Bahamas visa and entry requirements

The Bahamas' Department of Immigration lists the countries whose citizens' Bahamian visa requirements are waived for visits of no more than three or eight months, as each individual agreement may dictate, and the countries whose citizens must apply for and obtain Bahamian visas before attempting entry. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs publishes its own lists of who does and does not need a visa. Travellers who are not citizens or legal residents must present a completed Bahamas Immigration Disembarkation/Embarkation Card at the border.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Sep 26, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

Entry requirements

Passport validity

At the interview at the border you must present a passport that is valid for at least six months. Passport cards will not be accepted.

Vaccinations

Conditional
  • Yellow fever (ICVP (yellow card)) — A valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving directly from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, and from travellers who have transited more than 12 hours through an airport in such a country; travellers must be vaccinated at least 10 days before entering The Bahamas. Since January 2014, proof of yellow fever vaccination is no longer required for travellers arriving from Trinidad and Tobago.

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for entry to the Bahamas. The UK government says medical treatment is of a good standard but can be expensive, that serious cases are transferred to Nassau or Freeport, or Miami, by air ambulance, and to check before you travel that you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Onward or return ticket

Required

The Department of Immigration says that during the interview at the border the prospective visitor must possess a valid return ticket or means of departing The Bahamas, and present a completed Bahamas Immigration Disembarkation/Embarkation Card.

Proof of funds

Required

The Department of Immigration says that, under the Immigration Act, Chapter 191, Section 22, travellers who are not citizens or legal residents must meet prescribed criteria at the border, including having financial means to sustain themselves during the stay (or identifying a local sponsor who will receive them). No official source we could read states an amount.

Arrival cards & declarations

Required
  • Bahamas Immigration Disembarkation/Embarkation Card — During the interview at the border, the prospective visitor must present a completed Bahamas Immigration Disembarkation/Embarkation Card, a passport that is valid for at least six months, and a valid return ticket or means of departing The Bahamas. The Department of Immigration asks passengers arriving by sea to complete the Inward Passenger and Crew Manifest for all individuals aboard the vessel. (at the border)

Staying past your permitted stay

No one, other than a person entitled to land under section 20, may remain in The Bahamas after the period the Immigration Officer or the Director of Immigration permitted under section 22, unless they hold a valid permit under section 30. Breaking this rule is an offence. Where no other penalty is provided, an offence is punishable on summary conviction by a fine of three thousand dollars (3,000; the Act does not name the currency), two years in prison, or both. The UK government says penalties for overstaying include a fine, detention and deportation.

Other compulsory government charges

  • Passenger tax (departure tax) — $29.00 for every passenger leaving The Bahamas other than by sea; the Act does not name the currency. Included in the air ticket.

    Every passenger leaving The Bahamas other than by sea pays a passenger tax of $29.00; the Act does not name the currency. The sum is included in the cost of the ticket and collected by the carrier or its agent.

  • Tourism enhancement levy — $2.00 for every passenger leaving The Bahamas; the Act does not name the currency. Included in the air ticket.

    Since 1 January 2024, a tourism enhancement levy of $2.00 is charged for every passenger leaving The Bahamas; the Act does not name the currency. It is collected under the same rules as the passenger tax, which is included in the cost of the ticket.

    Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: laws.bahamas.gov.bs (opens in a new tab) · Passenger Tax Act (Ch. 379) s. 3A and Fourth Schedule
  • Passenger facility charge and security charge — Lynden Pindling International Airport (Nassau) — Departing international passengers: passenger facility charge $20.00 and security charge $7.00; the Order does not name the currency. Included in the air ticket.

    Every passenger departing from Lynden Pindling International Airport pays a passenger facility charge and a security charge, subject to the exception in the Order. For departing international passengers they are $20.00 and $7.00; the Order does not name the currency. The charges are paid when the airline ticket is bought and collected by the Nassau Airport Development Company Limited.

    Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: laws.bahamas.gov.bs (opens in a new tab) · Airport Authority (Passenger Facility and Security Charge) Order
Verified Oct 12, 2026 · Source: laws.bahamas.gov.bs (opens in a new tab) · Passenger Tax Act (Ch. 379) s. 3 and First Schedule Part I item 1Compare every country: Compulsory government charges beyond the visa, country by country

Customs & currency

Bahamas Customs says each person or responsible family member travelling is required to declare if they are travelling with cash or negotiable instruments, or precious metals or precious stones, of a value equivalent to BSD 10,000. Penalties for non-compliance can include forfeiture of the cash, plus a fine of up to $2,000.

  • Bahamas Customs lists firearms and fireworks among restricted goods, unless there is special authorization by the Commissioner of Police.
  • Bahamas Customs says all visitors are entitled to an exemption of $100 on any dutiable article brought into the Bahamas; above that, the necessary customs duties and taxes apply. Duty-free allowances for all travellers: alcoholic beverages not exceeding one quart of spirits and one quart of wine, and tobacco not exceeding one pound in weight or 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars (adults only).

Yellow fever certificate

A valid yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over 1 year of age arriving directly from a country with risk of yellow fever transmission, and from travellers who have transited more than 12 hours through an airport in such a country; travellers must be vaccinated at least 10 days before entering The Bahamas. Since January 2014, proof of yellow fever vaccination is no longer required for travellers arriving from Trinidad and Tobago.

The 42 countries WHO lists as a yellow fever risk

Requirements normally count any country you have been in shortly before arrival, not only where you boarded.

  • Angola
  • Argentina — Misiones and Corrientes Provinces
  • Benin
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Colombia
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Ecuador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Ethiopia
  • French Guiana
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Togo
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Uganda
  • Venezuela
Compiled Aug 26, 2026 · Source: cdn.who.int (opens in a new tab) · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36

International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Bahamian dollar (BSD, B$)
Safety — Exercise caution
The UK government's travel advice says there have been violent crimes and armed robberies, sometimes fatal, in residential and tourist areas of New Providence and Grand Bahama, and advises not going on foot outside the main tourist areas and beaches, especially alone, avoiding unlit areas and travelling in groups after dusk. It warns never to go into water that has been baited.Verified Oct 6, 2026 · Source: gov.uk (opens in a new tab)
Power plugs
A, B · 120V 60Hz
Emergency numbers
General emergencies: 911 · Alternative: 919
Time zone
UTC-5 (UTC-4 in summer)
Driving side
left
International Driving Permit

The Bahamas is a party to the 1968 Vienna Convention on Road Traffic (UN Treaty Collection). The Bahamas' Motor Car (International Circulation) Order, published by the Road Traffic Department, says the holder of an International Driving Permit issued abroad under a convention The Bahamas has adhered to is exempt from holding a Bahamian driver's licence while the permit remains valid. The UK government says a UK photocard driving licence can be used to drive in The Bahamas for up to 3 months; Canada's travel advice says Canadians can drive with a valid Canadian driver's licence for up to 90 days and should carry an International Driving Permit. No Bahamian official source we could read states for how long a visitor may drive on a foreign licence.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic · archived copy Aug 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab) Compare every country

Best time to visit

No official source we could read gives a best time to visit. The UK government's travel advice says the hurricane season in The Bahamas normally runs from 1 June to 30 November.

Tips & warnings

The UK government's travel advice says the hurricane season in The Bahamas normally runs from 1 June to 30 November, and that the Government of The Bahamas issues wireless emergency alerts directly to mobile phones and provides updates on the Bahamas Department of Meteorology website. Canada's travel advice says to follow the advice and instructions of local authorities.

Bahamas Customs lists firearms and fireworks among restricted goods, unless there is special authorization by the Commissioner of Police.

