Persons holding a valid Canadian passport or permanent resident card DO NOT require a visa to enter The Bahamas.  Passports, must be valid for at least 3 months from the date of return if travelling direct from Canada, and 6 months if transiting through the United States. Permanent Resident cards should be valid for at least one week after date of return to ensure sufficient time to return in the case of flight delay or emergency.

Travelers WITHOUT Canadian citizenship/those who DO NOT hold a valid Canadian permanent residence card, may require a visa to enter The Bahamas.

Travelers are not exempt from the visa requirement if they hold a Canadian work or study permit, a Canadian multiple entry visa, or a US visa. Travelers may only be exempt if the passport of origin is from a country exempt from the visa requirement.

Visit Countries Exempt/Non-Exempt to determine which countries require a visa to enter The Bahamas.

The standard processing time for an eVISA is 7-10 business days, not including the submission date and providing that all supporting documents are in order at the time of your initial submission and no interview is required.

Visit Where to Apply for more information.

The Bahamas High Commission DOES NOT issue same day visas.

The High Commission requires at least 7-10 business days to process a visa.

Ensure application is submitted with sufficient processing time and return delivery time.

Applications submitted with less than requested processing time may be accepted; however, application may be processed after applicant’s travel date. 

• Those citizens of countries that require a visa to enter The Bahamas will need a visa when entering The Bahamas via cruise ship from the United States of America.
• All visa applicants must be in possession of a valid passport with more than 6 months remaining.
• An Electronic Entry Visa (EEV) does not guarantee entry into The Bahamas. Bahamas Border Management Officers have the right to deny entry into The Bahamas

General processing time for visa applications is 7-10 business days;  While the Bahamas High Commission is dedicated to ensuring efficient processing times; applicant must ensure sufficient time between application submission and date of travel. Once an application is submitted, processing begins.

Status updates will be unavailable in the first 10 business days.

The Bahamas High Commission will NOT accept calls/ emails requesting visa updates unless application has exceeded general processing time. 

All persons visiting The Bahamas from countries that are not exempt, require a visa for entry-  whether travelling via air or sea.

To determine visa eligibility, visit: Exempt/Non-Exempt Countries. 

Persons with a criminal record are advised to seek advice and clarification from the Department of Immigration – Bahamas.

Thea Moss, Gr.II

Immigration Officer

Classified Registry & Customer Service Representative P. O. Box N-831 Nassau, Bahamas

Tel: 242-502-0544

Email: [email protected]

The letter/email should include the following information:

• Date of entry and exit to and from The Bahamas
• Anticipated length of visit
• Details of accommodation (private address or hotel / villa)
• Details of conviction – i.e. sentence, time served and current status
• •Documentary proof of termination of sentence or pardon