Bahamas Reopens Today for International Visitors
The Bahamas border is open once again for international travelers. Beginning on Wednesday, July 1, international visitors are allowed to travel to The Bahamas, with the exception of visitors from China, Iran, Italy and France.
Travel will resume with some new safety measures in place. All incoming visitors must present a COVID-19 RT-PCR Negative (Swab) Test upon arrival. Results must be no more than ten (10) days old. There will be some exceptions, such as children under the age of two, private pilots who do not deplane, and Bahamian citizens, residents and homeowners returning from English speaking CARICOM countries.
Additionally, all travelers will be required to complete an electronic Health Visa. Additional information is forthcoming. No quarantine will be required upon arrival, however, travelers who show symptoms of COVID-19 may be transferred to an area away from other passengers for further testing and evaluation. All inter-island travellers must complete an electronic Domestic Travel form at travel.gov.bs prior to departure and for any inter-island travel within The Bahamas.
At airports and seaports, healthcare personnel will conduct temperature screenings for all incoming visitors. Travelers will be required to wear a face mask in any situation where it is necessary to enforce physical distancing guidelines, such as when entering and transiting air and sea terminals, while navigating security and customs screenings, and at baggage claim.
Flights Resume
Domestic and International airlines are permitted to resume service, and many are beginning to announce plans for their return to The Bahamas:
- Delta Airlines will be resuming its twice daily Atlanta to Nassau service July 2
- United Airlines announced its daily Houston to Nassau service will resume July 6 and the Saturday-only Denver to Nassau service will resume July 11.
- American Airlines will resume flights to Nassau and Exuma on July 7.
- Air Canada is scheduled to resume flights from Toronto to Nassau on July 3, 2020
More Rules in The Bahamas
As part of Phase 2, hotels and vacation rentals, including Airbnb and HomeAway will open to guests. But while in the islands, travelers should expect to follow The Bahamas’ “Healthy Traveler Campaign” that encourages both visitors and residents to continue practicing social distancing measures, regularly wash hands or use hand sanitizers, and pack appropriate PPE such as face masks, just as they would their swimsuits and sunscreen.