Visa requirements by nationality

Visa requirements by nationality. Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.
PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistanEmbassy visa—
AlbaniaEmbassy visa—
AlgeriaEmbassy visa—
AndorraVisa-free—
AngolaEmbassy visa—
Antigua and BarbudaVisa-free—
ArgentinaVisa-free—
ArmeniaVisa-free—
AustraliaVisa-free—
AustriaVisa-free—
AzerbaijanVisa-free—
BahamasFree movement—
BahrainVisa-free—
BangladeshVisa-free—
BarbadosVisa-free—
BelarusEmbassy visa—
BelgiumVisa-free—
BelizeVisa-free—
BeninVisa-free—
BhutanEmbassy visa—
BoliviaVisa-free—
Bosnia and HerzegovinaEmbassy visa—
BotswanaVisa-free—
BrazilVisa-free—
BruneiVisa-free—
BulgariaVisa-free—
Burkina FasoEmbassy visa—
BurundiEmbassy visa—
Cabo VerdeVisa-free—
CambodiaEmbassy visa—
CameroonEmbassy visa—
CanadaVisa-free240 days
Central African RepublicEmbassy visa—
ChadEmbassy visa—
ChileVisa-free—
ChinaVisa-free30 days
ColombiaVisa-free—
ComorosEmbassy visa—
Costa RicaVisa-free—
Côte d'IvoireEmbassy visa—
CroatiaVisa-free—
CubaEmbassy visa—
CyprusVisa-free—
CzechiaVisa-free—
Democratic Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
DenmarkVisa-free—
DjiboutiEmbassy visa—
DominicaVisa-free—
Dominican RepublicEmbassy visa—
EcuadorVisa-free—
EgyptEmbassy visa—
El SalvadorVisa-free—
Equatorial GuineaEmbassy visa—
EritreaEmbassy visa—
EstoniaVisa-free—
EswatiniVisa-free—
EthiopiaEmbassy visa—
FijiVisa-free—
FinlandVisa-free—
FranceVisa-free—
GabonEmbassy visa—
GambiaVisa-free—
GeorgiaVisa-free—
GermanyVisa-free—
GhanaVisa-free—
GreeceVisa-free—
GrenadaVisa-free—
GuatemalaVisa-free—
GuineaEmbassy visa—
Guinea-BissauEmbassy visa—
GuyanaVisa-free—
HaitiEmbassy visa—
HondurasVisa-free—
Hong KongVisa-free90 days
HungaryVisa-free—
IcelandVisa-free—
IndiaEmbassy visa—
IndonesiaEmbassy visa—
IranEmbassy visa—
IraqEmbassy visa—
IrelandVisa-free—
IsraelVisa-free—
ItalyVisa-free—
JamaicaVisa-free—
JapanVisa-free—
JordanEmbassy visa—
KazakhstanEmbassy visa—
KenyaVisa-free—
KiribatiVisa-free—
KosovoVisa-free—
KuwaitVisa-free—
KyrgyzstanEmbassy visa—
LaosEmbassy visa—
LatviaVisa-free—
LebanonEmbassy visa—
LesothoVisa-free—
LiberiaEmbassy visa—
LibyaEmbassy visa—
LiechtensteinVisa-free—
LithuaniaVisa-free—
LuxembourgVisa-free—
MacauEmbassy visa—
MadagascarEmbassy visa—
MalawiVisa-free—
MalaysiaVisa-free—
MaldivesVisa-free—
MaliVisa-free—
MaltaVisa-free—
Marshall IslandsVisa-free—
MauritaniaEmbassy visa—
MauritiusVisa-free—
MexicoVisa-free—
MicronesiaEmbassy visa—
MoldovaVisa-free—
MonacoVisa-free—
MongoliaEmbassy visa—
MontenegroEmbassy visa—
MoroccoEmbassy visa—
MozambiqueEmbassy visa—
MyanmarEmbassy visa—
NamibiaVisa-free—
NauruVisa-free—
NepalEmbassy visa—
NetherlandsVisa-free—
New ZealandVisa-free—
NicaraguaVisa-free—
NigerEmbassy visa—
NigeriaEmbassy visa—
North KoreaEmbassy visa—
North MacedoniaVisa-free—
NorwayVisa-free—
OmanVisa-free—
PakistanEmbassy visa—
PalauEmbassy visa—
PalestineEmbassy visa—
PanamaVisa-free—
Papua New GuineaVisa-free—
ParaguayVisa-free—
PeruVisa-free—
PhilippinesEmbassy visa—
PolandVisa-free—
PortugalVisa-free—
QatarVisa-free—
Republic of the CongoEmbassy visa—
RomaniaVisa-free—
RussiaVisa-free—
RwandaVisa-free—
Saint Kitts and NevisVisa-free—
Saint LuciaVisa-free—
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVisa-free—
SamoaVisa-free—
San MarinoVisa-free—
São Tomé and PríncipeVisa-free—
Saudi ArabiaEmbassy visa—
SenegalEmbassy visa—
SerbiaEmbassy visa—
SeychellesVisa-free—
Sierra LeoneVisa-free—
SingaporeVisa-free—
SlovakiaVisa-free—
SloveniaVisa-free—
Solomon IslandsVisa-free—
SomaliaEmbassy visa—
South AfricaVisa-free—
South KoreaVisa-free—
SpainVisa-free—
Sri LankaVisa-free—
SudanEmbassy visa—
SurinameVisa-free—
SwedenVisa-free—
SwitzerlandVisa-free—
SyriaEmbassy visa—
TaiwanEmbassy visa—
TajikistanEmbassy visa—
TanzaniaVisa-free—
ThailandEmbassy visa—
Timor-LesteEmbassy visa—
TogoEmbassy visa—
TongaVisa-free—
Trinidad and TobagoVisa-free—
TunisiaEmbassy visa—
TurkeyVisa-free—
TurkmenistanEmbassy visa—
TuvaluVisa-free—
UgandaVisa-free—
UkraineEmbassy visa—
United KingdomVisa-free—
United StatesVisa-free—
UruguayVisa-free—
UzbekistanEmbassy visa—
VanuatuVisa-free—
Vatican CityVisa-free—
VenezuelaVisa-free—
VietnamEmbassy visa—
YemenEmbassy visa—
ZambiaVisa-free—
ZimbabweVisa-free—

