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Getting
There
All
of the islands have airports, or at least
an airstrip. Flying into the Bahamas, you
will usually arrive in Nassau or Freeport,
and if bound for an out island, a smaller
commuter plane will complete your journey.
Listed below are scheduled airlines, however
there are a number of charter flights available,
check with your travel agent.
Nassau/Paradise Island Airport Service
Air
Canada
- Toronto, Montreal
Air
Jamaica
- Montego Bay, Philidelphia, Newark, New
York
Bahamasair
- Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando
American
Eagle
- Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Orlando, Tampa
Gulfstream
Chalks
Ocean Airways
Delta
US
Airways
Grand Bahama Airport Service
Bahamasair
Gulfstream
Continental
Miami
Air
Lauda
Air
Tran
American
Eagle
Treasure Cay Airport Service
US
Airways
Continental
/ Gulfstream
International
Bahamas
Air
Air
Sunshine
Gulfstream
Marsh Harbour Airport Service
American
Eagle
Gulfstream
North Eleuthera Airport
Gulfstream
Entry
Requirements
| Western
Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)
The
proposed implementation timeline has
two phases:
Beginning
January 23, 2007, ALL persons, including
U.S. citizens, traveling by air between
the United States and Canada, Mexico,
Central and South America, the Caribbean,
and Bermuda will be required to present
a valid passport, Air NEXUS card,
or U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner
Document, or an Alien Registration
Card, Form I-551, if applicable.
As
early as January 1, 2008, ALL persons,
including U.S. citizens, traveling
between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico,
Central and South America, the Caribbean,
and Bermuda by land or sea (including
ferries), may be required to present
a valid passport or other documents
as determined by the Department of
Homeland Security. While recent legislative
changes permit a later deadline, the
Departments of State and Homeland
Security are working to meet all requirements
as soon as possible. Ample advance
notice will be provided to enable
the public to obtain passports or
passport cards for land/sea entries.
The passport requirement does NOT
apply to U.S. citizens traveling to
or returning directly from a U.S.
territory. U.S. citizens returning
directly from a U.S. territory are
not considered to have left the United
States and do not need to present
a passport. U.S. territories include
the following: Guam, Puerto Rico,
the U.S. Virgin Islands, American
Samoa, Swains Island, and the Commonwealth
of the Northern Mariana Islands. More
Details...
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USA Citizens
To enter The Bahamas, U.S. citizens are
required to have a passport and also need
a return or onward journey ticket and proof
of funds to support the visit. If you are
using an electronic ticket, please show
Bahamas Immigration a copy of your travel
itinerary and ticket number. Stays are not
to exceed eight months.
Canadian Citizens
To enter The Bahamas, Canadian citizens
need one of the three documents listed below,
accompanied by a return or onward journey
ticket and proof of funds to support the
visit. Stays not to exceed 21 days.
NOTE:
A
married woman whose birth certificate does
not match her Government issued identification
should also bring along her marriage license.
If you are using an electronic ticket, please
show Immigration a copy of your travel itinerary
and ticket number.
Passport
Current or expired (up to a maximum of five
years since expiration date).
OR
Official
Birth Certificate
For persons 17 years of age and older:
An original certificate issued by the Canadian
Govt. or court-certified copy (raised or
ink seal) is required, accompanied by an
Official Photo ID issued by the Canadian
Govt. (driver’s license, or voter's
card). Current and expired IDs are accepted.
Student Photo ID alone is not acceptable
as adequate documentation.
For
persons 16 years of age and younger:
A birth certificate is all that is required.
If the traveler is a student and possesses
a student ID, the traveler should also carry
the student ID to facilitate being processed
by Bahamas Immigration.
For
persons 16 years of age and younger, traveling
alone:
A notarized parental letter of consent is
required. In the case of organized group
travel, a letter is not necessary. It is
assumed that the chaperon has obtained prior
permission.
NOTE:
A laminated credit card-sized birth certificate
is acceptable, as long as it is an original
or certified copy (raised or ink seal).
OR
Original
Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate
An original certificate is required, accompanied
by a 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 when 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.
Citizens
from other countries
To enter The Bahamas, citizens from countries
other than the U.S. and Canada require a
Passport that must be valid for six (6)
months beyond the dates of travel and/or
a valid Bahamas Visa. You must also possess
a return or onward journey ticket and proof
of funds to support the visit.
NOTE: If you are using an electronic ticket,
please show Immigration a copy of your travel
itinerary and ticket number. 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 the
U.S. or Canada), the documentation required
is based upon the country of birth.
Upon your arrival to The Islands
Of The Bahamas, you will be asked to fill
out an Immigration Arrival/Departure Card,
which you will keep part of until your departure.
A Yellow Fever vaccination certificate is
required from travellers over one year of
age coming from 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
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.
For
the latest entry requirents for your country,
please visit:
http://www.bahamas.com/bahamas/about/entryrequirements.aspx?sectionid=59196
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