Starting a business in Barbados: foreigner's guide (2026)

Foreign nationals receive the same protections as local citizens and companies may be wholly foreign-owned, with no requirement for local directors or shareholders. Only one shareholder and one director (resident or non-resident) are needed.

Barbados imposes no minimum share-capital requirement; a company can be incorporated with a single share and there is no statutory requirement for capital to be paid up on incorporation.

Reserve a company name (BDS$30 / ~US$15, valid 90 days), file Articles/Memorandum of Incorporation and KYC documents with CAIPO online or in person, and receive a Certificate of Incorporation (BDS$104 / ~US$52). The company must then register with the Barbados Revenue Authority, the National Insurance Department, and the Labour Department before operating.

A Barbados company must maintain a registered office in Barbados and appoint a locally licensed corporate secretary/service provider, so foreigners generally engage a local agent to incorporate and maintain compliance.

Under the Exchange Control Act (Cap. 71), a non-resident foreign investor must obtain prior permission from the Central Bank of Barbados to hold shares in a domestic company; entities earning income wholly in foreign currency can instead obtain a Foreign Currency Permit, which exempts them from exchange controls and allows free repatriation of capital and profits.

Incorporation of a straightforward company can be completed in a few business days, with full operational registration (tax, NIS, labour, plus any exchange-control/permit steps) typically taking a few weeks.