Bahamas COVID-19 Travel Protocols (Updated March 8, 2022)

To protect the health and well-being of all who live in or visit the Bahamas, the Bahamian government has implemented a number of COVID-19-related protocols and measures that apply to Bahamian citizens, residents and visitors.

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR FULLY VACCINATED TRAVELLERS

• Eully vaccinated people travelling internationally to The Bahamas must obtain a negative COVID-19 test (Rapid Antigen Test or RT-PCR), taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the time of arrival in The Bahamas.

• Anyone presenting test results older than 3 days (72 hours) will not be permitted to enter The Bahamas.

• Fully vaccinated persons travelling inter-island within The Bahamas from Nassau or Grand Bahama to any other island are required to obtain a negative COVID-19 test (Rapid Antigen or RT-PCR) , taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date/time of travel. Results must be presented to the operator of the airline or vessel on which they are travelling.

• Note that AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria/Covishield), Janseen (Johnson & Johnson), Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Moderna (Spikevax), Sinopharm, Covaxin or Sinovac are the only vaccines being recognized at this time.

• The fine for submitting falsified vaccination records is $10,000 or two years’ imprisonment or both.

TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR UNVACCINATED TRAVELLERS

• Unvaccinated travellers ages 12 and older entering The Bahamas must obtain a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR Test (including PCR, NAA, NAAT, TMA or RNA) test taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to date/time of arrival.

• Effective 27 December, 2021, unvaccinated children between the ages of 2 and 11 are required to obtain a negative COVID-19 test (either a Rapid Antigen Test or RT-PCR Test), taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date/time of arrival in The Bahamas.

• Children under age 2 are exempt from any testing requirements

• Non-vaccinated persons travelling inter-island within The Bahamas from Nassau or Grand Bahama to any other island are required to obtain a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test, taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date/time of travel, and present these results to the operator of the airline or vessel on which they are travelling.

BAHAMAS TRAVEL HEALTH VISA

• All visitors (i.e., non-citizens or residents) arriving in The Bahamas by air or sea must apply for an International Bahamas Travel Health Visa prior to travel.

• Effective 13 December, 2021, the International Bahamas Travel Health Visa requirement for citizens and residents has been discontinued. Instead, Bahamian citizens and residents must present a negative COVID-19 test (see above for testing requirements) at check-in prior to departure.

• Cost of the travel health visa is dependent on length of stay as well as vaccine status

• As part of the Bahamas Travel Health Visa application process, visitors must opt in to the COVID-19 health insurance that covers them for the duration of their stay in The Bahamas, up to one (1) month. The cost of insurance is included in the Bahamas Travel Health Visa application fee.

• Your travel health visa includes one free Rapid Antigen Test, which can be used as your “returning home” test, as long as you depart within 30 days of arrival.

• Bahamas Travel Health Visa applications can take up to 48 hours to process and should be completed with adequate lead time.

• A copy of your approved Bahamas Travel Health Visa with QR Code must be presented to airline agents/pilots and boat captains/operators before boarding takes place along with COVID-19 vaccination certificate/card (if you’re vaccinated) and COVID-19 test result.

• Visitors eighteen (18) years and older are required to complete an individual Bahamas Travel Health Visa application. Visitors seventeen (17) years and younger can be added as a profile within the account of their parent or guardian. An individual Bahamas Travel Health Visa application should be completed for each child.

• Effective 1 October 2021, a travel health visa is not required for inter-island travel within The Bahamas. 

TRAVEL HEALTH VISA PROCEDURES FOR VACCINATED VISITORS

• Fully vaccinated visitors are required to upload negative COVID-19 test results (either a Rapid Antigen Test or RT-PCR Test) in addition to valid proof of vaccination (such as CDC or government-issued vaccine record card) confirming they have passed the two-week immunity period.

• At this time, the Bahamas Government recognizes the following vaccines: AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria/Covishield), Janseen (Johnson & Johnson), Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Moderna (Spikevax), Sinopharm, Covaxin or Sinovac.

• For vaccinated visitors, the Bahamas Travel Health Visa will be valid for 6 months from the date of the last dose of the vaccine, so multiple trips can be had in this period without having to upload the Vaccination Record Card again.

• Vaccinated travellers entering The Bahamas by sea must stop at a port of entry and present to the local authority a copy of their Bahamas Travel Health Visa, negative COVID-19 test result and proof of being fully vaccinated. Travellers entering the country by sea on a commercial or personal vessel after being at sea for a period of longer than three (3) days must prove at their point of entry into The Bahamas that their COVID-19 test result was valid at the time of their departure and that the trip was direct with no prior stops.

TRAVEL HEALTH VISA PROCEDURES FOR UNVACCINATED VISITORS

• Effective 27 December 2021, unvaccinated visitors age 12 and above are required to upload their negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test results. Tests must be taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date of arrival. 

