Bahamian visa resources
Eligibility for Bahamas Immigration Routes
Who qualifies for entry, work, residence and settlement in The Bahamas, and the connections and thresholds that separate the routes.
Important
Eligibility in The Bahamas is route-specific. Visitors qualify for visa-free entry or a visitor visa depending on nationality, and may not work. Employment requires a work permit, which is employer-sponsored and generally granted only where the post cannot be filled by a qualified Bahamian; short assignments of 1-90 days use the Short Term Work Permit instead.
Living in the country without working is done through the Permit to Reside (Annual Permit), open to students, dependants of legal residents, and self-supporting persons. Family routes turn on a relationship to a Bahamian - the Resident Spouse Permit for those married under five years, and the Resident Belonger Permit for persons with a constitutional Bahamian connection.
Settlement through permanent residence is limited to defined categories: spouses of Bahamians (usually after five years of marriage), qualifying economic investors, long-serving public-sector workers and professionals, and long-term work-permit holders. Homeowners and remote workers have their own dedicated permits (Home Owner Resident Permit and BEATS).
Next steps
Official sources
For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.
Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-21. Information only — not legal advice.