Published: May 01, 2025
This report is intended to supplement the U.S. Department of State Barbados Travel Advisory and Barbados Country Information Page. This report covers the Eastern Caribbean country of Barbados, served by the Barbados & Eastern Caribbean OSAC Chapter and the U.S. Embassy in Bridgetown. OSAC Country Security Reports are available for these locations across the region:
- OSAC’s Eastern Caribbean Country Security Report covers Anguilla, Antigua & Barbuda, British Virgin Islands, Dominica, Montserrat, St. Kitts & Nevis, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
- OSAC’s Grenada Country Security Report is country specific.
- OSAC's French Caribbean Country Security report covers Guadeloupe, Martinique, St. Barthélemy, and French St. Martin.
- OSAC’s Dutch Caribbean Country Security Report includes Dutch Sint Maarten and Dutch territories outside of the Eastern Caribbean.
Embassy Contact Information
U.S. Embassy: Wildey Business Park, Wildey, St. Michael 14006.
Telephone and emergency contact line: 1-246-227-4000.
Country Chapter(s)
The Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean Chapter is active and meets semi-annually, with smaller breakout meetings focusing on specific countries.
Contact OSAC’s Americas team with any questions.
Barbados Travel Advisory
The current U.S. Department of State Travel Advisory at the date of this report’s publication assesses that travelers should exercise normal precautions in Barbados.
Crime
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Bridgetown as being a HIGH-threat location for crime directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Crime “C” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Barbados.
The crime emergency line in Barbados is 211 or (246) 430-7100.
There was a general increase in murders in 2024, when compared to 2023, with 50 murders (a rate of 17.7 per 100,000). Despite the increase, Barbados boasts a comparatively lower violent crime rate when compared to other nations in the region. Most violent crime occurs between members of rival crime groups and does not target tourists or spill over into tourist areas. There is no serious risk to travelers from violent crime.
Crimes of opportunity such as petty larceny, burglary, automobile break-ins; as well as incidents of violent crime, such as murder, sexual assault, robbery, shootings, and drug related crimes do occasionally occur. The highest risk to foreign travelers is that of petty theft; while travelers should always exercise caution and guard their belongings, criminals do not specifically target U.S. travelers visiting Barbados. Tourism is a major contributor to regional economies. U.S. nationals residing in Barbados do not always enjoy the same level of police protection that regional governments provide to tourist areas.
Exercise vigilance at night in the downtown area. Undertake travel outside of tourist areas with caution, especially at night, due to the prevalence of unmarked and unlighted roads. Avoid walking alone, especially at night, on beaches, and in isolated or poorly lighted locations. Be vigilant when using public ATMs, especially those located in secluded areas.
Kidnapping Threat
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Kidnapping “K” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Barbados.
Kidnapping is a rare phenomenon in Barbados, consistently ranking near the bottom of reported crimes.
Terrorism
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Bridgetown as being a LOW-threat location for terrorism directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Terrorism “T” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Barbados.
Though specific terrorism incident reporting from the Eastern Caribbean remains relatively low, the region has several vulnerabilities that terrorist elements could exploit, such as porous borders, established narcotic and alien smuggling routes, and limited counter-terrorism capabilities. The exploitation of one of these vulnerabilities could have serious implications for U.S. organizations based in Barbados, and the Caribbean tourism trade in general.
Political Violence and Civil Unrest
The U.S. Department of State has assessed Bridgetown as being a LOW-threat location for political violence directed at or affecting official U.S. government interests.
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Civil Unrest “U” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Barbados. Civil unrest can develop quickly without prior notice, often interrupting logistics and services. Avoid demonstration activity, as even those planned to remain peaceful have the potential to turn violent.
Elections/Political Stability
The islands of the Eastern Caribbean are peaceful and have experienced little political violence or revolution. The political climates are stable, with little threat of political violence. Labor riots in the 1930s were the last major event to transcend the region.
Barbados is a parliamentary republic led by Prime Minister Mia Mottley of the Barbados Labour Party. The Barbados Labour Party won all 30 parliamentary seats in the January 2022 election, which was considered free and fair. Until November 2021, Queen Elizabeth II was the head of state and was represented by the governor general, who certified all legislation on her behalf. On November 30, 2021, the country became a republic with a nonexecutive president as the ceremonial head of state. The next assembly elections are scheduled for 2027.
