All Filipinos must have a visa to enter Barbados, no matter the length of the stay. To obtain one, you need to send two completed copies of the Form J Visa Application (see link below), two passport-sized photographs, your valid passport, and a bank draft for US $50 for a single-entry visa, or US $60, if you will be leaving and re-entering the country. All materials should be sent to: Careenage House, Wharf Road, Bridgetown, Barbados. Contact the Immigration Office in Bridgetown by phone: (246) 426-1011, fax: (246) 426-0819, or email: [email protected].
To work in Barbados, there are certain restrictions on which jobs you can qualify for. If you have a specialized skill in shortage in Barbados, you may be granted a visa (the retail and travel industries usually allow only Barbadians). The company that hires you will normally complete the proper paperwork for you, as Barbados immigration does not allow applications from prospective employees themselves. Its costs US $100 to apply for the permit, and if permission to reside and work in Barbados is granted, it costs another US $400.
All Filipinos wishing to attend school in Barbados must have a student visa before reaching the island. The school you will attend may offer assistance in getting a student visa but, if not, you must send the completed forms (H1 and H2), signed and/or stamped by a school official; four passport-sized photographs; the US $100 application fee; and a valid passport to the address listed above. If one of your parents works in Barbados, also send proof of his or her work permit.
If you are financially self-sufficient and want to immigrate to Barbados (to retire, for example, or to invest in a Barbadian company), you must be able to prove you can sustain yourself and your dependents. Bank forms from an accredited institution or copies of official tax records should suffice. If approved, you'll be granted an immigrant status and, after five years, you may be granted permanent residency. Send two copies of the filled-out lengthy Form A to Chief Immigration Officer, Immigration Department, Wharf Road, Bridgetown, Barbados, along with a money order for the application fee of US $100. If the application is approved, a further fee of US $400 is due as well.
Keep a copy of all paperwork you send to the Immigration Office, in case something happens during the mailing or application process. Make copies of your passport before you send it to Barbados for the visa. Don't send cash or personal checks for application fees. International bank drafts or money orders should be available at most international banks, or through the Philippine Postal Service (see link below). You cannot obtain a visa at the point of entry unless you have made prior arrangements.
