Moving to Barbados I need help/answers
 

Hello everyone, I am moving to Barbados at the end of the year. I have a few questions that I hope someone out there can answer.

1. I intend to apply for citizenship through descent as my father is Bajan, has anyone had experience of how long the citizenship process takes.
2. I am intending to rent for the year, then build a house in Christ Church, 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom, split level house, with a one bedroom apartment to the side, does anyone know how long it would take to build and cost an approximate would be good.
3. I have been told of stories about contractors that in some cases they use your money on other projects, a masonry was mentioned as maybe a better option, are their any governing bodies for builders or a department in Barbados that can guide you in the right direction.
4. Could people give me their experience of the building process

Thank you :confused:

Re: Moving to Barbados I need help/answers
 

Hi Birthday Girl, I am also of bajan descent (my father being bajan) and myself and my husband are hoping to relocate some time next year. I applied over two and a half years ago now and they are still trying to make a descision!!! I think the problem being is that my mother and father had me out of wedlock so I think this has caused some delay. They have had all the relevant documents but everytime I call them they say they are still waiting to make a descision! My uncle in Barbados has called them and they have reassured him that the matter should be resolved by June??????

Myself & my husband have also built a house in Christchurch and it is 90% finished. We have now come to a stage where we have paid the contractor enough to finish the inside of our house but my family/neighbours have said that there has been no work done for the last five weeks!! We have contacted the contractor and he says he has no money!!! We have paid him more than enough to finish the inside of our home but it is obvious that he has spent our money elsewhere. We had taken out loans and maxed our credit cards to get the end of the build finished as he was demanding more money & if we didn't send it he would have to take all the workers off the build. We feel totally let down and out of pocket as we are now struggling to pay off credit here as he promised the house would be finished 3 months ago and we were going to rent it out until we relocate there to help pay everything here. We are now having to seek legal advice.

Our neighbours know of a sound contractor so if you need anymore advice, please let me know. We may also have to use him as ours has let us down and we feel like we have been robbed. The only advice I can give you, is like ourselves is get a lawyer in Barbados(which we did) & make sure all moneys go through him/her so there is a record of how much the contractor has been paid. Also, most important...GET A QUANTITY SURVEYOR!!!(an independent one from your contractor) to overlook the work that is getting done & that your money IS being spent on your home.

Anymore advice, info, please don't hesitate to get in touch,

Jo-anne

Re: Moving to Barbados I need help/answers
 

The descent application should take no more than 6 months, someone is not telling you the truth!

Re: Moving to Barbados I need help/answers
 

Hi everyone, I'm in the process of applying for dual nationality for myself and my daughter as my husband, her father is Bajan. We're off for our interview in the Barbados High Commission in London in a week's time. I was wondering if anyone else has been on this long 'journey' and could perhaps give me some information/advice on what I should expect at the interview, waiting time for citizenship etc. Also, is the process quicker if it's been instigated in the UK rather than in Barbados or about the same? Any info is gratefully received.:)

Re: Moving to Barbados I need help/answers
 

Joanne, I would like to thank you for the information, building a house is seeming a long drawn out process. How long have you been building your house and what is the size e.g 3 bedroom bungalow or 3 bedroom split level etc? This would just give more of indication of how long I will have to rent. I would appreciate the details of the reliable contractor your neighbour knowns. Once again thank you and I wish you all the best in the remainder of your house build.

Re: Moving to Barbados I need help/answers
 

Not true-- and both of my parents were born in Barbados and married when I was born. All circumstances are different.

Mine has taken 2+ yrs as well b/c of discrepancies on my mother's paperwork (names were reversed in the US, pretty common)-- so I had to go and get a copy of my father own, they want a copy of my parents marriage cert (even though they have the divorce paperwork) and now when I call again, they tell me there was an issue with some amendment on my birth certificate (which they've had for 2 yrs mind you).

This of course was following two visits by myself in those years and being told things would be fine once I was talking to them in person. Now they want to re-send my whole application and have me do it over. :curse:

A lady there was communicating and working with me when I first apply, but now she's gone so this is what I'm stuck with. Hopefully things will be all set before I go home again in Dec, but I am not betting money :thumbup: