NEW TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL AND DOMESTIC TRAVEL

The Office of the Prime Minister has advised that effective Friday, August 6, 2021, persons applying for a travel health visa to enter The Bahamas or travel within The Bahamas will be subjected to a new set of requirements.

NASSAU, Bahamas, Aug. 2, 2021 – Effective on Friday, August 6, those persons applying for a travel health visa to enter The Bahamas or travel within The Bahamas will be subjected to a new set of requirements for international and domestic travel.

This was announced in the following statement released today by the Office of the Prime Minister:

“The Office of the Prime Minister wishes to advise that, effective Friday 6 August 2021, those persons applying for a travel health visa to enter The Bahamas or travel within The Bahamas will be subjected to the following new testing requirements:

ENTERING THE BAHAMAS

VACCINATED TRAVELERS

All fully vaccinated travelers wishing to enter The Bahamas will now be required to obtain a COVID-19 test (Rapid Antigen Test or PCR), with a negative result, within five days of arrival in The Bahamas.

UNVACCINATED TRAVELERS

There are no changes to the testing requirements for unvaccinated persons wishing to enter The Bahamas. All persons, who are 12 years and older and who are unvaccinated, will still be required to obtain a PCR test taken within five days of arrival in The Bahamas.

CHILDREN AND INFANTS

All children, between the ages of 2 and 11, wishing to enter The Bahamas will now be required to obtain a COVID-19 test (Rapid Antigen Test or PCR), with a negative result, within five days of arrival in The Bahamas.

All children, under the age of 2, are exempt from any testing requirements.

CRUISE PASSENGERS

All travelers, entering The Bahamas on a cruise ship, will be subjected to the testing requirements mandated by the cruise line and approved by the Competent Authority.

TRAVELING WITHIN THE BAHAMAS

VACCINATED TRAVELERS

All fully vaccinated travelers wishing to travel within The Bahamas, will now be required to obtain a COVID-19 test (Rapid Antigen Test or PCR), with a negative result, within five days of the travel date from the following islands: New Providence, Grand Bahama, Bimini, Exuma, Abaco and North and South Eleuthera, including Harbour Island.

UNVACCINATED TRAVELERS

For unvaccinated persons wishing to travel within The Bahamas, all persons, who are 12 years and older and who are unvaccinated, will still be required to obtain a PCR test taken within five days of the travel date. This now applies to travel from the following islands: New Providence, Grand Bahama, Bimini, Exuma, Abaco and North and South Eleuthera, including Harbour Island.

CHILDREN AND INFANTS

All children, between the ages of 2 and 11, wishing to travel within The Bahamas will now be required to obtain a COVID-19 test (Rapid Antigen Test or PCR), with a negative result, within five days of the travel date from the following islands: New Providence, Grand Bahama, Bimini, Exuma, Abaco and North and South Eleuthera, including Harbour Island.

All children, under the age of 2, are exempt from any testing requirements.

Domestic travel health visa fees will be waived for all Bahamians and residents traveling within The Bahamas.