CAIPO’s office at Baobab Tower, Warrens, St. Michael. (FP)

A number of measures have been put in place at the Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office (CAIPO) for the period March 1 to 12, 2021.

The Office will be opened for the provision of limited services during the period, as follows:

  • Notarial and document adjudication services will be facilitated by appointment ONLY. Appointments may be scheduled by emailing Ms. C. Boyce at cboyce@caipo.gov.bb, or by calling 535-2401.
  • Company and IP searches will be facilitated by appointment ONLY. Appointments may be scheduled by emailing Mrs. A. Boyce at aboyce@caipo.gov.bb, or by calling 535-2401.
  • Document collection will be facilitated by appointment ONLY.  Appointments may be scheduled by emailing Mr. N. Mason at nmason@caipo.gov.bb, or by calling 535-2401.
  • A drop-box will be in place to facilitate payments by cheque and document submission.  All documents must be placed in a sealed envelope with full contact details provided therein. Absolutely no cash should be placed in the drop-box.

The Office will continue to utilise electronic facilities as follows:

  • Frequent users of CAIPO’s services may register to access the on-line database and conduct online transactions, including searches.  The form for registration is titled “Registered Agent Application Form” and can be found by clicking here.  It should be completed and emailed to ataylor@caipo.gov.bb and jwaterman@caipo.gov.bb.  An “agent number” and password will be issued, along with instructions on using the online database.  Once registered, persons may use the EZPay+ system to top up their accounts.
  • Persons not requiring frequent access to the database have the option of utilising EZPay+ to make payments for a wide variety of filings.  Once payment has been made, a copy of the documents being filed, along with the EZ Pay+ proof of payment, should be emailed to caipo.general@barbados.gov.bb.
  • Persons may register business names by completing the application form found at www.caipo.gov.bb.  Detailed instructions for completing the form are also on the website.  Payment may be made via EZ Pay+.  The completed application form, EZPay+ proof of payment, along with two forms of ID for each signatory, should be emailed to caipo.general@barbados.gov.bb.
  •  Queries relating to the status of applications and of post incorporation or other filings should be sent via email to caipo.general@barbados.gov.bb.
  • Any other documents required to be sent to CAIPO may be scanned and emailed to caipo.general@barbados.gov.bb.

For all electronic submissions, e-signatures are being accepted, along with scanned copies of the relevant documentation, for example, notarials and powers of attorney.  Where originals are required, an undertaking must be given by the company’s director or attorney-at-law, to file the original documents as soon as possible.

Documents such as company charges with statements of charge, Bills of Sale, Instruments of share transfer, applications for the renewal of registration of trademarks and the payment of prescribed fees for patents and patent applications, which are required to be filed within the timelines stipulated by legislation, may be scanned and emailed using the address caipo.general@barbados.gov.bb

In such circumstances, the Office will continue to recognise the date of receipt of the emailed documents pending submission of the physical documents, provided that the filing fee is paid via EZPay+ and evidence of payment is also submitted.

The Corporate Registry will accept corporate documents from other jurisdictions without the requirement of notarial certification, provided that these documents can be independently verified.  (For example, if they contain a QR Code or some other access code which allows the same document to be viewed on the issuing Corporate Registry’s website).  

If there are no such means of independent verification, the Registrar will accept, without notarial certification during the prevailing circumstances, corporate documents from other jurisdictions where the documents are supported by an affidavit, which has been sworn by counsel for the body corporate, in accordance with Section 407 of the Companies Act, Cap.308 as amended, and which verifies the authenticity of the documents and the facts contained therein.

The public is also reminded of the changes to the filing deadlines for annual returns that came into effect in 2019, so as to afford companies a longer period during which they can make their filings.  In accordance with Section 15A of the Companies Act, Cap. 308, as amended, the deadlines for filing 2020 Annual Returns are as follows:

  • Companies incorporated between January 1 and June 30 in any given year, must file by June 30, 2021.
  • Companies incorporated between July 1 and December 31 in any given year, must file by December 31, 2021.

In addition, 2019 Annual Returns are being accepted until March 31, 2021, without late penalty, in accordance with the decision of Cabinet, pending the necessary legislative amendment.

The Office will continue to facilitate urgent or emergency requests or matters on a case by case basis. Any such emergency requests should be emailed to Ms. C Boyce at cboyce@caipo.gov.bb.

Corporate Affairs and Intellectual Property Office

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