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Bahamas Visa Entry Requirements

The Islands of the Bahamas Implements the Same Entry Requirements as the United States

Destination Accepting Government Issued Photo ID and Proof of Passport Application for Entry

June 18, 2007 – The Islands Of The Bahamas announced today that its  Department of Immigration would accept a valid, government issued photo ID along with the proof of  passport application for entry into the destination, following the United States’ announcement that it was temporarily suspending the requirement for air travelers to present a passport for re-entry into the United States.

Potential visitors to The Islands Of The Bahamas who are concerned that a passport may not arrive in time for their scheduled, or proposed, travel dates should be advised that the U.S. Department of State has temporarily revised enforcement of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative from now until September 30, 2007.  This reprieve and cooperation from The Islands Of The Bahamas should alleviate concerns and remove impediments to summer travel.

From the U.S. Department of State Web site:

"U.S. citizens traveling to Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda who have applied for but not yet received passports can nevertheless temporarily enter and depart from the United States by air with a government issued photo identification and Department of State official proof of application for a passport through September 30, 2007."

From now until September 30th of this year, you may confidently plan a vacation to The Bahamas even if your passport has not yet arrived.  During this time official proof that you have applied for a U.S. passport (passport status notice downloaded from the State Department Web site at http://travel.state.gov) along with a government issued photo ID such as a driver’s license will be sufficient for air travel to and from the U.S. and The Islands Of The Bahamas.

Travelers must have at least made application for a passport prior to travel to qualify.


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Now that U.S. passport requirements to the Caribbean have been temporarily relaxed through September 30, 2007, the Sheraton grand Bahama would like to offer you a credit for your passport fee. And so that you can take someone special with you, we are offering a $200 credit per room. Now there is no reason to deny yourself the unsurpassed beauty and charm of Starwood’s Caribbean. Book your vacation in paradise today! With some of the most stunning resorts in the Caribbean, we don’t want a passport fee to stand between you and paradise.


January 2007: US Return Entry/Return Requirements
Passport Required to Enter or Return to the U.S. from the Bahamas

The U.S. Department of State has initiated new Travel Document Requirements under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). Following is an excerpt of the new requirements:

"The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) will require all travelers to and from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda to present a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer's identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the United States. The goal is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate international travelers.

"In the proposed implementation plan, the initiative will be implemented in two phases. The proposed timeline will be as follows:

"January 23, 2007 – Passports, Merchant Mariner Documents (MMDs) or NEXUS Air cards would be required for all air travel, and most commercial sea travel, from within the Western Hemisphere for citizens of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Bermuda. This is a change from the previously scheduled date of January 1, in order to accommodate holiday travel.

"January 1, 2008 – The statutory deadline for all Western Hemisphere travel, including land border travel. The specific requirements for the land border crossing will be addressed in a separate rulemaking in advance of this date."

Visit the U.S. Department of State's website for more information.
For more information about new passport rules that apply to U.S. citizens as well as to citizens of Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean, click on the links below.
 
For U.S. Citizens:
For Canadian Citizens:
For Mexican Citizens:
(Citizens of other Caribbean countries should contact their national government officials.)

NOTE: Please contact the Bahamas Consular office for the latest Bahamas information.


Bahamas Entry Requirements

A. Entry Requirements For US/Canadian Citizens

Proof of citizenship is as follows:
US/CANADIAN CITIZENS need one of the following documents, along with a return or onward journey ticket (if using an electronic ticket, please show Immigration a copy of the travel itinerary & ticket number) and proof of funds to support visit (Stays not to exceed 8 months):

1) PASSPORT (current or expired up to 5 years maximum)

OR

2) OFFICIAL BIRTH CERTIFICATE (original/official (govt-issued only), or court-certified copy (raised or ink seal) + OFFICIAL PHOTO ID issued by the US Govt. [can be expired], (i.e. driver's licence, county ID etc.) for persons 16 years and over. (Persons over 16 CANNOT use a student photo ID alone as adequate documentation). Persons 16 and under, on the other hand, only require a Birth Certificate, and if they possess a Student ID, should carry it along as this would facilitate their being processed by BAH Immigration. Persons under 16 years traveling alone will require a notarized Parental Letter of Consent. In the case of organized group travel, a letter is not necessary since it is assumed that the chaperone would have obtained prior permission. Note: Laminated credit card-sized birth certificate is acceptable, as long as it is an original, or certified copy (raised or ink seal).

