In an effort to minimize the spread of COVID-19, health and safety protocols have been put in place for traveling to and within The Bahamas. Check here for up-to-date COVID-19 protocols for Bahamas travel. Be prepared for your Bahamas vacation by knowing what is required to travel to The Bahamas.
Updated: March 8, 2022
Whether you are fully vaccinated or unvaccinated, refer below to find the protocol specific to your status. There are also different protocols for cruise ship passengers visiting The Bahamas, please see the separate section pertaining to this method of travel.
The following regulations apply to air travel. Be advised, airline protocols may vary from the information below. It’s best to contact the airline you’re flying with to be aware of their COVID protocols before going to the airport.
Step One: Get Tested
All travelers to The Bahamas over the age of 2, whether fully vaccinated or unvaccinated, will be required to obtain a negative COVID-19 test taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date of arrival to The Bahamas.
Fully vaccinated travelers within The Bahamas are required to obtain a negative COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test or COVID-19 RT-PCR, taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date of travel.
Unvaccinated travelers within The Bahamas are required to obtain a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date of travel. Acceptable tests include NAAT, PCR, RNA, RT-PCR and TMA.
Inter-Island Travel: New Providence (Nassau), Paradise Island, Grand Bahama Island (Freeport), Eleuthera, Inagua
Fully vaccinated travelers within The Bahamas are required to obtain a negative COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test or COVID-19 RT-PCR, taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date of travel.
Unvaccinated travelers within The Bahamas are required to obtain a negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test taken no more than three days (72 hours) prior to the date of travel. Acceptable tests include NAAT, PCR, RNA, RT-PCR and TMA.
Children under the age of 2 are exempt from any testing requirements.
COVID-19 Testing in The Bahamas
Step Two: Apply for a Bahamas Travel Health Visa
All visitors over 18 are required to complete an individual Bahamas Health Travel Visa application. Travelers 17 and under, are to add a profile to their parent or guardian’s application.
The cost of the Bahamas Travel Health Visa is $40 for U.S. and Canadian residents and $50 for travelers from all other International countries.
Bahamas Travel Health Visa applications can take up to 48 hours to process, so they should be completed as soon as possible.
A Travel Health Visa is not required for inter-island travel within The Bahamas. For Bahamian citizens and residents, a negative COVID-19 test must be presented at check-in prior to departure.
Vaccinated visitors must upload negative COVID-19 test results in addition to valid proof of vaccination confirming they have passed the two-week immunity period (such as CDC or government-issued vaccine record card). Travelers must obtain a COVID-19 RT-PCR test.
At this time, the Bahamas Government will only be accepting vaccinations by AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria/Covishield), Janseen (Johnson & Johnson), Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Moderna (Spikevax), Sinopharm, Covaxin or Sinovac.
Unvaccinated travelers over the age of 2 are required to upload their negative COVID-19 RT-PCR test results. Tests must be taken up to three days (72 hours) prior to the date of travel.
All Bahamian citizens or residents planning to travel abroad for two (2) days or more must secure a test in the destination they visited before traveling back to The Bahamas. Any COVID-19 RT-PCR or COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test is taken in The Bahamas prior to travel will not be valid for re-entry unless a person travels from The Bahamas and returns within a 24-hour period.
Bahamas Travel Health Visa
Step Three: Stay Safe
Unvaccinated travelers must complete a questionnaire each day thereafter or up to 14 days, whichever is shorter.
Any visitor exhibiting COVID-19 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.
If a person tests positive, they will be required to follow up with a COVID-19 RT-PCR test. Failure to comply with COVID protocols may result in deportation.
The following regulations apply to cruise ship passengers:
All cruise ship passengers ages 12 and older must be fully vaccinated to enter a port in The Bahamas, including a cruise line’s private island. Any person ineligible for the COVID-19 vaccination due to medical contradictions is exempt from this requirement.
Guests on cruises that originate in and return to The Bahamas must apply for a Travel Health Visa prior to departing for The Bahamas. The Bahamas Travel Health Visa is valid for a 30-day period.
Fully vaccinated travelers are required to upload negative COVID-19 test results as well as valid proof of vaccination (such as CDC government-issued vaccine record card). For international travelers, proof of vaccination must confirm they have passed the two-week immunity period. At this time, the Bahamas Government will only be accepting vaccinations by AstraZeneca (Vaxzevria/Covishield), Janseen (Johnson & Johnson), Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty), Moderna (Spikevax), Sinopharm, Covaxin, or Sinovac.
Unvaccinated cruise guests ages 12 and older, will be required to take a COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test on the fifth day of their cruise.
Fully vaccinated travelers will be exempt from the Day 5 Rapid Antigen Testing requirement.
