By Josienita Borlongan
The Bahamas is a great place to get a little bit of rest and relaxation. It is one of the top tropical destinations for many people, whether to travel on vacation alone or with friends and family members. Like other countries, the Bahamas require certain travel or immigration documents for visitors to allow them entry. Any traveler who does not meet the requirements may not be able to enter the Bahamas and may be asked to leave immediately or in the next available flight out.
Proof of Citizenship
All citizens of other countries, except the United States, Canada and Great Britain, must provide their valid passports to enter the Islands of the Bahamas port of entry. Citizens of the United States and Canada who are visiting the Bahamas should show proof of citizenship, such as a passport. The passport can be valid or expired within 5 years. British subjects from the United Kingdom and colonies can visit the Bahamas without a passport or visa if they are only planning to stay only up to a maximum of three weeks.
Naturalized U.S. citizens should show their original naturalization papers, which do not need to have their photos attached. A permanent resident alien of the United States holding a Form I- 551 (green card) may enter the Bahamas without a visa for a stay of up to 30 days. A valid passport from the country of nationality should accompany the green card. A U.S.- or Canadian-born citizen can bring a birth certificate as proof of citizenship and provide valid government-issued identification if a photo ID, such as a driver's license, accompanies it.
It is important to note that as of January 23, 2007, for U.S. citizens traveling back to the United States by air, adults and children should present their valid passports to re-enter. As of 2009, this same rule applies for travelers on a cruise ship.
Proof of Identity
U.S. citizens can bring two forms of identification in lieu of a passport to prove identity. As mentioned in Section 1, a birth certificate along with a driver's license are acceptable for travel to the Bahamas. The driver's license is the proof of identity in this case. It is always best to travel with two proofs of ID in case the immigration officers ask another one to verify. Other examples of government proof of identifications are State ID, Voter's ID, U.S. Military ID or U.S. Coast Guard ID.
Other travel documents that may accompany government-issued proof of ID are U.S. Coast Guard mariner Document and U.S. Military-issued travel orders for active military personnel.
Return Ticket and Vaccination Certification
Anyone traveling to the Bahamas for a visit would require a return ticket to show the immigration officer, not just a confirmed reservation. In most cases, vaccination certification is not necessary; however, recent outbreaks of Tuberculosis and Malaria are reasons why it is advisable, although not imposed, to get vaccinations against those two communicable diseases.
Travelers older than 1 year of age coming from 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 should present a Yellow Fever vaccination certification, obtained 10 days prior to entering Bahamas.
Resources
About the Author:
Josienita Borlongan is a full-time information technology manager and a writer. She writes for Business.com, OnTarget.com and various other websites. She is a Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer and a Cisco Certified Network Associate. She graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in medical technology from Saint Louis University, Philippines.
