New Bahamas Rules Nov 1

No Change for those vaccinated.

Thank you. My general perspective is that the rules are easy to follow subject to avoiding Freeport and Nassau. I get your need to be there, and good to know there's a solid solution should we need to do hit the spots for one reason or another. This type of information is so useful...thank you...

At Chub they needed to have copies in their possession, or were the originals returned to you? Not clear...

Well I don’t intend to get the shots but apparently authorities are reluctant to replace testing with proof of vaccine fearing that while the vaccine prevent illness it doesn’t necessarily prevent someone from being infected and contagious. Not sure if it is true and frankly I don’t care

you can still come in to Nassau to fuel, provision etc as long as you only stay less than 24 hours.

like everything here it s better to be prepared. So i tell everyone to print two copies of the test and the visa, just in case. Just like some customs offices require two copies of the paper work... some don’t. But better have it.

rules and procedure keep changing... until now they wanted us to pay all the charter license fees before doing the inspection. This year they wanted to do the inspection first...

Then when immigration came to the boat, they insisted I pay $50 fee. It s illegal as the $300 fee includes everything. Not worth arguing ...

and then when our agent paid the fees for the charter license, they said we had to return the cruising permit and issued a transire instead...

Go figure...

One of the islands on the float plan don't want me if I've been on either island. I suppose it makes sense that the islands can do their best to manage their own situations. So we just plan to avoid the big population centers, period.

I have to say I am impressed with their technology. The Heath visa website works very well and is user friendly. Whenever you do the 5 day test, the provider uses an app which scan the bar code on your health visa (on paper or on your phone). Once the test shows negative, he or she enters it in the app and within seconds you get an email confirming the result. Well done.

the new payment system for cruising permit works pretty well too although there are two website. One from the Bahamas Marina site where you enter the info and pay and the other is the customs Click2Clear site where you enter the data, pay and print the cruising permit to present customs upon arrival.

Click2Clear appears to be easier. I used the other one which confused the customs inspector

bottom line... make sure you are a printer (and enough ink) on board

as to the no infighting.. I m not so sure. Most Bahamians I ve talked with seem to be very upset with the closings and all the restrictions. People are actually hungry and some are begging for food. Never seen in the Bahamas. The appearance of calmness is just that. An appearance

You need a PCR (less than 5 days) and the health visa to come in the Bahamas regardless of how long stay. Only exception is for commercial flight crews.

And you need a rapid test to fly back to the states

The rapid test is NOT the same as PCR/RT-PCR which is required. To travel Into The Bahamas you need a PCR test.

the rapid test is what is used if you stay more than 5 days and for returning to the US

note that while the PCR is usually a nasal swab, some labs now do Oral swab. Painless. Curative has testing centers everywhere and use oral. Result in 24/36 hours.

Update. Traveling out of Eleuthera (incl HI) to other islands now requires a PCR test within 5 days and a follow up rapid test 5 days after leaving.

No PCR, no domestic travel visa.

Unlike GB and NP, there doesn’t seem to be a 24 hours grace period You land in Eleuthera, you need a PCR to head out to other islands.