Wagxl

Hello Flaxhi:
Surely the children don't need a student visa to go to a private school like Codrington School and Providence, do they?

What does one do if he is retired but has a school age child?

Who is your lawyer? I would like to talk to him to learn more.

And to Shines: What more can you tell us about this student visa situation. Do you know who I can talk to about this sort of thing. Because I am retired I hope we can come without any special visas or living permits. But if we have to get something I want to know well in advance to make all the necessary arrangements.

Thanks for any info from anyone with experience in all this.
Olderman

shines

Hi Linda,

For us Codrington suits my daughter better than Providence, although the cost was and still is a major source of worry for me (I am married to a local on local wages, not an expat who is here on relocation benfits). Codrington is a warm, welcoming, nurturing, open environment which I feel is the better place for my little one to be....

If we have to survive on breadfruit and flying fish for the next 15 yrs then so be it I guess...! Also as we live in the North it is the easiest school to get to, down the gorgeous East coast with no traffic (just quite a few bumpy roads!)

My friends husband works offshore and they arrived last year and were eventually stamped for a year, they have to renew soon. They have since purchased a house here (a requisite although that does not guarantee you the right to stay). Their lawyer is Zarina Khan [email protected] (that is the info I found online for her). I know they had a battle though... and it may not be over yet!

A Student Visa only lasts for a year and must be renewed each year, they definitely do not last for 3 years. Your 3 year old will not require a student visa though, it is only for children that are going into reception (unless your 3 yr old is 4 before Sept 08, as mine is)

HTH a little, PM if you want to....

S

shines

Hi there,

Any child in full time education needs to have a student visa, even for private schools. Even though you are retired you will need permission to stay on the island. You will need a visa to stay here and once/if you get it then you can apply for a student visa for your child.

I have heard it is much easier to gain a visa to stay the older you are as they are less worried you will be looking to work here, but that is just via the usual Barbados rumour mill... (which is extensive and incestuous)

When you arrive on the island you will need a return ticket, you will then be stamped in your passport for the length of that stay - once this time is up you will have to attend Immigration to apply for an extension - if your wish is to live here and school your child here then you would be best to hire an attorney and go through the process which can be very long winded, frustrating and time consuming. The wheels of government do not run too quickly here, to be fair when it comes to Immigration they do have to have their processes in place. I have heard they are starting to get stricter within this area but how that will affect your siuation I am unsure. I do know Zarina Khan is a very capable lawyer though...

Probably best to contact her and ask her professional advice...

Good luck!

S

flaxhigh

I was told by our lawyer that the authorities are definitely tightening up about retired people. They don't particularly want retired people on the island. What they are trying to encourage - which is fair enough - are people who are actively going to contribute to the economy though not in ways that locals could do. Investment in property is no longer even sure to get you residency.
Linda

flaxhigh

Hi Shines,
I was trying to find the private message button but I can't find it (it is a real pain being such a computer duffer...) Wasn't sure what HTH means either. Oh dear...
But many thanks for your reply. I was interested to hear about your friends and many thanks for your recommendation of the lawyer. We have to sell up here - whish we are in the process of doing - before we can start with work permit applications etc which I know will take a good 6 months but having done a lot of sorting out when I was on the island in March there is nothing more to do now except give our lawyer instruction, which is a relief.

So I guess we are aiming to start school for my oldest Sept 09- whenever autumn term starts over at your end. My youngest will be 4 then but I will probably keep looking after him as I intended to here, till he is 5.

I think Codrington was probably the best school we saw but we liked Providence for its bucolic surroundings. All that glitters is not necessarily gold but the glitter still attracts...

Linda x

shines

Hi Linda

HTH = Hope that helps

Your youngest neeeds to start school here in the year that he turns 5. i.e. my daughter is 4 at the end of August but she will need to being school this September as it is the school year in which she will turn 5. This is the same as it would be in the UK. My daughter will always be the youngest child in her year... So, if your son is 4 before August 09 he will need to begin reception in Sept 09. If this is the case you need to apply for a place for him sooner ather than later as the schools fill up quickly.

As for glitter, you have it right. Sometimes it is not always gold.... That was my view in the end.

S

bajanwannabe

Hi All. I have friend who lives in uk, but has just received her citizenship for barbados, and also has a house there. I have travelled to the country several times. She would like to start a buisness there, and for go out there together.
Does that give me any benefits? I m experienced security supervisor. any advice welcome please...

zanne

I would think that your friend would have to have a well established business in place before you could even consider moving out here. And then whether or not the permit will be granted to you is a whole other story. Depending on the type of business the government may take the position that all of the positions could be filled by Nationals. If the business fails, for example, you wouldn't be able to stay.

Sorry to be such a downer

Maybe some others could chime in.

Foxy_fromCanada

I agree with Zanne. It's difficult (impossible) to get a work permit for a job a Bajan could do.

So, you'd have to get a work permit for a job that someone here is not qualified to do. Usually you apply to jobs and the hiring company puts through the application for work permit for you. If you were going to work with your friend, your position would have to be something specialized or unique that couldn't be filled here by a National.

I am not sure if security is a field that is in demand here. I simply don't know. You could try sending your CV around and see if you get any calls.

Good Luck,
Foxy

zanne

Well as far as security there are companies like G4S that provide security services but from what I see these are jobs that are taken by Bajans and are typically paying lower local wages.

I would assume that they promote from within. Something like a security consultancy for a major client, like you would see overseas, I don't think that this really exists here.