Which countries need visa for Barbados? Are you from a visa free country, or do you need a visa before you can visit Barbados for your next holiday? These are valid questions to ask yourself as you plan for your trip. Many make the mistake of planning trips without taking into consideration the possibility that they may need a visa to enter the country; it is only at the eleventh hour that they will discover that a visa is needed for that. To avoid planning in vain, read this article until the end to understand the Barbadian visa policy.
The Visa Policy Of Barbados
Barbados is an island famous for its lush beaches and paradise landscapes. The Island has long been one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean for tourists, and every year millions troop to Barbados to get away from the hustle and bustle of urban city life. The Island is well planned with artificial structure to support the demand of thousands of tourists; there are caves, waterfalls, dense forests, hills and mountains for hikers, and lovely beaches.
The restaurants in Barbados serve local and international cuisines, and the hotels and resorts are well-maintained. The local economy is heavily dependent on tourism, and the number of people on the Island at most times of the year far outnumbers the number of locals. As great as these side attractions may be, you may likely need a visa before entering Barbados island, and only those who fulfill all requirements can enter.
Which Countries Need A Visa For Barbados?
To know if you need a visa for Barbados, you must review the visa list of the Island. The authorities have three categories for countries: visa-free countries, visa on arrival countries, and non-visa-free countries. Whether you need a visa for Barbados will depend on your nationality, and let’s review them individually.
Visa-Free Countries To Barbados
Citizens from visa free countries don’t require visas to visit Barbados; they can simply enter the Island with their valid passports. They include fellow Caribbean countries, Canada, the United Kingdom, Guyana, Peru, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Fiji, Egypt, Belize, Malaysia, Lebanon, Schengen, and South Africa. Citizens from these countries can stay in Barbados for a few days, but if they wish to stay for up to one month or more, they are entitled to a visa on arrival.
The visa on arrival they will be issued have different validity, so if you are planning to apply for one and your country is on the visa free list, check the visa validity for your country.
Visa On Arrival
The second category is the visa-on-arrival category. Travelers whose countries are on this list are entitled to a visa on arrival. The US, China, Russia, Australia, Japan, and New Zealand are on this list. Those eligible for free entry but wishing to stay for longer than the number of days allowed may also apply for a visa on arrival.
This visa is issued to eligible visitors at the airport or seaport once they arrive. All they need is to provide their passports and a few other documents, and they will be allowed into Barbados. Note that they must also pay a nonrefundable visa fee to the authorities.
Visa Countries
The third category of visitors is those from visa required countries. The countries on this list far outnumber the countries on the visa free list and visa on arrival list. Persons from visa required countries must apply for the visa and get it before they board a flight or sea vessel headed for Barbados. The countries on this list are largely African countries, Asian, and Latin American countries and are more than 100 in number.
The visa issued to visitors are more or fewer entry prerequisites for those seeking entry, but they are not guarantees that the visitor will be allowed to enter the Island. The permission to allow entry rests with the immigration officers at the entry port. They carefully check the documents of all visitors and evaluate their eligibility with and independent of the documents they provide.
Persons with fake documents or original visas obtained under false pretexts will not be allowed into Barbados ad will be turned back.
Visa Requirements For Barbados Visa
Those from visa-free countries or eligible for a visa on arrival only need to show their passports, hotel reservations, proof of funds and return tickets. However, the requirements for visas are more, as you can see below
Completed application form signed by the applicant.
One recent passport-sized photograph
The biometric page of their passport
Birth or marriage certificate, where applicable
Cover Letter addressed to the head of immigration containing a phone number, house address, email, date of entry and duration of stay, etc
Employment letter is letter from academic institutions
Visa or Residence permit for those living outside their country of citizenship
Bank draft for visa fee addressed to the head of immigration
All documents must be in English.