Passport required in Barbados

[curlyd]

I just saw Chicago local news story about a couple who flew to Barbados but were detained and flown home the next day because they didn't have a passport. I found this on Gov Travel site:

http://travel.state.gov/travel/tips/brochures/brochures_1229.html#b

 

BARBADOS - *Passport and proof of sufficient funds required. Cruise passengers planning to disembark in Barbados must have a valid passport. [Tourist] visa not required for stays up to six months. Departure tax of $12.50 ($25 BDS) paid at the airport. For information on longer stays and other types of travel, contact the Embassy of Barbados, 2144 Wyoming Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 939-9200, fax (202) 332-7467, Internet e-mail: barbados@oas.org or the consulates of Barbados in Los Angeles, Miami or New York.

 

I am glad I got mine but I have to admit until tonight I didn't think I had to have it.

[texancruzer]

YOU KNOW EVERYONE WAS POSTING THIS AND THAT ABOUT WHAT THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS WERE AND HOW THEY KEPT CHANGING......

 

I KEPT POSTING " GO AHEAD AND GET YOUR PASSPORT ! AS YOU ARE GOING TO A FOREIGN COUNTRY AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN RULES !!!"

 

SO TYPICAL OF AMERICANS TO ONLY THINK ABOUT WHAT OUR GOVERNMENT REQUIRES..... very one sided thinking.

 

EVERYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD HAS THEM..... WHY SHOULD WE BE SPECIAL?

 

P.S. I HAVE HAD MINE FOR SOME TIME! Wouldnt leave home without it.:D

 

Just checked that website: St. Lucia and St. Martin also say Passports required.

[barbados]

“…..I just saw Chicago local news story about a couple who flew“……St. Lucia and St. Martin also say Passports required…”

 

“…..Cruise passengers planning to disembark in Barbados must have a valid passport…”

 

Dear CC’ers…….Barbados DOES NOT, AS YET, REQUIRE A PASSPORT FOR CRUISE VISITORS THAT ARE SAILING IN AND SAILING OUT IN 24 HOURS.

 

St. Martin and St. Lucia do not require a passport for cruise passengers sailing in and sailing out in 24 hours.

 

If you’re flying in and cruising then, yes, you need one.

 

If you’re flying in and visiting then, yes, you need one.

 

If you are just cruising,…..YOU DO NOT NEED ONE.

 

You WILL in the future, but not yet.

 

(Mr. Blair, Mr. Bush and Ms. Rice are working out the details as you read this....)

 

Please don’t stress, come to Barbados, relax and enjoy. We want you to have a wonderful time here. :) :) :)

 

 

"Cruiser? No passport? Welcome, my friend! We've been expecting you!"

"What can we do to make you happy?"

[curlyd]

Thank you for the correction. The Government web site I posted sure made it sound like us cruise passengers needed them.

 

I don't worry since I have mine. I'll be there in March 06.

 

Thanks again.

[Sunniebgi]

 

BARBADOS - *Passport and proof of sufficient funds required. Cruise passengers planning to disembark in Barbados must have a valid passport. [Tourist] visa not required for stays up to six months. Departure tax of $12.50 ($25 BDS) paid at the airport. For information on longer stays and other types of travel, contact the Embassy of Barbados, 2144 Wyoming Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20008, telephone (202) 939-9200, fax (202) 332-7467, Internet e-mail: barbados@oas.org or the consulates of Barbados in Los Angeles, Miami or New York.

 

What this actually says is correct and what Mr. Barbados says is correct.

 

If you are flying to Barbados for a holiday, you must have a valid passport.

If you are flying to Barbados to Board a cruise ship to either sail round trip or one way out of Barbados, you must have a passport.

If you are on a cruise that originates somewhere else and coming to Barbados. Disembarking to even just to go the Airport or to stay for a few days, you must have a passport.

If you are on the Serenade of the Seas (example) round trip from San Juan and the itinerary includes Barbados as a port of call and you are here for just the time the ship is in port, you do not need a passport.

 

This has been in effect for at least 1 1/2yrs to 2 years.

 

BUT.... having said all that. GET A BLOODY PASSPORT!!!!.. Sorry... I am a US citizen living in Barbados, my children are US Citizens/Barbados Citizens and they will always require a US passport to travel on. It's Cheap in the grand scheme of things, it lasts for 10years (except for a child under age 16 it's 5 years) and it's the best form of ID around. It also makes your re-entry into the US much easier.. and since soon soon and very soon the US government is going to require every one to have one that travels outside of the US, JUST GET ONE!!!.