• Effective 27 December, 2021, Children between the ages of 2 and 11 are required to upload their negative COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test or COVID-19 RT-PCR test results. Tests must be taken up to three days (72 hours) prior to the date of arrival.

• (Here’s a list of U.S. locations compiled by the Association of Bahamas Marinas, where you can get Covid-19 RT-PCR tests with quick turnaround.) Note that if you’re not fully vaccinated, your result must be from a RT-PCR test. Results from other types of Covid tests are not acceptable.

• Upon arrival, be prepared to present hard copies of your International Travel Health Visa, proof of vaccination and/or COVID-19 test results. Failure to produce these documents may result in denied entry.

• Unvaccinated travellers entering The Bahamas by sea must stop at a port of entry and present to the local authority a copy of their Bahamas Travel Health Visa, negative COVID-19 test result. Travellers entering the country by sea on a commercial or personal vessel who have been at sea for a period of longer than three (3) days must prove at their point of entry into The Bahamas that their COVID-19 test result was valid at the time of their departure and that the trip was direct with no prior stops.

DURING YOUR STAY IN THE BAHAMAS

VACCINATED TRAVELLERS

• Effective 3 March 2020, the requirement for vaccinated travellers (Bahamians, residents or visitors) to take a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test on Day 5 of their stay has been eliminated.

• Effective 3 March 2020, the requirement for vaccinated travellers (Bahamian, resident or visitor) travelling from Nassau or Grand Bahama to any other Bahamian destination to take a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test on Day 5 of their stay has been eliminated.

• Fully vaccinated people traveling to the Bahamian out islands from either Nassau or Grand Bahama are required to present a negative COVID-19 test result (Rapid Antigen or PCR) taken no more than 72 hours prior to travel.

• Here’s a list of sites in Abaco offering COVID testing:
  • SPANISH CAY– testing for guests only, call (242) 807-0317
  • GREEN TURTLE CAY: GTC Clinic – Contact Nurse Practitioner Trina Sasine at (229) 798-0233 for appointment.
  • GREEN TURTLE CAY: Green Turtle Club
  • TREASURE CAY: Abaco Health Services -Email pattialbury@abacohealthservices.com or message their Facebook page for appointment.
  • MARSH HARBOUR – Integrated Medical Centre – Call (242) 825-8854
  • MARSH HARBOUR – Abaco Beach Resort & Boat Harbour, testing for guests and those who use marina as a point of entry. Call (242) 367-2158.
  • GUANA CAY – Baker’s Bay Resort & Marina, for members only. Call (242) 242-577-0325
  • WINDING BAY (members and guests only) Abaco Health Services Mobile Clinic. Call (24) 577-0744 or schedule through their Facebook page.
  • ELBOW CAY – Hope Town Clinic – Call (242) 577-4257 or (242) 436-5816 for appointment.

UNVACCINATED TRAVELLERS

• Effective 3 March 2020, the requirement for unvaccinated travellers (Bahamians, residents or visitors) to take a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test on Day 5 of their stay has been eliminated.

• Effective 3 March 2020, the requirement for vaccinated travellers (Bahamian, resident or visitor) travelling from Nassau or Grand Bahama to any other Bahamian destination to take a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test on Day 5 of their stay has been eliminated.

• Unvaccinated people traveling to the Bahamian out islands from either Nassau or Grand Bahama are required to present a negative PCR COVID-19 test result (taken no more than 72 hours prior to travel.

• Unvaccinated persons, ages 12 and older may be required to complete a short Daily Health Questionnaire during their stay.

• The questionnaire must be completed upon arrival and each day thereafter for up to 14 days, or the duration of stay, whichever is shorter. If travelling less than 14 days, a questionnaire must be completed on the day of departure

NOTE: All Bahamians, residents and visitors must adhere to Covid-19 health measures including proper hand washing and sanitizer use, physical distancing and the use of masks or face coverings fitted over the nose and mouth. Masks are required in all public places.

A $250 fine or a penalty of one month imprisonment or both, will be enforced for visitors or residents found not wearing face masks in areas where they are required.

Please note that these protocols can and do change frequently. Please visit Bahamas.com/tourism-reopening or the Office of the Prime Minister’s COVID-19 page for the most up-to-date information.

For the most recent COVID-19 Statistics, visit the Bahamas Ministry of Health.

U.S. GUIDELINES FOR AIR PASSENGERS ARRIVING IN U.S.

Effective 17 December 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) requires all airline passengers ages 2 years and older (regardless of vaccination status or citizenship) travelling to the United States from a foreign country to present a verifiable negative COVID-19 viral test (PCR or Antigen) taken no more than 1 day before you travel by air into the United States. You must show your negative result to the airline before you board your flight.

Effective 21 December 2021, U.S. non-immigrants (i.e., not a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident or traveling to the United States on an immigrant visa) must show proof of being fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before travelling by air to the United States.

See the CDC website for latest guidance regarding testing and entry requirements.