Visa Requirements for Bahamas Citizens Traveling to the United States
The United States embassy in Nassau is now open for emergency visa appointments. United States Customs and Border Protections (CBP) Ports of Entry also prepared in the event that individuals from the Bahamas to request temporary relocation to the United States.
In order to ensure that they have a smooth arrival to the United States, all travelers who apply for admission to the country either by air or sea must adhere to the following requirements:
- Bahamians need to possess a valid, unexpired passport or a Bahamian Travel Document which lists their nationality as Bahamian. All other travelers arriving from the Bahamas, including U.S. citizens, lawful permanent residents, and individuals of other nationalities, need to possess a valid, unexpired government-issued passport.
- Bahamians who arrive to the United States by vessel need to possess both a valid passport and travel visa.
To find information on all visa application processes and requirements, including a step-by-step guide to visa applications for Bahamians, visit https://bs.usembassy.gov/visas/nonimmigrant-visas.
It is possible for citizens of the Bahamas to apply for admission to the United States without a visa at one of the CBP Preclearance facilities located in Nassau or Freeport International Airports only if they adhere to the following requirements:
- Travel on a flight that CBP completes immigration and customs inspections in Nassau or Freeport. It is worth noting that Bahamians travelling on to another country and expecting to transit the U.S. on return will need a visa;
- Possess a valid, unexpired passport or a Bahamian Travel Document which lists the nationality as Bahamian;
- Have neither a criminal record nor any legal ineligibility or inadmissibility as defined by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS);
- Travel for business or pleasure, whether this be tourism, visiting relatives, shopping, or similar motivation for a short duration;
- All individuals fourteen years of age and older must possess a police certificate issued within the last 6 months;
- Bahamians traveling through the United States to a third country must possess a valid visa for return travel through the U.S.
For further information, view the announcement from DHS.
Disclaimer: This newsletter is provided as a public service and not intended to establish an attorney client relationship. Any reliance on information contained herein is taken at your own risk.