Barbados Visa Policy

Visa Policy for Barbados

Visitors to Barbados must be sure to check for the required travel items before arranging the trip to Barbados. All visitors must have a valid passport and return ticket to be allowed entry to the island. Some nations also must obtain a visa at one of the Barbadian diplomatic missions unless they come from one of the visa-exempt countries.

It’s important to mention that Barbados is not part of any trade agreement in its own right. It has signed some trade agreements under the aegis of CARICOM with other nations in this hemisphere and farther afield. In other words, this country is not part of a specific visa agreement, which is why it tends to be very easy to enter and stay within its territory for a short-term stay.

Barbados does not offer a wide variety of visas because most countries are free to enter for a short-term stay without needing one. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, there are some restrictions, including quarantine and health declarations.

Plus, the maximum stay allowed for visa-free countries varies. Most countries can stay there for 90 days, but others have a shorter or even longer stays permitted.

To get more detailed information about the Barbados Visa Policy, we recommend continuing to read the information below.

Tourist Visa Policy for Barbados

Some nations require Barbadians traveling to those countries to first obtain a Visa. Likewise, Barbados also asks nationals of some countries to first obtain a Visa.

The good news is that most countries will only need a valid passport to visit Barbados as this country does not require many things for travelers. Few countries need a paper visa, and in that case, the traveler must visit a Barbadian local embassy or consulate to schedule an appointment and obtain the paper visa on due time.

Other documents might be necessary due to the COVID-19 condition. The most requested is the ED Card, which can be processed electronically and allows travelers to enter the country easily without having to get issues upon arrival. This document can be printed and hand-signed if required, although most of the time it’s not necessary.

Any traveler who is enthusiastic about visiting Barbados and requires a visa should first apply for processing and be granted permission to travel to Barbados BEFORE booking and planning the trip.

We also remind travelers that any entry visa is a prerequisite to seek entry into Barbados, but it does not guarantee entry. Permission to enter is granted exclusively by the Immigration officer at the port of entry.

Most countries do not require a visa to visit Barbados, but they do need an ED Card, which is available at iVisa.

In the following lines, we will share more information related to the Barbados Visa Policy and the documents required.

Paper Visa Required

Few countries require a Paper Visa to enter Barbados. In that case, it is necessary to visit a Barbadian local embassy to schedule an appointment and then answer some questions before obtaining the paper visa.

The process is basically the same as any paper visa required, meaning that the traveler must spend a lot of time completing the process. The good news is that, as mentioned before, not so many countries require a paper visa. Most of them only need a valid passport and nothing else.

As for the visa-free countries, they’re divided into four categories: 180 days visa-free countries, 90 days visa-free countries, 30 days visa-free countries, and 28 days visa-free countries.

Some of the countries that can stay in Barbados for 180 days (6 months) are:

• Antigua and Barbuda
• Australia
• Bahamas
• Bangladesh
• Belize
• Botswana
• Brazil
• Brunei
• Canada
• Dominica
• Eswatini
• Fiji
• The Gambia
• Ghana
• Grenada
• Guyana
• Ireland
• Israel
• Jamaica
• Kenya
• Kiribati
• Lesotho
• Malawi
• Malaysia
• Maldives
• Mali
• Mauritania
• Mauritius
• Mexico
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Samoa
• San Marino
• Seychelles
• Sierra Leone
• Singapore
• the Solomon Islands
• South Africa
• Sri Lanka
• St. Kitts and Nevis
• St. Lucia
• St. Vincent and the Grenadines
• Suriname
• Tanzania
• Tonga
• Trinidad and Tobago
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Tuvalu
• the United Kingdom
• the United States
• Uganda
• Vanuatu
• Zambia
• Zimbabwe

ED Card

The ED Card is a travel document required for all tourists who wish to enter Barbados. This document allows authorities to control the health situation of the country, especially with foreign travelers. The ED Card is not a visa and it does not replace one, so in case the traveler’s nationality needs a visa to enter Barbados, we recommend contacting the closest embassy.

This document works similar to a health declaration, so it is required for all nationalities, including those who don’t need a visa to enter.

To obtain the ED Card, the traveler must answer a short questionnaire related to personal health and COVID-19 symptoms. To visit the country, it is very important to have a negative COVID-19 test result taken in the last 72 hours before arrival. On arrival, the traveler may also be required to take a rapid COVID-19 antigen test.

Another mandatory requirement for all travelers is to have proof of accommodation booking. Fully vaccinated travelers must book a minimum of 2 nights. As for unvaccinated travelers, they must book a minimum of 7 nights. They will have to quarantine for 5 days and wait for the results of their PCR test taken at the end of the quarantine.

Starting on May 8th (2021), all fully vaccinated tourists visiting Barbados who provide a vaccination document that shows they have had either the AstraZeneca, Moderna, Pfizer, or Johnson and Johnson vaccines will have to quarantine only for one or two days at an approved accommodation. Vaccinated travelers will still have to offer proof of a negative PCR test result taken three days before they travel and must take a second PCR test. In other words, regardless of the traveler’s condition with the vaccines, the PCR test and the quarantine are still mandatory when entering Barbados.

The Barbados ED Card is a Single Entry document. It expires 30 days after issued and it allows a maximum stay of 90 days Per Entry.

Obtain more information about the Barbados Visa Policy or Apply here.

Other Visa Information for Barbados

Haiti travelers with diplomatic or service/official passports issued do not require a visa to enter Barbados. Also, holders of passports issued by any country can transit through Barbados for 12 hours. The only exception goes for citizens of Algeria, who must obtain a transit visa.