Traveling Safely To The Bahamas

We want you to have an amazing time during your visit, and we understand that you would want to protect your loved ones as well as yourself during this time. In light of this, the Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, guided by the Bahamas Ministry of Health, has rolled out new initiatives and protocols for you to follow, to ensure everyone remains as safe as possible during this ongoing pandemic.

Pre-Departure And Arrival

Everyone traveling to The Bahamas must have tested negative for Covid-19. The Covid-19 RT-PCR (swab) test has to be taken no more than 5 days prior to the date of arrival. Children 10 years old and younger, however, are not required to take the test. Prior to travel, you will be required to apply for a Bahamas Travel Health Visa. To obtain your Health Visa, just go to travel.gov.bs and click on the “International” tab; complete the required fields and upload your negative Covid-19 RT-PCR test. The process is quick and easy! Please be sure print a copy of your Approved Bahamas Travel Health Visa issued electronically, and have it ready to present upon arrival in the destination. Without your health visa and negative Covid test results, you will not be allowed entry into The Bahamas.

Beginning November 14, as a part of the Travel Health Visa application, travelers will be required to opt in to a Covid-19 health insurance that covers you for the duration of your stay in The Bahamas. The cost of the insurance is included in the Travel Health Visa application fee and is dependent on your length of stay. The Travel Health Visa application takes up to 72 hours to process, so be sure to give yourself an adequate amount of time to ensure you are covered for your arrival.

During Travel

Once you have safely arrived in The Bahamas, please be sure to wear a face mask while transiting from plane, to terminal, security and customs screening as well as baggage claim. Now, while we encourage you to enjoy your stay here, if you do exhibit Covid-19 symptoms during your stay, we will require you to take a Rapid Antigen Test. If your antigen test is negative, then you will be free to enjoy your stay and carry on having fun in the sun. However, if the test comes back positive, you will be required to take a follow up Covid-19 RT-PCR (swab) test. Staying longer than 5 days? You will be required to take a Rapid Covid-19 Antigen test. But don’t worry, the tests are quick and easy with results in 60 minutes or less. There is an island-by-island list of approved testing sites at Bahamas.com/travelupdates.

On-Island Experience

We encourage you, in earnest, to wear a face mask at all times while traveling on buses, taxis, before and after exercising (a mask must be seen on your person during exercising as well) and entering restaurants. Social distance on lines and wherever there is more than one person. Masks are not required on the beach but they are required entering and leaving the beach. Do note that each island has its own protocol orders, so feel free to read up on the rules and restrictions by going to Bahamas.com/Travelupdates.

Failure To Follow Protocols

As stated earlier, we want you to have fun and enjoy your stay here. Lie out in the sun, enjoy our beaches, culture and fine dining. However, we want to protect our guests, and not abiding by the aforementioned guidelines comes with varying consequences. If you did not complete the Bahamas Travel Health Visa application or the Covid-19 RT-PCR test with a negative result, you will not be allowed into the country. If you show any sign of having Covid-19 symptoms, you will be transferred to an area away from other guests, for further testing and evaluation. A quarantine might be required by health personnel if they deem it necessary. Any visitor not wearing a face mask where face masks are required will either be fined $250, sentenced to one month imprisonment, or both. And, travelers staying longer than 4 nights and 5 days who don’t take the Rapid Antigen test on the 5th day, will be fined $1,000 or sentenced to one month imprisonment.

We want everyone to come to the islands and enjoy the beauty and culture of The Bahamas, safely. For more information on our safety protocols, visit

https://www.bahamas.com/tourism-reopening

We look forward to seeing you!