Living in Barbados
Advice
Information forabout Britishmoving peopleto, living inor Barbados,retiring includingin informationBarbados on– health,including education,visas, benefits,working, residencehealthcare requirements and more.driving.
- From:
- Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office
- Published
- 18 November 2013
- Last updated
-
1922SeptemberOctober20242025 — See all updates
Getting help with living in Barbados
InformationHelp forfrom Britishthe citizensBarbados government
For any questions about moving to or living in Barbados, includingyou guidancemay onbe health,able educationto andget residency.help from the:
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Make andsure Instagramyou meet the entry requirements for Barbados. before you travel.
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Visas
If andyou residencywant to extend or replace your visa, contact the Barbados Immigration Department.
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PassportsPermanent and travel
residency
You canmay be able to apply for orpermanent renewresidency in Barbados.
To find out if you’re eligible and how to apply, read guidance on requirements for permanent resident status.
Citizenship
Barbados recognises dual citizenship. This means that you do not have to give up (renounce) your British passportcitizenship fromto become a citizen of Barbados.
CheckTo thefind Barbadosout travelif adviceyou’re eligible for passportcitizenship validityof requirements.Barbados:
Healthcare in Barbados
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Healthcare when in Barbados.Barbados
Read Certainour medicinesguidance mayon notmoving, beliving availableor inretiring abroad. This covers how to:
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Working in BarbadosBarbados
IfRead youour areguidance planningon tomoving, moveliving toor Barbadosretiring andabroad. work,This covers working abroad, including documents you may need from the UK government.
To work in Barbados, you need a visa.work Seepermit.
The Barbados Immigration Department explains the Barbadosdifferent government’swork guidancepermits onavailable workingto inyou.
The Barbados aswelcome astamp foreign nationalprogramme andallows howyou to getwork aremotely visa.in Barbados for up to 12 months.
Recognition of qualifications
ToIf applyyou forwant ato jobwork in Barbados, you may need to provide:get your foreign qualifications recognised.
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YouFor maymore beinformation ableon todriving and road travel, see safety and security in the travel advice for Barbados.
The Barbados Licencing Authority provides information on driving in Barbados, including how to:
Disabled drivers
You willmay havebe able to payapply for a feeBarbadian fordisabled yourparking work permit.card.
Studying in Barbados
If you planhave toa UK studyBlue Badge and live in Barbados, you must meetreturn allit visato requirementsthe beforeoriginal youUK travel.issuing authority.
Tax
Read theseour atguidance Barbadoson Immigration.
Contactmoving, theliving relevantor higherretiring educationabroad. providerThis incovers Barbadostax, toincluding checkpaying whatUK feestax youand haveNational to pay.Insurance.
Tax
The UK has a a double taxation agreement with Barbados so to ensure that peopleyou do not pay tax on the same income in both countries.countries.
AskContact the relevantBarbados taxRevenue authorityAuthority yourfor any questions about double taxation relief.relief.
YouConsider shouldgetting get professional advice on paying tax in Barbados.
FindBarbados. To do this, find a lawyer in Barbados.
ReadPensions
Claiming guidanceyour on:UK State Pension
taxRead
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taxhow
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iftheyouUKgetgovernmentapayspensionanandannualliveincreaseabroadin the State Pension
Claiming a Barbadian pension
Contact the National Insurance whileand abroadSocial Security Service to protectfind yourout Statewhether Pensionyou andcan entitlementclaim toOld otherAge benefitsPension andin allowances.
Benefits
Claiming UK benefits
CheckRead whichour UKguidance benefitson youmoving, canliving claimor whileretiring abroad. andThis covers how to claim them.
ManyUK income-related benefits suchabroad, asincluding PensionChild CreditBenefit.
Claiming andBarbadian Housingbenefits
You Benefitmay cannot be paidentitled ifto you’resome abroadBarbadian for more than 4 weeks.benefits.
BritishTo nationalsfind mayout beif entitledyou’re toeligible UKand benefitshow whileto living in Barbados.claim:
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ThereadUKguidancebasiconstatebenefitspensionispayableinBarbados.Barbados -
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ContacttheInternationalNationalPensionInsuranceCentreandforSocialmoreSecurityinformationService
Buying onand gettingrenting yourproperty pension in Barbados.
PensionsBarbados
Read Stateour Pension guidance ifon youmoving, haveliving lived in Australia, Canada or Newretiring Zealandabroad. andThis youcovers arebuying claimingand orrenting waitingproperty to claim your UK State Pension.abroad.
IfRead youthe retireBarbados inRevenue Barbados,Service’s youguidance canon claimselling, yourbuying UK State Pension or newtransferring UKa State Pensionproperty. .
Contact thea Internationallawyer Pensionin CentreBarbados foryou’re furtherconsidering information.buying property or land.
LifeVoting certificatesin for Barbados
UK State Pensionselections
IfRead youour getguidance aon ‘lifemoving, certificate’living fromor theretiring UK Pension Serviceabroad,. youThis mustcovers respondhow as soon as possible. Your payments may be suspended if you do not.to:
Money and banking
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register
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Barbadian elections
You aremay likely to be askedeligible to producevote ain referenceBarbadian fromelections.
Read yourguidance UK bank.on:
Accommodation
DrivingStudying in BarbadosBarbados
ReadIf theyou guidanceplan onto whatstudy actionsin Barbados, you must domeet toall drive visa legallyrequirements before inyou Barbados.travel.
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Children
Read our guidance foron travellingmoving, byliving roador inretiring Barbadosabroad.
You canThis alsocovers readmoving guidanceabroad ifwith youchildren, wishincluding:
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Voting
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The Barbados elections.
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Births, deaths, marriagemarriages and civil partnershippartnerships
BirthsBirths
If your child is born in BarbadosBarbados, you should register the birth with the localBarbadian authorities.authorities.
Read Youour canguidance thenon moving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to:
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register the birth with the UK authorities
andtoapplygetfora UK birthcertificate.certificate -
Ifapply for yourchildchild’shasfirst Britishnationalitypassport
Deaths
Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad, you. This covers:
-
what to do
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how to register the
birthdeath with theUK authoritiesUKtoapplyforaBritishpassport.authorities
Deaths
If someone dies in BarbadosBarbados, read ourguidance guidance:on:
WhatBarbados:English-speakingwhat
funeraltodirectorsdo if someone is murdered or dies in suspicious circumstances in Barbados
MarriageMarriages and civil partnershippartnerships
FindRead outour howguidance youon canmoving, living or retiring abroad. This covers how to get married or get a civil partnership abroad.abroad.
ToYou findcan fullalso detailsread aboutthe gettingBarbadian marriedgovernment’s inguidance Barbados,on gogetting tomarried thein Barbados government website..
Pets
IfSame yousex wishmarriages toand bringcivil apartnerships petare tonot Barbados,legally seerecognised thesein general guidelines.Barbados.
Emergencies
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guidanceandforcivilvictimspartnershipofdocuments -
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Pets
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Returning to the UKUK
Read the guidance on returning to the UK permanentlythe UK permanently. whichThis includes information on bringing family members,members back to the UK, tax and access to services.services.
Disclaimer
We provide this information as a guide only. For definitive information, contact the Barbadian authorities.
Read our consular information disclaimer.
Updates to this page
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Update history
2025-12-11 13:44
Added new information about dual citizens travelling to the UK (‘Passports’ section).
2025-10-22 14:42
This Living in Guide has been rewritten to make it easier to read and understand.
2024-09-19 15:41
Reviewed and updated
2023-01-04 14:39
Guidance fully reviewed and updated