Barbados
12-Month Welcome Stamp: health insurance requirements
Yes: health insurance is required
Yes. Barbados's 12-Month Welcome Stamp (launched 2020, one of the first nomad visas anywhere) requires valid medical insurance covering the stay as a prerequisite for approval; no fixed minimum sum is published, and Barbados offers on-island options if you cannot arrange cover at home. It is for remote work for an employer or clients outside Barbados, expects income of at least US$50,000 a year, costs US$2,000 (individual) or US$3,000 (family), and runs 12 months, renewable. Welcome Stamp holders pay no Barbados income tax.
The requirements at a glance
| Minimum policy duration | Full duration of stay |
|---|---|
| Local-licensed insurer required | No: compliant international IPMI is accepted |
| Accepted proof | Valid medical insurance covering the period of stay (a prerequisite for approval). No fixed minimum coverage amount is published; Barbados offers on-island insurance options if you cannot secure cover at home. Because complex cases may be evacuated off-island, a policy that includes medical evacuation is strongly advisable. |
For remote workers earning from an employer or clients outside Barbados, with expected income of at least US$50,000/year (or the means to support yourself and family). Fee US$2,000 individual / US$3,000 family, payable after approval; 12 months, renewable. Welcome Stamp holders are not liable to Barbados income tax (not tax-resident). Apply via the official barbadoswelcomestamp.bb portal.
Our take
The visa just says 'valid medical insurance', with no number, but Barbados is a small island where the toughest cases get flown to the US or Trinidad, so the real requirement is evacuation cover, not the bare wording.
Private clinics here also expect prepayment, so plan around a policy that reimburses you rather than one you assume will direct-bill.
What happens if you get it wrong
No insurance, no approval: it is a prerequisite, not a nice-to-have.
A policy without medical evacuation leaves the biggest island-specific risk uncovered, the off-island transfer.
Interactive
Verified pricesWhat would it cost in Barbados without insurance?
You pay, out of pocket
$750–$3,000
A serious private admission or common surgery.
Bars to scale. A flight home is in another league.
That is the bill you carry alone. Insurance exists for exactly this.
See what cover costsTypical private-care estimates for illustration, not a quote. Actual bills vary by hospital, city and severity.
FAQ
Yes, valid medical insurance is a prerequisite for approval. No fixed minimum sum is published, and Barbados offers on-island options. Prioritise evacuation cover, since complex cases fly off-island.
Expected income of at least US$50,000 a year, or the means to support yourself and family for the stay.
No. Welcome Stamp holders are not treated as tax-resident and are not liable to Barbados income tax.
US$2,000 for an individual or US$3,000 for a family, payable after approval; valid 12 months, renewable.
No. A valid international policy covering the stay works; Barbados also offers on-island options if you cannot arrange cover at home.
Reviewed by Lukas Schönberg, Founder & researcher, Nomad Insurance Broker OÜ
Nomad Insurance Broker OÜ (Estonia) is an information and matching platform, not currently registered as a regulated insurance intermediary in any jurisdiction. See /how-it-works for the full disclosure.
Source: investbarbados.orgLast verified
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