 

It serves those people right. if I where them, if they booked through a travel agent, shame on the agent.. they should have known better (and I'm allowed to say that as someone in that community). But even if they didn't, they should have checked it out first.

[racephoto]

The airline should be in trouble too....they're supposed to check that you have one before you board the flight. I have only ever flown to Barbados and that's the first thing they ask for at check-in. A shame for the people, but they should have researched better. But I have seen people show up for flights to EUROPE with no passport and be appalled that they couldn't get on the plane! "But I have my driver's licence, that's all you need, right?!??" :D

 

It's hard to believe, but it does happen.

[curlyd]

 

But even if they didn't, they should have checked it out first.

 

That's why we have ours because CC travelers said get it now even if the Gov says you don't need it yet. This is our first trip out of the country and we are prepared.

 

Thanks again to all who have answered so many questions. I hope by starting this thread I didn't worry too many people, but I would hate for someone to get there and not be able to get off of the ship. Based on the news report and the gov web site it sure sounded like a passport was needed.

 

Thanks

[Sheffie]

I think that the problem was the wording with "disembarkation." Disembarkation means that you are ending your cruise and getting off the ship for good. I am excited about getting off the ship at port stops. :D I always have to be dragged off kicking and screaming at disembarkation.;)

[Sunniebgi]

Sorry if I sound so harsh, but it's one of those subjects that really get to me.

 

the Barbados Govt decided to implement that requirement for passports for entry about 2 1/2 years ago. Then they backpeddled on the issue of Cruises because they said the country would lose out because many passengers came fromt he US and didn't need the passport for many of the other countries visited..

 

So then.. the US govt says that All people are required to have passports for certain countries they didn't needed them for before.. and then they backpeddled and have delayed that for a year. JUST DO IT!!!. (in the words of NIKE).

 

The funny thing is that passports are more used to get back into your country that for the country you are visiting. The other interesting tidbit, that most people wouldn't know, is that on a cruise, a US Citizen retains their passport for the lenght of the cruise. A citizen of any other country (except maybe Canada) has to give over their passport when they board and it is held by security onboard. At each port, the country the ship goes into has the right to make sure those passengers have all the rest of the legal documents required to visit that country.. ie.. VISA's etc. if there are passengers that don't have the right documents, the cruise line can get fined for this. US citizens don't need Visa's for most countries but they do need for some, and many people don't even realize that.

 

ok.. I'll stop ranting.

 

have a great day

[barbados]

“Sorry if I sound so harsh, but it's one of those subjects that really get to me”.

 

Sunnie, I’m with you 100%!

 

I’ve been spouting the value of a passport for years and my admonitions fall of deaf ears…..

 

Now, as it is becoming a necessity, people are applying. Some reluctantly, but they’re doing it.

 

I always say “ This is the LAST “do I need a passport thread?” that I reply to….But I still keep doing it.

 

Folks, the thing works for TEN years. Amortized, that’s ten dollars a year. You probably have $US10 worth of those US postage stamps in the desk that aren’t marked with a value, so you are afraid to use them, yes? Or how about US$10 worth of meat in the freezer that has been there for years and you always pass that package by, don’t you?

 

You will NEED it very soon. Don’t wait ‘till the last minute and spend big $ to expedite. Just bite-the-bullet and get it…NOW.

 

It’s peace-of-mind tucked away in your special spot……..

 

God Bless, my friends. :)

[barbados]

Mr. Barbados--I want to tell you how much I always appreciate your posts. You are the best. I had a brief moment of panic when I read the title to this thread because we had investigated getting a passport 2 months ago (we are not world travelers) then a family emergency intervened and I read with relief that they were not going to be required yet so we did not do it and I would be devastated if we could not once again visit beautiful Barbados 2 and 1/2 weeks from now. Your advice is well presented and well taken (as always) and we will definitely have passports in time for our next visit. Thank you for being so well informed.

 

Sherri

 

------------------

 

Thanks for the kind words, Sherri, they are appreciated! :)

 

I'm a alien-part-time-resident-tourist of the island and have been for 14 years.

 

We do business in the Caribbean from January-March and Barbados is "home" during that time. However, most years we only are there four weeks out of the total time we're away. So, I'm not really an "expert" on the island as some wonderful people that post here and live full-time on the island. I learn something new every year.....

 

...And I try a new island food each year (on every island we visit).....Some are just wonderful...and others take some getting used to...Like your Mom used to say "Now, eat your spinach!"

 

And you did, but hated it, yes?

 

My sincere best wishes for a wonderful second visit to my favorite island. I hope it is twice as special as your first! :) :) :)