Don’t cancel summer 2020 just yet. Amid coronavirus lockdowns and border closures, many people have had to give up on the idea of travel entirely. But gorgeous Barbados began reopening its borders to tourists on July 12, and now the country has a new initiative that allows you to turn the beach paradise into your new backyard — at least for a year.
The Barbados government’s new “Barbados Welcome Stamp” visa will allow remote workers to live and work on the island for up to 12 months. With more employees working remotely than ever before, the program is especially appealing now.
After all, if you’re working from home anyway, why stay in the same boring apartment when you could go live on a beach instead?
Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley announced the new visa in early July. The visa will “allow people from the United States, Europe and Latin America to come and do their jobs digitally for a couple of months and then go back home, if they feel they can work better in a more relaxed atmosphere such as next to a beach,” per the announcement.
Long-term visas may be the safest and most practical way to travel beachside for now. Many countries (including the United States) have mandated quarantines of at least two weeks for international travelers, which would take a significant chunk out of any short-term trips.
Moving to Barbados for a few months or a year, on the other hand? That leaves plenty of time to enjoy the beach after quarantining.
In addition to offering an exciting opportunity for remote workers with wanderlust, Barbados’ new initiative will hopefully jumpstart the local economy, too, as the country is heavily reliant on tourism.
Dreaming about your new Barbados office already? The visa is still in the final stages of development, but in the meantime, stay safe and mask up! All travelers must test negative for COVID-19 before entering Barbados.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
