Bahamas Islands Customs and Immigration Information

Customs and Immigration

Arrival:
Visiting boaters must clear Customs and Immigration at the nearest designated Port of Entry. The Cape Eleuthera Marina is an officially designated Port of Entry. As you enter port, fly the yellow quarantine flag and have our dock master notify Customs of your arrival. No one other than the captain is permitted to leave the boat until your vessel has been cleared. Customs and Immigration will come to your vessel. Everyone on board must have proof of citizenship and fill out an immigration card. US citizens can present a passport or birth certificate. A driver's license by itself is not acceptable. Regular hours for Bahamas Customs and Immigration Officers are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Officers are on call during holidays and weekends. There is no overtime charge.

Upon arriving in The Bahamas, everyone must fill out and sign an Immigration form, keeping a portion of the card in hand until departing. An oral baggage declaration is required.
Before leaving The Bahamas, be sure to surrender your copy of the immigration card at the last Bahamian port you visit.

Entry Fees
The fee for boats up to 35 feet is 0.00 and the fee for boats over 35 feet is 0. These fees are inclusive of a cruising permit, fishing permit and departure tax for up to four persons. Each additional person will be charged departure tax.

Firearms
If you have a firearm on board, you must declare it with Customs. You must provide the serial number and manufacturer, plus an exact count of ammunition. Though you are allowed to have a firearm on your boat, you cannot take it off the boat unless you obtain a permit from the Bahamian police ahead of time. Weapons must be under lock and key at all times. Any infraction of this law is dealt with severely.

Bringing your Pet
An Import Permit is required for all animals being brought into The Bahamas. These are available in advance for a fee for each animal. Contact our marina staff for more information or write to The Director of Agriculture, Trade and Industry, P.O. Box N-3704 Nassau, Bahamas, Tel: (242) 325-7502. Dogs and cats must be six months of age and have current proof of rabies vaccination and a health certificate.

Replacement Parts
Spare parts and replacement boat parts may be imported into The Bahamas duty free, as long as the boat they are intended for has a cruising permit and transire (issued upon entrance into The Bahamas). Equipment shipped imported as cargo, will be subject to a six percent stamp duty based on the value of the parts. Invoices for imported goods are required in all cases.

Fishing and Diving Regulations
Having paid fees on entry, every vessel receives a valid fishing permit from the Customs officials. Licenses issued to individuals are not sufficient when fishing from a boat. Fishing gear is restricted to hook and line and you may not fish with more than six rods at a time.

Reductions in catch limits for sport fishing vessels take effect from January 1, 2007*

NEW LIMITS ARE:

• 6 crawfish per vessel (previously 6 per person).
• 20 pounds of demersal fish, such as groupers and snappers, per vessel (previously 20 pounds per person).
• 6 pelagic fish(dolphins, kingfish, wahoo, tuna) per vessel (previously 6 per person).
• All fish retained must be kept with head and tail intact while aboard the vessel or transported by air to facilitate identification during inspection.
• Conch fishing is prohibited.

*Exceptions would be made for persons participating in authorized fishing tournaments, where approved rules set other catch limits.

We offer charter trips for those interested in deep sea and bone fishing. Call the resort for more information.

NEW U.S. TRAVEL DOCUMENT REQUIREMENTS:
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require all travelers, including U.S. citizens, to and from The Bahamas to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer’s identity and nationality to enter or re-enter the United States. This is a change from prior travel requirements. The goal is to strengthen border security and facilitate entry into the United States for U.S. citizens and legitimate foreign visitors. In the proposed implementation plan, which is subject to a period of initial public comment, the Initiative will be rolled out in phases, providing as much advance notice as possible to the affected public to enable them to meet the terms of the new guidelines. The proposed time line will be as follows:
December 31, 2006 – Requirement applied to all air and sea travel to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda.
December 31, 2007 – Requirement extended to all land border crossings as well as air and sea travel.

Visit the U.S. Department of State's website for more information.

CURRENT REQUIREMENTS:
To enter The Bahamas, U.S. citizens need a passport, accompanied by a return or onward journey ticket and proof of funds to support the visit. Stays not to exceed eight months.
NOTE:

If you are using an electronic ticket, please show Immigration a copy of your travel itinerary and ticket number.

Passport
Current or expired (up to a maximum of five years since expiration date).
Original Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate
An original certificate is required, accompanied by a recent photo if photo on naturalization paper is not recent.

NOTE: Persons are advised to purchase return tickets (and seek reimbursement upon returning home for the unused ticket), even when they are certain to return via a private boat ? the chance of an airline/cruise line ticket agent allowing travel on a single ticket is very slim. If, however, the person gets to the point of Bahamas Immigration on a single ticket, the Captain of the boat would have to present himself and the cruising permit. However, a copy of the cruising permit will be permitted for crew members, who may be arriving by plane and returning by boat as their names will appear on the manifest. A letter will not suffice.