell you all, come to Grenada as long as it is still quite easy to get a work permit here for a non-national. Comparing to Barbados it is sooooo easy!!! Believe me, I went through every sh** in Barbados, and after all I got a real paranoia when it comes to going to any immigration departement or even at the airport. In Grenada there are no queues at all, the immigration officers are mostly friendly (!) and treat you like a human, not like an animal or criminal.
I couldn't believe it until I experienced it here, but trust me, there are still nice countries out here!

Re: Getting Residency
 

Well I arrived on Monday and put down 90 days visit on my immigration form.
I was only asked who I was staying with and then let through without another word. They did only stamp my passport for 30 days though.

My other half did get stopped though and quizzed. They said that because we own a property here we should just go and register.

They make it sound so easy but from what I hear, it won't be. I'll keep you posted as to how we get on.

Re: Getting Residency
 

Good luck to you. I hope you don't have the long waits that others have had!

I find the difficult thing is not just figuring which questions to ask, but trying to anticipate what they aren't telling you when they answer your questions. It's like a scavenger hunt...

Re: Getting Residency
 

That's an uneducated Bajan thing though. I find that people here don't like to give entire answers to questions.

Some people just love to not give whole answers...it's infuriating!