Protests & Demonstrations
Violent public protests and demonstrations are rare.
In the summer of 2021, demonstrations occurred in Barbados as well as neighboring St. Vincent, Antigua, St. Martin, and Martinique over proposed COVID-19 prevention measures, including mask and vaccine mandates. While most of these demonstrations were peaceful, there were isolated instances that escalated into violence. Sporadic environmental and labor protests occurred in 2024, but these demonstrations remained peaceful. Three peaceful pro-Palestine protests occurred near the U.S. Embassy in 2024-2025.
Outside of this activity, very little civil unrest occurs throughout the islands. Most civil unrest is connected to labor issues, which are usually settled by union and government intervention.
Anti-U.S./Anti-Western Sentiment
U.S. travelers and organizations in the Eastern Caribbean have not been the focus of terrorist actions or political violence. Peaceful protests are rare and do not target U.S. interests.
Law Enforcement
The Barbados Police Force (BPF) is responsible for domestic law enforcement, including migration and border enforcement. The police and all other law enforcement agencies report to the attorney general. The Barbados Defense Force protects national security and may be called upon to maintain public order in times of crisis, emergency, or other specific needs. Authority over the defense force is shared between the president and prime minister, with the president overseeing strategic direction and the prime minister responsible for operational leadership. The law provides that the police may request defense force assistance with special joint patrols. Civilian authorities maintain effective control over the police and defense forces. There have been no reports that the security forces committed any serious abuses.
Police Response
Barbadian police forces usually cooperate with U.S. counterparts. However, response time to law enforcement and security requests can at times be quite slow due to inadequate funding, lack of equipment and training, and staffing shortages.
The level of professionalism and quality of service can vary, and the level of protection is directly proportional to an incident’s possible impact on the tourist trade. Areas tourists frequent command a more visible police presence. BPF response in tourist areas is usually timely and efficient, but response delays to the non-touristed, less populated, and rural areas of the islands can be significant. However, the BPF enjoys comparatively greater resources than its Eastern Caribbean neighbors.
Generally, uniformed police are adequate to have an influence on crime deterrence, but uniformed police response to alarms or emergency calls are sometimes below U.S. standard. Police performance and conduct varies from poor to acceptable in professionalism and training, and regional police organizations have definite resource/manpower limitations that inhibit their deterrence and response effectiveness. It is not uncommon to wait an hour or more for police response.
Travelers with Special Considerations
For specific traveler concerns in Barbados, review the local laws and circumstances on the Department of State’s Country Information Page.
Rule of Law, Arbitrary Detention, Official Harassment, Corruption, & Transparency
The U.S. Department of State has not included a Risk of Wrongful Detention “D” Indicator on the Travel Advisory for Barbados.
The law provides criminal penalties for corruption by officials, and the government generally implements the law effectively. The law provides for the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of acts of corruption in both the public and private sectors. There have been no recent reports of major government corruption.
Cybersecurity
Cybersecurity attacks frequently target public institutions, financial institutions and critical infrastructure. In recent years, the RBPF experienced several attacks against its website. In 2024 the Barbados Revenue Authority was hacked. Regional governments appear to be taking some steps to develop better investigative infrastructure for cyber incidents, as evidenced by the 2017 opening of the Regional Security Systems Digital Forensic Laboratory, significantly enhancing their ability to investigate crimes with a digital nexus. Digital security remains a concern in the region, particularly with ATM fraud, credit card fraud, and other cybercrimes.
Import/Export Restrictions
It is illegal in Barbados, even for children, to wear camouflage clothing or carry items made with camouflage material. Do not enter Barbados or any other eastern Caribbean country with firearms or ammunition without prior express consent from the host nation government.
There have been no reports of restrictions on the import of personal satellite phones or personal medication. Medication should be transported in its original packaging and with its original prescription.
A country-specific listing of items/goods prohibited from being exported to the country or that are otherwise restricted is available from the U.S. International Trade Agency website.
Additional resources and reports can be found in the OSAC Traveler Toolkit.
