visa
 

the pastport stamp you get on arrival in the island is that valid for 6months?? or do i need to do something else to get a 6month visa? thanks.

Re: visa
 

The stamp you get in your passport at the airport upon arrival will mostly likely be for 30 days.

If you want to extend your stay, you will need to apply for a Visitor's Extension through the Immigration department in Town.

You will need to fill out a form (available at their office), pay a fee of $50BDS, present 2 passport-sized photos, and have an interview to explain why you want to stay. Sometimes you need to prove how you will support yourself.

Don't wear sleeveless shirts at Immigration or they may tell you to go home and change. Also, arrive EARLY (8am) as the extensions section of Immigration seems to hold its own hours, sometimes closing very early. I've asked plenty of times what the hours are, and nobody can give me a straight answer, so go early.

Foxy

Re: visa
 

thats great info thank you. also if i do get a 6month stay and then leave do you know how long i have to leave for before i can come back in??? is it just 24 hours away from the island or longer? thanks

Re: visa
 

Technically, you just have to leave the island. When you return, you'll start over again with the 30-day stamp and then applications to extend. You'd have to show a return ticket at the airport, just like a regular tourist.

If you leave before your 6-mo extension expires, then you can come back in without having to show a return ticket - you can do this until the extension expires, but I would travel with documents (i.e. your ticket out at the end of the 6-mo stay) just to be safe, so there can be no questions.

In reality, you may be questioned if the Immigration Officer at the airport notices that you keep coming back to Barbados for 6-mo stay after 6-mo stay. If that is your plan, then you should probably talk to Immigration regarding your options for staying longer. Otherwise, you might be questioned as to why you keep coming back.

By the way, I forgot to mention that when you apply for a Visitor's Extension, you also have to take a departure ticket with you, to prove you are indeed leaving Barbados. At least, I had to when I did it.

Foxy

Re: visa
 

thats great thank you. i am ideally wanting to move there but that seems near impossible unless i want to retire and not work which is not possible for me as i need to work.. so im looking at spending 6months in the UK working and 6months over there not working.

Re: visa
 

Ah, I see. In that case, you would probably be a recurring longer-term visitor (that's not an Immigration term, that's just something I made up).

Probably fairly easy to come to Bim and see if you can get the 6-mo extension every year.

No, you can not work without a work permit, but you can probably stay as a visitor for 6 months at a time.

Re: visa
 

YEAH AS I THOUGHT, IT SEEMS SO HARD TO COME OVER AND LIVE AND WORK THERE IF YOU DONT HAVE A CONNECTION TO THE ISLAND. I WAS WANTING TO SET UP A COMPANY AND EMPLOY THE LOCALS GIVING JOBS ETC BUT EVEN DOING THAT WHICH WILL BE BENEFITTING TO THE ISLAND SEEMS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO GET A VISA.