OR

3) ORIGINAL NATURALIZATION/CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATE (original only) + recent photo if photo on naturalization paper is not recent. NOTE: Persons are advised to purchase return tickets (and seek reimbursement upon returning home for the unused ticket), even though they are certain to return via a private boat – the chance of an airline/cruise line ticket agent allowing travel on a single ticket is very slim. If, however, the person gets to the point of Bahamas Immigration on a single ticket, the Captain of the boat would have to present himself and the cruising permit. However, a copy of the cruising permit will be permitted for crew members, who may be arriving by plane and returning by boat as their names will appear on the manifest. A letter will not suffice!
 

B. Entry Requirements For US/Canadian Residents

  • US RESIDENTS (not citizens) need the following: ALIEN REGISTRATION CARD (also referred to as a GREEN CARD), without a Bahamas Visa for visits not exceeding 30 days. Though not required, a national passport (passport from country of origin) is additionally recommended to facilitate processing. US/Alien Residents wishing to stay longer than 30 days will require a valid national passport along with a Bahamas Visa.
  • CANADIAN RESIDENTS/LANDED CANADIAN IMMIGRANTS (not citizens) need the following: VALID NATIONAL PASSPORT + CANADIAN IMMIGRATION RECORD FORM 1000, without a visa, for visits not exceeding 30 days. Note: Persons are advised to purchase return tickets (and seek reimbursement upon returning home for the unused ticket), even though they are certain to return via a private boat – the chance of an airline/cruise line ticket agent allowing travel on a single ticket is very slim. If, however, the person gets to the point of Bahamas Immigration on a single ticket, the Captain of the boat would have to present himself and the cruising permit. However, a copy of the cruising permit will be permitted for crew members, who may be arriving by plane and returning by boat as their names will appear on the manifest. A letter will not suffice!
     
Country Bahamas Entry Requirements
United States (1) Passport (current or expired up to 5 years maximum - for visits up to 8 months)
OR

(2) Original/official (government issued only) Birth Certificate + Photo ID
OR

(3) Original Naturalization Certificate, for visits up to 8 months.
Note: US Residents, however, require an Alien Registration Card/Green Card
Canada Passport (current or expired up to 5 years maximum) OR Original/Certified official (govt-issued only) OR Birth Certificate + official Photo OR Original Naturalization Cerificate, for visits up to 21 days. Note: Landed Canadian Immigrants (Canadian Residents) require a valid National Passport + a Canadian Immigration Record Form 1000/No Visa for visits not exceeding 30 days.


C. Entry Requirements For NON-US/Canadian Residents

CITIZENS FROM OTHER COUNTRIES (other than US or Canada) require the following, along with a return or onward journey ticket (if using an electronic ticket, please show Immigration a copy of the travel itinerary & ticket number) and proof of funds to support visit. (Note: Unless otherwise stated (US & Canada only), passports need to be current/valid).

PASSPORT refers to a valid passport from the individual's country of birth; VISA refers to a Bahamas Visa only.
 If a person is born in one country and resident in another (other than US or Canada), the documentation required is based upon the country of birth. Nationals holding official or diplomatic passports (not ordinary passports) do not require visas.


Visa Requirements By Country

Other Countries  
Afghanistan Passport & Visa
Albania Passport & Visa
Algeria Passport & Visa
Andorra Passport & Visa
Angola (Africa) Passport & Visa
Antigua & Barbuda Passport/No Visa
Argentina Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Armenia Passport & Visa
Aruba Passport/No Visa
Australia Passport/No Visa
Austria Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Azerbaijan Passport & Visa
Azores Passport/No Visa
Baharain Passport & Visa
Bangladesh Passport/No Visa
Barbados Passport/No Visa
Belarus Passport & Visa
Belgium Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
Belize Passport/No Visa
Benin Passport & Visa
Bermuda Passport/No Visa
Bhutan Passport & Visa
Bolivia Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Bonaire Passport/No Visa
Borneo Passport & Visa
Bosnia & Herzegovina Passport & Visa
Botswana Passport/No Visa
Brazil Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Brunei Darussalam Passport/No Visa
Bulgaria Passport & Visa
Burundi Passport & Visa
Burkina Faso (Upper Volta) Passport & Visa
Byelorussian Soviet Socialist Republic Passport & Visa
Cambodia Passport & Visa
Cameroon Passport & Visa
Canada Passport (current or expired up to 5 years maximum) OR Original/Certified official (govt-issued only) OR Birth Certificate + official Photo OR Original Naturalization Cerificate, for visits up to 21 days.

Note: Landed Canadian Immigrants (Canadian Residents) require a valid National Passport + a Canadian Immigration Record Form 1000/No Visa for visits not exceeding 30 days.

