Sailors going to the Bahamas this winter are facing changes to visitor’s permits that allow individuals a specific period of time in the country.
In September a new regulation was instituted requiring a $200 pre-paid processing fee to renew each visitor’s permit, and the renewal must be in person with an official. Visitor’s permits are often called visas, but U.S., Canadian, U.K. and Commonwealth countries’ residents are not required to have visas. Visitor’s permits are separate from cruising permits, which pertain to boats brought into the country.
The implementation of the new fee caused a stir among sailors on social media, who want certainty in planning and budgeting winter cruises. When entering the Bahamas, sailors register using the smartphone app or internet portal called “Click2Clear” to initiate paperwork with the customs and immigration departments. They still must fly a quarantine flag and wait for further instruction.
A cruising permit is $150 for a three-month period for boats 34 feet and under, and $300 for a three-month permit for boats 35-99 feet. Yearlong cruising permits are $300 and $600 respectively.
A visitor’s permit, sometimes called a “length of stay,” is stamped into each visitor’s passport. In the past these were free for the first three crewmembers of any pleasure boat and free to renew. The term of a visitor’s permit is granted at the discretion of the immigration official who may review the person’s paperwork and travel plans.
Because it is not a visa, there is no minimum period for a visitor’s permit, but anecdotally, many sailors get 90 days initially. And there is no standard renewal period, as all are at the discretion of the official reviewing the request.
The new wrinkle is paying to renew the visitor’s permit. It now involves a non-refundable $200 fee, and there’s no guarantee of a renewal that corresponds with the cruising permit—or any additional time at all. The official reviewing the visitor’s application has the authority approve, deny, or set any period for renewal (not exceeding the statutory eight-month limit).
Hypothetically, a crew of two on a 40-foot Island Packet could pay $300 for a three-month cruising permit and receive 90 days each on their visitor’s permits. If they decided they wanted to stay longer, they’d need to pay $300 more for another three-month permit, as well as $400 to apply to extend their visitor’s permits—an extra $700. If knew in advance that they wanted to stay longer—say, December through April—they would pay $600 for a yearlong cruising permit and, depending on the length of their initial visitor’s permits, have to find a renewal location and pay an additional $200 each in hopes of getting visitor’s permits extensions to complete their desired cruise. The extra cost—without any certainty of getting the visitor’s permit extensions—is significant. The result could be shorter visits to the Bahamas or less money to spend ashore.
“How many countries charge extra for tourists to stay longer?” says Addison Chan, author of the Waterway Guide, Bahamas Land and Sea. He notes that visas often cost hundreds of dollars, but visitor’s permits aren’t the same because they do not confer a specific length of stay. “This is bureaucracy getting ahead of the people who are trying to run businesses on the islands. They don’t think about the implications of what they are doing.”
Even if the fees pinch sailors’ wallets, a good attitude during the renewal meeting is key, say longtime cruisers.
“Dressing respectfully and being polite go a long way,” says cruiser and charter captain Suky Cannon. “It’s really important to make your case before the official stamps your passport.” She suggests discussing your travel plans with the official and asking for the person’s supervisor if they balk at renewing for a reasonable amount of time.
Contacted for comment, a Bahamas official said in an email to bring several documents to a permit renewal appointment, including the boat’s cruising permit, vessel registration, a letter of employment from the captain, a crew list, customs clearance, and other supporting immigration documents. The official website concerning the renewal process is immigration.gov.bs/entry-requirements/extension-of-stay/.
After some initial confusion, officials clarified that visitor permit renewals may take place anywhere there is an authorized immigrations officer. Offices are in cities like Freeport and Nassau, as well as at airports or in town offices, such as at Marsh Harbor International Airport on Abaco or Alice Town Office on Bimini. Find a complete list here.
The new fee coincides with the island nation welcoming more than eight million visitors in 2023. Tourism comprises about 70% of the Bahamas’ gross domestic product.
January/February 2025
