Barbados opens its doors to digital nomads with the Barbados Welcome Stamp program

This Barbados digital nomad guide was written by Lora Pope, a solo female adventure travel blogger living nomadically around the world. She explains whatโ€™s it like to live and work in paradise with the Barbados digital nomad visa called โ€œBarbados Welcome Stamp.โ€ Read on!

Reader Mail: Dear Trisha, your blog is my digital nomad diary! Thank you for all your tips about working remotely. I am currently choosing where to relocate as a digital nomad. Do you know anything about the Barbados digital nomad visa? How easy is it to apply? I heard itโ€™s quite expensive but I just want to ask you since you are an expert in digital nomadism. Do you recommend Barbados? Thank you so much for all your help!
โ€“ Derek Rhodes, USA

Dear Derek,

Thank you for reaching out! I did an interview with a local in Barbados and I will upload that in video form soon. I honestly donโ€™t know anything about being a digital nomad in Barbados so I invited a fellow digital nomad, Lora Pope from Explore With Lora to give you an insight about Barbados digital nomad.

She is a true expert on the subject and I am so glad sheโ€™s here to share her insights. Follow her on socials and feel free to ask her questions โ€“ sheโ€™s very attentive to reader questions as well!

Good luck and I hope you find your way to Barbados!

Xx,
Trisha

With warm weather, fast Wi-Fi, and a new long-term remote work visa Barbados is a great option for digital nomads looking for a tropical destination to live in. Itโ€™s easy to love living in Barbados, with the laid-back Caribbean lifestyle, pristine beaches, and ample opportunity for water sports. Whether you want to learn to surf or spend your days swimming with sea turtles, youโ€™ll quickly fall in love with this island paradise.

Is Barbados open?

Barbados opened its doors to international tourism in July 2020 and has provided a home to many digital nomads seeking a safe place to live during the pandemic. Each country is assigned a risk level that determines the travel protocols you need to follow coming here which you can learn more about here.

Where is Barbados?

Barbados is an island nation in the Lesser Antilles in the southeastern Caribbean. Itโ€™s the easternmost island in the Caribbean, and the closest neighbors are Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent to the north. It is a really small island, just 21 miles long and 14 miles wide! It has a different geological formation than nearby Caribbean islands which are primarily volcanic. Itโ€™s less mountainous but is surrounded by gorgeous coral reefs that give way to an abundance of marine life.

The easiest way to get here is by plane, as it has the Grantley Adams International Airport which offers direct flights from major hubs including London, Miami, and Toronto. There is presently no ferry service between Barbados and other Caribbean islands, but cruise ships often stop here.

Why Barbados should be your digital nomad base

Barbados is a small island, you can drive around the entire thing in about 3 hours! While Bridgetown is the capital city, few digital nomads choose to live here. Most stay in the smaller neighborhoods along the south and west coast of Barbados, where you can find picture-perfect beaches, lively nightlife, and a ton of accommodation options.

The south coast is a great place to live if you want to be close to beaches, restaurants, and nightlife. Itโ€™s also ideal if you donโ€™t have a car as the public busses run frequently along the coast, making it easy to get around. Worthing, Hastings, and Oistins are some of the best neighborhoods to stay in.

Read: Countries with digital nomad visa
barbados digital nomad
Fun fact: Barbados is the producer of the best (and oldest) rum in the world.

The west coast is another great area to live in, although the accommodation options tend to be more expensive and there arenโ€™t as many options for nightlife. Holetown and Speightstown are the two main neighborhoods people stay on the west coast.

If you are a die-hard advanced surfer then you may want to stay in Bathsheba, on the east coast. Itโ€™s home to โ€˜surf bowlโ€™ โ€“ a famous surf spot in Barbados. However itโ€™s very quiet on this side of the island with limited restaurants and shops around, so youโ€™ll definitely need a car if you plan to stay out here.

Barbados digital nomad guide: costs, Internet connection, and more!

Loraโ€™s personal experience as a digital nomad in Barbados

I never expected to be living in the Caribbean, but like many so many others COVID messed with my travel plans. I was looking for a safe place to escape the lockdowns and upcoming winter season in Canada and had a friend living in Barbados who raved about the nightlife, beaches, and general atmosphere. Before I knew it, I was on a one-way flight from Toronto to Bridgetown.

It wasnโ€™t long before Barbados became one of my favorite Iโ€™ve ever lived as a digital nomad. Itโ€™s easy to make friends, stay active, and enjoy a high standard of living for a reasonable cost. Not to mention the gorgeous weather and beaches!

See also: Best Asian cities for digital nomads
expats living in Barbados
Find Lora on Instagram, @explorewithlora.

One of the best parts about Barbados is how easy it is to live an active lifestyle here. Itโ€™s got some of the best waves in the Caribbean, which has attracted a huge surf community here. Most digital nomads incorporate a couple of hours of surf into their workday every day! There are also many yoga and outdoor fitness classes you can join.

Barbados is a small island, so you will quickly get to know the other foreigners living here as well as the locals who are quite friendly. After a few weeks, youโ€™ll start to run into people you know which makes Barbados quickly feel like home.

Overall, I absolutely love island life in Barbados. I noticed an immediate improvement in my mental health and quality of life since moving โ€“ my only regret is not getting here sooner!


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The digital nomad scene in Barbados

While relatively new, the digital nomad community in Barbados is strong and growing every day. If you are new to the island, there are several Facebook groups you can join, as well as WhatsApp groups to find out whatโ€™s going on. The Bajan Nomad Social group also runs regular meetups.

Another great way to meet people is through outdoor activities โ€“ I made my first few friends during a surf lesson. Just head to the beach and Iโ€™m sure youโ€™ll find someone to talk to โ€“ everyone is very friendly and laid-back in Barbados!