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

No official page we read states the rule for 2 nationalities, so the table leaves them out: South Sudan and United Arab Emirates.

Jamaica103 of 199 passports visa-freeCuba6 of 199 passports visa-free · 144 eVisa/ETADominican Republic112 of 199 passports visa-freeBarbados179 of 199 passports visa-free

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for The Bahamas?

The Department of Immigration says Bahamian visa requirements are waived, under official international visa agreements, for citizens of the countries it lists, among them the United Kingdom, the United States of America and Canada, for visits of no more than three or eight months, as each individual agreement may dictate. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists Benin and Ghana among the countries that do not need a visa, and Bosnia among those that do. Citizens of the countries on the Department's visa list must apply for and obtain Bahamian visas before attempting entry.

Do US citizens need a passport for The Bahamas?

Yes. The Department of Immigration says that at the interview at the border a prospective visitor must present a passport that is valid for at least six months, and that passport cards will not be accepted.

Do I have to fill in a form before arriving?

Yes. The Department of Immigration says the prospective visitor must present a completed Bahamas Immigration Disembarkation/Embarkation Card at the border interview, and asks passengers arriving by sea to complete the Inward Passenger and Crew Manifest for all individuals aboard the vessel.

How long can I stay in The Bahamas?

The Department of Immigration says visa waivers allow visits of no more than three or eight months, as each individual agreement may dictate; Canada's travel advice says Canadians do not need a tourist visa for stays of up to 8 months. If you want to stay beyond the period granted, you can apply for a visitor extension before the time granted expires, at the Department's discretion; a non-refundable processing fee of $200 applies to every extension of stay application.

Can I work remotely from The Bahamas?

No official source we could read describes a remote-work visa or permit for The Bahamas. The Department of Immigration says visitors must not intend to engage in any gainful employment while in The Bahamas.

How much does a Bahamas visitor visa cost?

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists the single-entry Visitor’s Visa at $160.00; no official source we could read names the currency. The fees are payable at the time of visa application and are non-refundable, by credit or debit card (VISA, MasterCard or American Express only). Multiple-entry visas for 3 months, 6 months or 1 year cost $250, and the applicant must provide copies of three previous successful visas to The Bahamas; a 3-year multiple-entry visa costs $500 and is not available online.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source