mark.alexander

Hi. How long can I stay on the island as a citizen by descent who only has a british passport and no Barbadian ID card?

Cheers

Sunniebgi

do you have a document that say you have citizenship?? then forever...

but I'd suggest that you get at least a Barbados ID, which doesn't take terribly long..

what do you use when you arrive into Barbados??

mark.alexander

Well yes my mum gave me a document that stated I was a citizen. I had been going to Bim and never knew I could enter via the 'local' immigration queue and so I was always stamped as a tourist although I've been a citizen since my school days (1985).

In 2011 (March) I noticed that at the airport they were being very proactive (yay to Barbados for thinking forward on that one!) and checking passengers with their forms and although I had a visitors form, an 'official' lady directed me over to the local queue and when I got there the man did hes normal thing and let me through but before he did that I asked him why I was put in this queue and he said it shows on the screen that you are a citizen. Now, I have never used my citizenship status for anything useful. Was it just a fluke that the 'official' assumed cos I was by myself that I may have been 'connected' to the island?

Anyway my mum just confirmed that as a citizen I can stay and do as I wish. I was worried and maybe naive and not thought how privilaged it is to be a citizen of Barbados.

I am coming home indefinately but cos I have some little ties back here in London, I will be back every now and then.

I can't find the copy of the letter of citizenship that my mum gave me earlier this year but I will assume I don't need it.

Sunniebgi

I actually have my citizenship paper and keep it safe. I travel with a copy of this form.. and my Barbados ID. When I arrive into Barbados, I show them my US Passport, but also my Barbados ID card.. have never had an issue.. and been doing this for close to 19 years.

We actually almost always come in through the Visitors line (well not always, but sometimes) just because there are 5 of us and it can work faster to get through. (much depends on what the queue looks like when we enter the arrivals hall.

regarding the form, you will need it, if all you have is a British passport, to get your Barbados ID Card (or you may have to apply to get a copy of this paper, then get the ID).

my 3 children were all born in Barbados, have Barbados citizenship but travel on US Passports.. They also hold Barbados ID's. Their US Passport shows there were born in Barbados and cannot be denied entry, even if they don't have a Barbados Passport. but, I still travel with their ID Cards.. They will also only ever be able to travel on or present a US passport to show their US Citizenship as well.