You might also like: How to become a digital nomad
barbados digital nomads
Lora never thought sheโ€™d live in Barbados as a digital nomad.

I absolutely love living in Barbados. Itโ€™s very easy to live an active lifestyle and stay healthy with so many water sports around. There are also hiking meet-up groups, dive clubs, and regular yoga classes.

One of my favorite things about living here is being able to sunbathe on pristine beaches or jump in the ocean for a swim whenever I want! Youโ€™ll likely run into the resident sea turtles while in the water here, as Barbados is surrounded by healthy coral reefs.

The nightlife in Barbados is very active. There is always live music happening somewhere and the bars are open late into the night. Most digital nomads meet up after work for a happy hour drink, and events happen regularly on the island.

Internet speed in Barbados

Barbados is equipped with high-speed fiber internet around the island, so youโ€™ll have no problem working from this tropical paradise. Free public Wi-Fi is available at most restaurants, cafes, and hotels around the island.

digital nomad travelwifi

Cost of living in Barbadosโ€][vc_column_text]Barbados is by no means the cheapest digital nomad destination, but itโ€™s not as expensive as you might think. If you arenโ€™t staying in a 5* luxury hotel, there are plenty of affordable places to rent. I had a one-bedroom apartment for $1000 USD a month in Oistins, but itโ€™s possible to get an even better price if you are willing to rent longer-term.

digital nomad barbados
Fun fact: You can visit one of the 18 last remaining Concorde planes at the Barbados airport.

One of the things I dislike about living in Barbados is that there are high import taxes, which can make some things expensive, like cars and electronics. Some food can also be expensive, so you have to be careful and look at the price of everything while shopping. I spend about $75/week on groceries as a single person.

That said, there are plenty of free things to do in Barbados that make the cost of living here affordable. All beaches in Barbados are free and open to the public, which is one of the best parts about living here. Be sure to take advantage of happy hour drink specials, which coincide with the gorgeous Barbados sunsets.

Barbados Digital Nomad visa

In the summer of 2020, Barbados launched a 1-year remote work visa called the Welcome Stamp. It allows people who work online to relocate and work from Barbados for up to 12 months.

To qualify for the Barbados Welcome Stamp, you must be employed outside of Barbados and expect to earn more than $50,000 USD over the course of the year and/or have financial means to support yourself.

barbados digital nomad

It costs $2,000USD for a single person or $3,000 USD for families) and takes less than 10 minutes to apply on their website. Youโ€™ll be required to provide a passport-sized photo as well as a copy of your passport. The turnaround time is fairly quick, you should expect to hear back within a week of applying.

U.S., Canadian, and UK citizens do not need a visa for stays of less than 6 months, so if you are only planning to stay in Barbados for a couple of months it may not be necessary to get the welcome stamp.

Barbados cafes with strong wifi

Barbados is full of beautiful cafes and restaurants you can work from and enjoy stunning views at the same time. Please remember to support these businesses and buy more than a coffee if you plan to sit there all day! Not all of them have outlets available, so remember to charge your laptop before going.

Surfers Cafe (Oistins)

Stunning ocean views and delicious food. Itโ€™s close by to Miami beach, which is a great place to go if you want some beach time after work.

๐Ÿ“ Get directions to Surferโ€™s Cafe Oistins ยป

barbados digital nomad
In Barbados, you are literally working by the beach.

Bliss Cafe

A cute cafe near the popular St. Lawrence Gap area. It serves affordable and delicious breakfast and lunch options in a jungle-style setting surrounded by greenery. itโ€™s usually quite busy in the mornings so I advise going after 11.

๐Ÿ“ Get directions to Bliss Cafe ยป

Further down the south coast towards Bridgetown are another two of my favorites restaurants for working from โ€“ Baby Doll and Blue Pineapple. They both have Instaworthy decor and prime beachfront locations. Everything is outside but they have shaded umbrellas, so this is a great way to enjoy the amazing Barbados weather while still getting some work done!

Safety Wing Digital Nomad Insurance

Coworking spaces in Barbados

Barbados is equipped with high-speed fiber internet around the island, so youโ€™ll have no problem working from this tropical paradise. Free public Wi-Fi is available at most restaurants, cafes, and hotels around the island.

Co-working spaces are limited, so most digital nomads choose to work at home or from one of the many cafes.

Regus Co-Working

Here, you can rent office space, use a coworking space with a hot desk or dedicated desk, use meeting rooms, and even rent a virtual office for your business address.

Get directions to Regus

The Bajan Nomad Social

This group runs monthly co-working popups on the 1st Thursday of every month at various hotels/restaurants around the island. This is a great way to meet other digital nomads working on the island!

Co-living spaces are also becoming a trend in the country. Two are planning to launch soon. Nhome Barbados will be launching in April 2021 with two co-living spaces โ€“ one in Worthing Court Apartments on the south coast and another at Sugar Cane club on the west coast.

Outsite, which runs co-living spaces around the world, will be launching one soon in Bathsheba, which is perfect for those nomads looking to surf every day.

Barbados digital nomad accommodations

I found my one-bedroom apartment in Barbados by posting in this Barbados Expat Facebook group. There are also housing groups on Facebook you can join to look for places.

Most digital nomads in Barbados find their first apartment on Airbnb, then negotiate with the owner directly for a better rate after getting there. Some people I know who came on the welcome stamp worked with real estate agents to find them a place before coming, but this is much less common if you are only renting for a few months.

Once you arrive on the island, word of mouth can be an effective way to find a place. There are also a lot of Whatsapp groups for digital nomads in Barbabos that you will be invited to join upon moving there. Sometimes nomads and expats will post in these if they are looking for roommates or subletters.

The digital nomad guide to Barbados on Pinterest: save it for later!

barbados digital nomad

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