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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•  Barbados BritishImmigration citizensDepartment 

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• lawyers  

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Help Commonwealthfrom &the DevelopmentUK Officegovernment (FCDO)  

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Read generalour guidance on movingmoving, living or retiring abroad.   

ToGet stayhelp upfrom tothe date:UK followgovernment theabroad, Britishincluding Highin Commissionan Barbadosemergency.

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Make andsure Instagramyou meet the entry requirements for Barbados. before you travel.  

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residence permits  

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Visas

If andyou residency

want to extend or replace your visa, contact the Barbados Immigration Department.  

CheckFor more information, contact: 

• the entryHigh requirementsCommission for Barbados in ourthe travelUK 

• a advice.lawyer in Barbados 

Passports

Permanent 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

• Thereread isguidance noon reciprocalBarbadian healthcitizenship 

• contact carethe inBarbados Barbados.Immigration Department  

You

Help mustwith ensurevisa youand haveresidency privateapplications 

The healthcareBritish coverHigh forCommission Barbados.in CheckBridgetown thecannot help with Barbados listvisa ofand medicalresidency practitioners.applications.

MedicinePassports 

IfRead youour areguidance on amoving, prescriptionliving foror anyretiring medicationabroad. youThis shouldcovers ensurehow youto:  

• apply havefor a supplyBritish ofpassport it,from orabroad 

• travel areurgently ablewithout toyour obtainBritish itpassport 

Healthcare when in Barbados.Barbados 

Read Certainour medicinesguidance mayon notmoving, beliving availableor inretiring abroad. This covers how to:  

• plan your healthcare 

• take medicine abroad 

Barbados (includingdoes majornot brandshave readilya availablereciprocal inhealthcare agreement with the UK),UK. andMake sure you mayhave beappropriate prohibitedhealth frominsurance takingto themcover intoany thehealthcare country.costs. You shouldcan consultget yourinsurance GPfrom beforeprivate travellingproviders. to 

To Barbados to find out abouthow anyto alternativeget medication.medical treatment:  

• Readcontact theyour insurance provider 

• read guidance ifon youhealth needin toBarbados  

• find travelmedical withfacilities medicinesin Barbados.

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.

• a

  Driving detailedin coverBarbados letter 

  Read fromour theguidance potentialon employer

• C-3moving, Applicationliving formand retiring abroad. (inThis duplicate)
covers how to:  
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  drive passport-sizedabroad photoslegally 

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• get thedriving Policelicence ofletters 

To eachdrive countryin whichBarbados, you havemust livedexchange your UK licence for ata leastBarbadian 6licence. monthsYou incan make the pastexchange 3at years

• athe copyBarbados ofLicensing Authority at the bio-dataPine. pageFor ofany questions about exchanging your validlicence, passport

contact the Barbados Licensing Authority. 

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:   

• apply for a shortBarbadian termdriving orlicence  

• apply for a longlearner’s termpermit 

• register worka permit.vehicle 

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 

• tax

  Read ifour youguidance leaveon themoving, UKliving toor liveretiring abroad

. This covers:  
• tax

  how onto claim your UK incomeState if you live abroadPension 

• tax

  where ifthe youUK getgovernment apays pensionan andannual liveincrease abroad

in the State Pension  
paying

Claiming a Barbadian pension 

Contact the National Insurance whileand abroadSocial Security Service to protectfind yourout Statewhether Pensionyou andcan entitlementclaim toOld otherAge benefitsPension andin allowances.

Barbados. 

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:  

• Theread UKguidance basicon statebenefits pension is payable in Barbados.Barbados 

• contact Contact the InternationalNational PensionInsurance Centreand forSocial moreSecurity informationService

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 Pensions

elections 

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

• Therevote are a number of banks in BarbadosUK andelections advice should be sort sought directly from themabroad 

• register onas how to open an account.overseas voter 

Barbadian elections  

You aremay likely to be askedeligible to producevote ain referenceBarbadian fromelections.  