Canary Island Passport/No Visa
Cape Verde Islands Passport & Visa
Cayman Islands Passport/No Visa
Central African Republic Passport & Visa
Chad Passport & Visa
Channel Island Passport/No Visa
Chile Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
China (People's Republic) Passport & Visa
Colombia Passport & Visa
Comoros (Fed. & Islamic) Passport & Visa
Congo Republic Of Passport & Visa
Cook Islands Passport/No Visa
Costa Rica Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Croatia Passport & Visa
Cuba Passport & Visa
Curacao Passport/No Visa Passport/No Visa
Cyprus - BC Passport/No Visa
Czechoslovakia - Republic Passport & Visa
Dahomey Passport & Visa
Denmark Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Djibouti Passport & Visa
Dominica Passport/No Visa
Dominican Republic Passport & Visa
Ecuador Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Egypt Passport & Visa
El Salvador Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Ethiopia Passport & Visa
Eritrea Passport & Visa
Estonia Passport & Visa
Fiji Passport/No Visa
Finland Passport/No Visa
France Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Gabon Passport & Visa
Galapagos Islands Passport/No Visa
Gambia Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Georgia Passport & Visa
Germany Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Rep. of Ghana (BC) Passport & Visa
Gibraltar Passport /No Visa
Greece Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
Greenland Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
Grenada Passport/No Visa
Guadeloupe Passport/No Visa
Guatemala Passport & Visa
Guiana, French Passport/No Visa
Guinea Passport & Visa
Guinea Bissau Passport & Visa
Guyana, SA Passport/No Visa
Haiti Passport & Visa
Hawaii (USA) Original/official (govt-issued only) Birth Certificate plus Photo ID or Passport (current or expired up to 5 years maximum) for visits up to 8 months.
Holland (see Netherlands - Kingdom of) Passport/No Visa for three-month stay
Honduras Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Hong Kong (China) HKSAR (Special Administrative Region Certificate - Passport/No Visa) or HKCOFI (Certificate of Foreign Identity - Passport & Visa)
Hungary (Republic of) Passport & Visa
Iceland Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
India (Republic of) Passport & Visa
Indonesia Passport & Visa
Iran Passport & Visa
Iraq Passport & Visa
Ireland Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Israel Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Italy Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
Ivory Coast (Cote D'Ivoire) Passport & Visa
Jamaica Passport/No Visa
Japan Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Jordan Passport & Visa
Kazakhstan Passport & Visa
Kenya Passport/No Visa
Kirabati Passport/No Visa
Korea South Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Korea North Passport & Visa
Kuwait Passport & Visa
Kyrgystan Passport & Visa
Laos Passport & Visa
Latvia Passport & Visa
Lebanon Passport & Visa
Lesotho Passport/No Visa
Liberia Passport & Visa
Libya Passport & Visa
Liechtenstein Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
Lithuania Passport & Visa
Luxembourg Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
Macau (Chinese) Chinese Passport & Visa
Macau (Portuguese) Portuguese Passport/No Visa
Madgascar (Republic of Malagascar) Passport & Visa
Malawi Passport/No Visa
Malaysia Passport/No Visa
Maldives Passport & Visa
Mali Passport & Visa
Malta Passport/No Visa
Marshall Islands Passport & Visa
Martinique Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Mauritania Passport & Visa
Mauritius Passport/No Visa
Mexico Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Micronesia Passport & Visa
Moldova Passport & Visa
Monaco Passport/No Visa
Mongolia Passport & Visa
Montserrat Passport/No Visa
Morocco Passport & Visa
Mozambique Passport & Visa
Myanmar Passport & Visa
Namibia Passport/No Visa
Nauru Passport/No Visa
Nepal Passport & Visa
Netherlands (Antilles) Passport/No Visa
Netherlands (Kingdom of) Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
New Zealand Passport/No Visa
Nicaragua Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Niger Passport & Visa
Nigeria (Fed. Republic of) Passport & Visa
Norfolk Islands Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Norway Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
Oman Passport & Visa
Pakistan Passport & Visa
Palau Passport & Visa
Palestine Passport & Visa
Panama Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Papua New Guinea Passport/No Visa
Paraguay Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Peru Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Philippines Passport & Visa
Poland (Republic of) Passport & Visa
Polynesia (French) Passport/No Visa
Portugal Passport/No visa for three-month stay
Puerto Rico(USA) Original/official (govt-issued only) Birth Certificate plus Photo ID orPassport (current or expired up to 5 years maximum) for visits up to 8 months.
Qatar Passport & Visa
Reunion (French D.O.M.) Passport/No Visa
Romania Passport & Visa
Russia Passport & Visa
Rvand Passport & Visa
Rwanda Passport & Visa
Saint Croix Passport/No Visa
Saint Kitts & Nevis Passport/No Visa
Saint Lucia Passport/No Visa
Saint Martin (French) Passport/No Visa
Saint Maarten (Dutch) Passport/No Visa
Saint Thomas Passport/No Visa
Saint Vincent & Grenadines Passport/No Visa
Samoa Passport & Visa
Western Samoa Passport/No Visa
San Marino Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
Sao Tome & Principe Passport & Visa
Saudi Arabia Passport & Visa
Scotland Passport/No Visa
Senegal Passport & Visa
Seychelles Passport/No Visa
Sierre Leone Passport/No Visa
Singapore Passport/No Visa
Slovakia/Slovak Republic Passport & Visa
Slovenia Passport & Visa
Solomon Islands Passport/No Visa
Somalia Passport & Visa
South Africa Passport/No Visa
Spain Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Sri Lanka Passport/No Visa
Sudan Passport & Visa
Sumatra Passport & Visa
Surinam Passport & Visa
Syria Passport & Visa
Swaziland Passport/No Visa
Sweden Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Switzerland Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
Tahiti Passport/No Visa
Taiwan Passport & Visa
Tanzania Passport/No Visa
Thailand Passport & Visa
Togo Passport & Visa
Tonga Passport/No Visa
Trinidad & Tobago Passport/No Visa
Tunisia Passport & Visa
Turkey Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
Turkmenistan Passport & Visa
Turks & Caicos Passport/No Visa
Tuvalu Passport/No Visa
Tyanmar (Burma) Passport & Visa
Uganda Passport/No Visa
Ukrain Passport & Visa
United Arab Emirates Passport & Visa
UnitedKingdom/Great Passport/No Visa for 8-month stay
United States (1) Passport (current or expired up to 5 years maximum - for visits up to 8 months)
OR

