Barbados finds itself at the center of a scheme involving Nigerian nationals, not for money, but for passports.
Over the past three years, numerous Nigerians have been traveling to Barbados to give birth, aiming for their children to become Barbadian citizens and obtain the highly coveted Barbados passport, which grants visa-free access to over 150 countries.
- Advertisement -
Reports reveal this has become a widespread racket, with thousands of dollars being paid to a specific medical practitioner known for assisting in these deliveries.
Two weeks ago, a prominent Nigerian influencer with over four million followers posted videos on Instagram and YouTube, advising fellow Nigerians on how to travel to Barbados to deliver their children and obtain a Barbados passport.
The influencer, who has two toddlers, revealed she delivered both children at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital (QEH), with the second child being born in February 2023. She had documented her arrival in Barbados just days before the delivery and shared the delivery process at QEH.
A senior official at the QEH confirmed awareness of this situation, describing it as a “racket.” The hospital and the government have taken steps to address the issue.
“This issue came to our attention about two years ago. We had to put pressure on the Nigerians and reached out to Immigration to handle the matter. It was raised at the highest level,” the official said.
He explained that the hospital faced a challenging situation: “Once the person was in distress, we had to provide care. We couldn’t let the person suffer or die. We identified the doctor involved and put pressure on him.”
Investigations by Weekend Nation revealed the medical practitioner was being paid between US$12,000 and US$20,000 to deliver the babies.
A source explained that Nigerians often arrived at the airport just days before their due dates, sometimes lying about their pregnancy stages to board the plane. When denied entry by Immigration, they would claim they were not feeling well and were going into labor. The doctor would then declare them unfit to fly, allowing them to stay in Barbados under his care.
Minister of Home Affairs Wilfred Abrahams confirmed the situation, stating, “This is being factored into the new immigration legislation.”
Additionally, unsuspecting Barbadians were being offered up to $5,000 to house pregnant Nigerian women.
The Nigerian influencer bragged about her experience in Barbados, holding up two Barbadian passports and outlining the benefits of delivering babies there.
“Barbados has some of the greatest medical facilities I’ve ever seen. The attention, care, and love from the doctors and hospital staff are exceptional,” she said.
“It’s one of the greatest Caribbean countries you can visit. It’s safe for you and your baby. Your baby will have lifetime health insurance. With a Barbados passport, you can access over 148 countries, now 166 as of today,” she added, noting the potential to obtain a ten-year U.S. visa.
She advised her followers on how to enter Barbados while pregnant, highlighting the importance of having a guarantor and warning against lying to Immigration.
“There are some countries where pregnant women are sent back. Barbados is visa-free for Nigerians, but there are no direct flights. You need a valid UK, U.S., or Schengen visa to enter Barbados,” she explained.
“In Barbados, Immigration is very nice. The only thing they don’t like is lying. Don’t lie about being pregnant or your due date. You need a guarantor who provides information to Immigration before your doctor, landlord, or hospital,” she advised.
She revealed paying 500,000 Nigerian naira (BDS$619.43) to get a guarantor’s contact and urged her followers to follow her process to avoid scams.
“The only reason I’m sharing this is because many of you asked. It’s pinned on my Instagram as a top post because I was tired of answering questions. This is the best gift, the golden opportunity you can give your child,” she concluded.
