Barbados is officially letting people move there to work remotely for a year, and all you need to do is fill out an application
- Barbados has officially launched its 12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp, a new visa that allows remote workers to live and work from the Caribbean country for up to a year.
- Applicants must submit documents, such as a copy of their passport and birth certificate, electronically.
- It costs $2,000 for an individual visa, or $3,000 for a "family bundle."
- Visa-holders will not have to pay Barbados Income Tax.
- It's important to note that nonessential travel is discouraged in many places amid the coronavirus pandemic, including the US, where the CDC warns against it.
Barbados has officially launched its 12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp, which its prime minister announced earlier this month.
The Caribbean country is now accepting applications for this new visa, which allows visitors to stay there for up to a year and work remotely.
With much of the world working from home and unable to go on vacation due to the coronavirus pandemic, Barbados' new incentive lets people relocate to a popular destination, as the country's Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley says on the the visa's official website.
In a press release sent to Insider, Chairman of Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc., Sunil Chatrani, said that "the working environment in Barbados definitely enables you to get things done," and said it has "the fastest fiber internet and mobile services in the Caribbean," as well as "a range of flexible office space locations."
He adds that Barbados also offers excellent healthcare and good schools, for those who want to bring their families.
Applicants must fill out a form and submit documents electronically
Those interested must upload a passport-sized photo and a copy of the passport and birth certificate of any accompanying family members over the age of 18, according to the application process as detailed on the visa website. They must also include a list of any family members or dependents that would join them in Barbados, as well as proof of their relationship with them (such as marriage, birth, or adoption certificates), the website says.
The website says that approved applicants will have to pay $2,000 for an individual visa, or $3,000 for a "family bundle," and that the visa is valid for one year.
Visa-holders will not have to pay Barbados Income Tax, according to the visa's website.
For anyone traveling to Barbados, there are a few safety recommendations to keep in mind
According to a press release from Barbados Tourism Marketing, visitors from high-risk countries (more than 10,000 new cases in the last seven days) are "strongly encouraged" to take a COVID-19 test within 72 hours of their departure.
Travelers from low-risk spots (fewer than 100 cases in the last week) can take the test up to a week before departure, according to the same press release.
Travelers that haven't taken a test ahead of their arrival will have to take one upon landing, the same press release says, then quarantine at their expense for an estimated 48 hours until they receive the results. Should they test positive, they'll be "placed in isolation where they will receive care from the Ministry of Health and Wellness," the press release states.
Visitors also have to fill out an online embarkation/disembarkation form relating to their health and face temperature checks at the airport, the press release says.
According to Barbados' Government Information Service, flights to the island resumed on July 12, when it reopened to tourists.
However, it's important to note that nonessential travel is currently discouraged in many places, including the US, where the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warns against it. If you do decide to travel, it's worth checking the CDC's travel recommendations for specific countries.
Barbados has seen 106 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and seven related deaths at the time of writing, as data from the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center shows.
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