(2) Original/official (government issued only) Birth Certificate + Photo ID
OR

(3) Original Naturalization Certificate, for visits up to 8 months.
Note: US Residents, however, require an Alien Registration Card/Green Card
Urganda Passport/No Visa
Uruguay Passport/No Visa for 3-month stay
Uzbekistan Passport & Visa
Vanuatu Passport/No Visa
Vatican City Passport/No Visa
Venezuela Passport/No Visa for 14-day stay
Vietnam (Socialist Rep.) Passport & Visa
West Indies (British/French) Passport/No Visa
Western Somoa Passport/No Visa
Yemen Passport & Visa
Yugoslavia Passport & Visa
Zaire (See Congo)
Zambia Passport/No Visa
Zimbabwe Passport/No Visa


Visa Offices

Individuals can apply for a visa to enter the Bahamas at any of the following offices:

Bahamas
Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Consular Section
Norfolk House, Frederick Street
P.O. Box N-3746
Nassau, Bahamas
Phone: 242-323-5578/5565  Fax: 242-326-6186

Canada
Bahamas High Commission Metropolitan Life Centre
50 O'Connor Suite 1313
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1P 6L2
Phone: 613-232-1724 Fax: 613-232-0097
E-mail: ottawa-mission@bahighco.com

England
Bahamas High Commission
No. 10 Chesterfield Street
London W1J 5JL, England
Phone: 011-44-207-408-4488  Fax: 011-44-207-499-9937
E-mail: information@bahamashclondon.com

Haiti
Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas
P.O. Box 15611 - 12 Rue Goulard
Place Boyer, Petion-Ville, Port-Au Prince, Haiti
Phone: 011-509-2571-448 Fax: 011-509-256-5729

Hong Kong
Bahamas Consulate General
Suite 704-7054 Sino Plaza
255-257 Glouster Road
Causeway Bay Hong Kong
Phone: 852-2147-0202 Fax: 852-2893-3917
E-mail: bahacghk@netvigator.com

USA/Miami
Bahamas Consulate General
25 S.E. Second Avenue, Ingraham Bldg. Suite 818
Miami, FL 33131
Phone: 305-373-6295 Fax: 305-373-6312 Telex: 203-807849
E-mail:bcgmia@bellsouth.net

USA/New York
Bahamas Consulate General
231 East 46th Street
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 212-421-6420 Fax: 212-688-5926 Telex: 2343-2580
E-mail: bhsun@undp.org

USA/Washington, D.C.
Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas
2220 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20008
Phone: 202-319-2667 Fax: 202-319-2668

 

 

 

 

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