The Islands of The Bahamas Announces Updated Travel & Entry Protocols
New Rules in Effect for Inter-Island Travel From Nassau & Paradise Island and Grand Bahama
NASSAU, Bahamas, January 7, 2021 – The Government of The Bahamas has issued updated public health measures, effective as of Monday, January 4, as well as new protocols for inter-island travel from Nassau & Paradise Island or Grand Bahama Island.
All travellers to The Bahamas are required to abide by these entry and inter-island travel protocols that help keep the country safe for all to enjoy. An overview of updates are as follows:
Prior to Travel:
1. COVID-19 RT-PCR Test
- All persons travelling to The Bahamas, and those travelling inter-island from Nassau & Paradise Island or Grand Bahama Island, must obtain a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR (swab) test taken no more than five (5) days prior to the date of arrival.
- The day the test is taken is considered Day 0; for example, if a test was taken on Monday, travel must be completed by Saturday in order for the test to be valid for entry. The name and address of the lab, where the test was performed, must be clearly displayed on the test result.
- A Bahamas citizen or resident planning to travel abroad for five (5) days or less must secure a test in the destination they visited before travelling back to The Bahamas. Any RT-PCR test taken in The Bahamas prior to travel will not be valid for re-entry.
- Exemptions:
- Children age ten (10) and under
- Pilots and crew of commercial airlines who remain overnight in The Bahamas.
2. Bahamas Travel Health Visa
o All travellers, including visitors, returning citizens and residents arriving via commercial flights, as well as by private planes, private boats, yachts or pleasure craft, are required to apply for a Bahamas Travel Health Visa at travel.gov.bs where they will upload test results (as appropriate) and other required documents.
- All travellers eighteen (18) years of age and older are required to complete an individual Bahamas Travel Health Visa application.
- Persons seventeen (17) years and younger are to add a profile within the account of the parent or guardian.
o International travellers, or Bahamians returning to The Bahamas from abroad, click on the International tab and upload test results and other required documents.
- Those travelling inter-island, originating from a destination within The Bahamas, should select the domestic tab and upload test results (if applicable) and other required documents.
o There is a non-refundable fee for the Bahamas Travel Health Visa, inclusive of an application fee, administrative and distribution costs. The final price is dependent on length of stay, as well as applicable testing, insurance and healthcare related costs:
- $25 – Domestic travel departing Nassau & Paradise Island or Grand Bahama Island
- $40 (non-refundable) – Returning citizens and residents of The Bahamas
- $40 (non-refundable) – Visitors (citizens or residents of USA & Canada) staying up to four (4) nights and five (5) days
o Includes cost of Travel Health Insurance; a day five rapid antigen test is not required
- $50 (non-refundable) – Visitors (citizens or residents of all other countries) staying up to four (4) nights and five (5) days
o Includes cost of Travel Health Insurance; a day five rapid antigen test is not required
- $60 (non-refundable) – Visitors (citizens or residents of USA & Canada) staying longer than four (4) nights and five (5) days
o Includes costs of Travel Health Insurance and rapid antigen test on Day 5
- $70 (non-refundable) – Visitors (citizens or resident of all other countries) staying longer than four (4) nights and five (5) days
o Includes costs of Travel Health Insurance and rapid antigen test on Day 5
- Free - Children ten (10) years and under (insurance coverage included)
- Exempt – Pilot/crew of commercial airlines who remain overnight in The Bahamas
Upon Arrival
1. Comply with Monitoring Protocols:
o All persons travelling to The Bahamas will be required to complete a short, daily online questionnaire concerning the health and symptoms of each traveller. Questionnaires must be completed upon arrival and each day thereafter for up to 14 days or the duration of their stay, whichever is shorter.
- This includes day of departure, if travelling less than 14 days.
o Any visitor who exhibits COVID symptoms at any time during their stay will be required to take a Rapid Antigen Test and receive a negative result before being permitted to continue with their vacation.
o If a person tests positive they will be required to follow up with a COVID-19 RT-PCR (swab) test.
2. Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Testing (if applicable):
- All persons who enter The Bahamas or are travelling inter-island from Nassau & Paradise Island or Grand Bahama Island, and are staying in their destination for longer than four (4) nights and five (5) days will be required to take a rapid COVID-19 antigen test.
- Children age ten (10) and under are exempt from taking rapid antigen tests.
o All visitors departing on or before five days will not be required to obtain this test.
- Please note: the day of arrival is considered Day one (1) of a person’s stay.
o The rapid tests are easy, quick and will yield results in 60 minutes or less, with results being provided electronically via SMS text message and email.
o Travellers will receive a reminder 24 hours prior to the required test with information on where and how to obtain a test. All persons taking a rapid antigen test are required to bring and present their Bahamas Travel Health Visa with QR code. Tests cannot be properly recorded without the QR code that corresponds to each person’s individual Bahamas Travel Health Visa.
o An approved list of testing sites is available at Bahamas.com/travelupdates.
Due to the fluidity of COVID-19, the Government of The Bahamas will continue to monitor cases across the islands and loosen or tighten restrictions as needed. The Bahamas is an archipelago with more than 700 islands and cays, spread over 100,000 square miles, which means conditions and instances of the virus can be different on each of the 16 islands available to welcome visitors. Travellers should check the status of their island destination before travelling, by visiting Bahamas.com/travelupdates.
For full details on the latest updates, protocols and regulations, please visit opm.gov.bs.
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PRESS INQUIRIES
Anita Johnson-Patty
General Manager, Global Communications
Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation
Weber Shandwick
Public Relations