IMPORTANT PASSPORT REQUIREMENT UPDATE
AS OF JUNE 9, 2007
Joint Departments of State and Homeland Security Announcement: U.S. Citizens with Pending Passport Applications Allowed Temporary Travel Flexibility Within Western Hemisphere Through 9/30/07
The U.S. Departments of State and Homeland Security announced 6/9/07 that 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. The federal government is making this accommodation for air travel due to longer than expected processing times for passport applications in the face of record-breaking demand.
Adults who have applied for but not yet received a passport should present government-issued photo identification and an official proof of application from the U.S. Department of State. Children under the age of 16 traveling with their parents or legal guardian will be permitted to travel with the child's proof of application. Travelers who have not applied for a passport should not expect to be accommodated. U.S. citizens with pending passport applications can obtain proof of application at: http://travel.state.gov.
This accommodation does not affect entry requirements to other countries. Americans traveling to a country that requires passports must still present those documents. For more information visit: http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2007/jun/86206.htm
Immigration Requirements
Upon your arrival to the Islands of the Bahamas, you will be asked to fill out an ImmigrationArrival/Departure Card, which you will keep part of until your departure.
- All visitors are required to be in possession of a return ticket.
- U.S. visitors staying for eight months or less need a return ticket plus a passport (passports expired up to five years may also be used) or a certified birth certificate with an official photo identification.
- Naturalized citizens require naturalization papers (photo identification is not required).
- Alien residents in possession of a U.S. Alien Registration Card may enter The Islands Of The Bahamas without a visa for visits not exceeding thirty days. Presentation of a current national passport, or one that has been expired for five years or less, facilitates processing.
- Permanent residents (green card holders) require their green card and a valid passport from their place of birth.
- Canadian visitors staying less than three weeks need the same identification as those from the U.S. and do not require a visa.
- Landed immigrants in possession of the Canadian Immigration Record Form 1000 should follow the same requirements as Alien residents.
- All others need a valid passport.
- British subjects from the United Kingdom and colonies may enter The Islands Of The Bahamas as visitors without passports or visas for periods not exceeding three weeks. For longer stays they must present a passport.
A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is required from travellers over one year of age coming rom the following countries: Angola, Benin, Bolivia, Brazil, Burkina Faso, Colombia, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ecuador, French Guiana, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Peru and Sudan. Travellers are required to be vaccinated 10 days prior to entering The Islands Of The Bahamas and must have a valid certificate of vaccination against Yellow Fever.
Customs Entry
When you enter The Islands Of The Bahamas, you will be asked for a verbal baggage declaration. However, your luggage is also subject to customs inspections. If you are carrying dutiable items, you will need to fill out a Baggage Declaration Form.
Custom Duty: Baggage declaration by temporary visitors is oral, but baggage is subject to Customs inspection. In case there are dutiable articles, the visitor will be required to complete a Baggage Declaration Form. Each adult is allowed 50 cigars or cigarettes or one pound of tobacco and one quart of spirits free of Customs Duty, in addition to personal effects. In addition, purchases up to a value of one hundred dollars ($100.00) are permitted by all arriving passengers.
Household effects, such as small appliances (such as blender etc.) are dutiable at 45% of the cost. Linen and china are duty free for each arriving visit. Computers such as laptops are considered a part of your personal effects and therefore are duty-free.
