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Barbados was one of the first countries to offer the remote visa program back in June 2020. The Welcome Stamp visa is designed for employees and self-employed digital nomads, that want to explore this beautiful Caribbean island and take advantage of 12 months with no personal income tax!
Holders of The Barbados Welcome Stamp Visa are not required to pay any local taxes as they would be working remotely for a company based outside of Barbados. There is 0% local tax on your income or any capital gains.
The Remote Employment Act clearly states that neither the applicant nor the foreign company that he works for will be charged any taxes from the Barbados Government for the duration of the Welcome Stamp. Applicants are not allowed to work for nor to drive any income from local entities.
Welcome Stampers can apply to customs in advance of having a one-off shipment of used household and personal items (excluding motor vehicles) imported into Barbados. Items in excess of 1-year old are granted exemptions from the payment of duties and taxes, while items less than 1-year old are treated as ‘new’ with duties and taxes applicable.
The successful applicant and their dependents (if any) will be expected to pay Income Taxes in the countries in which they are normally resident. Tax documents that prove this, are not a requirement but can be submitted as a supporting document for proof of funds.
Employers of remote workers are not required to register or have a payroll in Barbados. What that means is that it’s safer for the employer to let their employees work remotely from Barbados, which in turn makes it easier for aspiring digital nomads to negotiate remote work arrangements with their employers.
It’s worth remembering that nomad visas don’t erase all of the risks for employers (such as permanent establishment, the duty of care, etc). These can only be assessed by the employer’s legal/tax teams.
Anyone who is not a national of Barbados and is employed in a country other than Barbados can apply for the Welcome Stamp Visa in order to work in Barbados for a period of 12 months. They need to submit the following:
You can download a copy of the Government Brochure here The Remote Employment Act – NonTax Bill (pdf).
The applicant(s) will be informed via email of the successful application within 5 days of receiving the application. Fees are to be paid within 28 days of the approval. No return ticket is required.
Once approved you have 12 months from the date your visa is granted to arrive in Barbados. Visa is valid from the date of arrival & for 12 months thereafter.
For those who want to proceed with the application, a non-refundable NDR visa fee is payable with the application. Fees are:
All the details of the program, including How to Apply are available on the government website: Barbados Welcome Stamp
Visa holders and their dependents will have access to the medical facilities but only the private ones or they will have to pay the fees in public clinics and hospitals that are applicable to any non-residents. Having medical insurance is required for all applicants, however, if securing insurance in the country of origin is proving difficult, Barbados is providing options for paid medical insurance options on the island.
Children of the visa holders can attend the local private school for the duration of the visa or public ones but in both cases, they will have to cover the fees.
Visa holders will be able to travel into and out of the country as they wish for the whole duration of their visa. They don’t need to hold the accommodation within the country if they are not there, but they should have their lodging booked in advance of their arrival each time.
It’s also encouraged that Stamp holders email Barbados Immigration to inform them about any address changes.
Tel: +246-535-3700
Email: [email protected]
Barbados does have fiber optic and generally speaking, it works pretty well with median broadband Download Speeds of 56 Mbps. Moreover, 82% of the population has the access to the internet, which means that most places should have WiFi that is absolutely enough for different types of work, even if you work with big video files or do a lot of streaming.
The cost of living in Barbados might be slightly lower than other Caribbean islands but it’s still quite high & comparable to averages in North America.
According to our ☕ Cappuccino Index, which uses Numbeo’s average price for a regular cappuccino, the USD price in Barbados is $4.12 which is just below the US avg of $4.30 but above the UK avg price that is $3.83.
Learn about the data sources & how is the score calculated. Last updated November 20, 2022.
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