[Last Updated: December 7, 2020]

All travelers applying for admission to the United States via air or sea from The Bahamas must meet the following document requirements for admission to ensure a lawful and orderly arrival to the United States. Below are also requirements for preclearance in The Bahamas.

General Travel Requirements:

• Bahamians must be in possession of a valid, unexpired passport or a Bahamian Travel Document listing nationality as Bahamian. All other travelers arriving from the Bahamas (U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, and individuals of other nationalities) must possess a valid, unexpired government–issued passport.
• Bahamians arriving to the United States by vessel must be in possession of a valid passport AND valid travel visa.
• Detailed information on all visa application requirements and processes, as well as a step-by-step guide to visa applications for Bahamians, can be found at https://bs.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas.

CBP Preclearance Requirements:

• Bahamian citizens may apply for admission to the United States without a visa at the CBP Preclearance facility located in Nassau, IF they meet the following requirements:
  • Be traveling on a flight that CBP completes immigration and customs inspections in Nassau (currently, preclearance operates between 9:00am and 6:00pm). *Note – Bahamians traveling on to another country and expecting to transit the United States on their return will need a visa;
  • Be in possession of a valid, unexpired passport or a Bahamian Travel Document listing nationality as Bahamian;
  • Have no criminal record nor any legal ineligibility or inadmissibility as defined by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (click here);
  • Be traveling for business or pleasure (tourism, visiting relatives, shopping, etc.) purposes for a short duration;
  • All persons 14 years of age and older must be in possession of a police certificate issued within the past six months;
  • Bahamians traveling through the United States to a third country must possess a valid visa for return travel through the U.S.

The bottom line is that all travelers must possess government-issued identity documents, such as passports. All travelers who arrive directly to a U.S. Port of Entry by air or sea must possess a U.S. visitor’s visa. Travelers who would otherwise qualify for the Visa Waiver Program and who travel by air from a CBP Preclearance facility in Freeport or Nassau may not need a U.S. visitor’s visa.