Read yourguidance UK bank.on:  

Accommodation

• voting andin buying property

Barbados 

Seeregistering buyingto avote propertyin abroadBarbados.

DrivingStudying in BarbadosBarbados 

ReadIf theyou guidanceplan onto whatstudy actionsin Barbados, you must domeet toall drive visa legallyrequirements before inyou Barbados.travel. 

For Youmore shouldinformation:  

• read buyguidance aon licencetravel online. Yougrants canfor alsostudents readstudying generalabroad guidanceor abouton drivingplacements abroad(England).  

• Ifcontact you’reyour askedhigher foreducation aprovider letterin authenticating,the certifyingUK or validatingBarbados 

• contact yourthe UKBarbados driver’sMinistry licence,of youEducation, shouldTechnical contactand yourVocational UK issuing office (eg the DVLA).Training

Children 

Read our guidance foron travellingmoving, byliving roador inretiring Barbadosabroad.

You canThis alsocovers readmoving guidanceabroad ifwith youchildren, wishincluding:  

• getting permission to take your vehiclechild with you.abroad  

  Disabled

• claiming drivers UK Child Benefit abroad 

• Ifchild youmaintenance havepayments if a UKparent Bluelives Badgeabroad 

Schools and liveeducation 

The inMinistry Barbados,of youEducational mustTransformation returnprovides itinformation toabout the originalschooling UKsystem issuingin authority.Barbados.  

YouAll canchildren findaged more5 informationto about16 applyingmust forattend aschool disabledor ‘parkinghome ID’school in BarbadosBarbados.  

For throughmore information, read the localMinistry councilof website.Educational Transformation’s guidance on how to:  

Voting

• Someenrol non-nationalsyour maychild havein theschool 

• apply right to votehomeschool inyour child   

Childcare  

The Barbados elections. CheckChild ifCare youBoard canis voteresponsible for childcare services in Barbados.Barbados.  

YouThe mayChild beCare ableBoard towill voteat intimes somehold UKa elections.list Youof can:

• checkpublic ifdaycare youcentres arein ableBarbados. toContact vote
• registerthe asChild anCare overseasBoard voter

for more information.

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:   

• register the birth with the UK authorities andto applyget for a UK birth certificate.certificate   

• Ifapply for your childchild’s hasfirst British nationalitypassport   

Deaths  

Read our guidance on moving, living or retiring abroad, you. This covers:   

• what to do notafter needsomeone dies abroad  

• how to register the birthdeath with the UK authoritiesUK to apply for a British passport.authorities 

Deaths

If someone dies in BarbadosBarbados, read ourguidance guidance:on: 

• What

  what to do ifwhen someone dies abroadin Barbados 

• Barbados:

  funeral Bereavementdirectors guidancein Barbados 

• English-speaking

  what funeralto directorsdo 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

Divorce and separation  

IfConsider youtaking havelegal beenadvice thefrom victima oflawyer ain rapeBarbados.

Documents orfor sexualBritish assaultpeople in Barbados,Barbados 

Read readour the guidance on whatdocuments tofor do andBritish wherepeople toabroad. getThis support incovers:   

• legalising cases of rape and sexual assault.certifying SeeUK furtherdocuments  

• marriage guidanceand forcivil victimspartnership ofdocuments 

• affirmations rape and sexualaffidavits  

• witnessing assault abroad.signatures 

Find

Lawyers aand listnotaries 

To offind Barbadosa lawyers.

Iflawyer you’reor thenotary victimin ofBarbados, aread crime,guidance haveon beenprofessional arrested,services orif areyou’re affectedabroad.  

Pets 

If byyou awant crisis, contactto thebring Britishyour Highpet Commissionwith Bridgetownyou onto +1Barbados, 246read 430guidance 7800on:  

• Readbringing theanimals guidanceinto on international parental child abductionBarbados if 

• taking your childpet maydog, becat ator riskferret ofto this.a non-EU country 

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.