PM Mottley prioritises Bajan heritage and CARICOM nationals in new citizenship rules

Prime Minister Mia Mottley has reaffirmed Barbados’ commitment to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) while outlining the conditions under which foreigners can acquire Barbadian citizenship.

In a radio and television broadcast on Sunday night, Mottley said priority will be given to those with the deepest roots in Barbados, extending citizenship rights to children, grandchildren, and even great-grandchildren of Barbadians. “The first claim on Barbados must be those whose roots run deepest in our soil, and a great-grandchild is as important to a great-grandparent as their child and their grandchild. It is immediate and close,” she said.

The Prime Minister also confirmed that Caricom nationals would receive preferential treatment in the acquisition of citizenship. Beyond family and regional ties, she said Barbados will welcome foreigners with skills and investments that contribute to productivity and safeguard the Barbadian way of life.

Mottley highlighted that legislators are currently debating two companion measures, the Immigration Bill, 2025 and the Citizenship Bill, 2025, which will be reviewed by the Parliamentary Governance Standing Committee for broader consultation. The bills aim to replace the old immigrant status with a “humane path to permanent residence” and provide spouses of Barbadians with automatic permanent residency.

“We will not sell citizenship. Our passport…carries the value of who we are. It is not a commodity to be traded. Once you become a Barbadian, there are no first-class or second-class citizens, only equal rights and equal responsibilities,” Mottley said.

She stressed the importance of sober planning amid demographic challenges, noting that Barbados experienced a natural decrease in population in 2024, with deaths outnumbering births. “Our aim will always be to train and upskill Bajans first. Where gaps remain, we will bring in additional hands on time-bound knowledge transfer terms, each one train one, so that Barbadians benefit first, last and always,” she said.

Several Caribbean countries operate Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes that grant citizenship to foreign investors, while Barbados’ participation in the Caricom Single Market and Economy (CSME) facilitates the free movement of skills, labour, services, goods, and capital across the region.

The Prime Minister said the bills are publicly available and widely distributed, inviting Barbadians and other stakeholders to provide input as the parliamentary committee reviews the legislation. “This is how we grow, welcoming those with a real stake in this country, while protecting what we have built…It widens opportunity, strengthens security, stabilises our social security, and keeps Barbados growing in the right direction,” she said.