Recent changes in passport rules have left many U.S. Citizens confused as to whether or not they need a passport to travel to the Bahamas. On June 1st, 2009, the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) went into effect:
If you are traveling by plane, you must have a U.S. Passport.
If you are traveling by sea, you can use a passport book or one of the following documents:
- a passport card
- a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card
- an enhanced driver’s license (only some states have these).
Please note that the passport card can only be used if you are traveling to the Bahamas by sea-it’s no valid for air travel.
Exceptions
There are, however, a few exceptions to the above rules. For example, if you are traveling to the Bahamas on a closed-loop cruise, a cruise that begins and ends at the same US port, you can use your driver’s license and birth certificate instead of a passport.
There are also a couple of exceptions for children. Children under age 16 can use a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship IF they are traveling to and from the Bahamas by sea. Children under age 19 can also use birth certificates IF they are traveling by sea and IF they are traveling with a school group, a church group or a social or cultural organization supervised by an adult.
Just like adults, children in any age group must have a passport book to travel to the Bahamas by plane.
If the new passport regulations have caught you off guard, RushMyPassport can help. We hand-deliver your application to the US Department of State and then rush your new passport back to you, resulting in processing times as low as 24 hours.
[...] Effective June 1st, 2009, the requirements to travel to the Bahamas have changed. Please see this entry for the most up-to-date [...]
January 13th, 2010 at 10:35 pmI called Rush my Passport today and I was told you must have a passportt
cruising to the Bahama’s from the US. On this site it said “No” could
use license and birth certificate. Would you please clarity this for
me.
Thank you.
PS Also, Mexico, a loop cruise from the USA.
May 26th, 2010 at 11:21 pmHi Joy,
As long as its a closed-loop cruise (beginning and ending at the same US port), you should be fine to re-enter the US with your driver’s license and birth certificate (make sure it’s the official copy, not a hospital copy, though).
BUT I would actually call the cruise line to double-check- Mexico is requiring passports for US citizens to enter if they are traveling beyond the “border zone,” which is usually 20 to 30 km in but varies depending on location. So, again, I would urge you to call your cruise line before you try to board with your license and birth certificate. They’ll be able to tell you for sure if you need a passport or not.
Also, remember that you have to have a passport for air travel to/from Mexico and the Bahamas, so it’s best to have one for a cruise just in case you need to fly back for any reason, or in case you miss the boat at port and need to fly somewhere to catch up to it.
Enjoy your vacation!
May 27th, 2010 at 1:04 pmHey am from Maimi.
And i wanted to know if I go on a cruise will I need a passport.
Thank tou!
June 22nd, 2010 at 6:45 pmHi Cristina,
It depends. Where are you cruising to?
June 25th, 2010 at 8:48 pmwhat if you are 13 without the orignal birth certifite going to a crusie to the bahamas and startss and ends in orlando????
June 26th, 2010 at 2:11 amhey i am going to hawai tomarrow by plane,US to Hawai and hawai to US
June 28th, 2010 at 4:14 amdo i need a passport?
Going on a cruise from miami to bahamas.. with my 16 yr old daughter..do we need passports?
July 7th, 2010 at 10:15 amHi Shirley,
Possibly. If the cruise begins and ends in Miami, you can just bring your driver’s license and your birth certificate. However, if you can get a passport before you go, that’d be best because it would mean you could fly home in case of an emergency.
July 8th, 2010 at 8:44 pmNo, you don’t need a passport because Hawaii is part of the US.
July 8th, 2010 at 8:54 pmHi Misty,
You’ll still need your birth certificate to use as proof of citizenship. You can order a copy here: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/w2w.htm
July 8th, 2010 at 8:55 pmDo I need a passport to take my boat from miami to the bahamas for the day.
July 12th, 2010 at 10:16 amYes, you need your passport or another WHTI-compliant document.
July 24th, 2010 at 9:08 pmWould I need a passport if i’m going on a cruise from the port of baltimore to the bahamas?
November 9th, 2010 at 11:09 amHi Miranda,
As long as you return to the Port of Baltimore, you cruise is closed-loop and you can just use your birth certificate and ID as described above. Enjoy!
November 18th, 2010 at 12:27 pmIf I’m leaving to the Bahamas from the u.s. Can I use a Colombian passport
November 29th, 2010 at 11:36 amHi Lionel,
I don’t see why not, if you’re a Columbian citizen. Bring your green card, too.
December 2nd, 2010 at 10:57 pmI am leaving Florida on a cruise ship to go to the Bahamas. I will
December 10th, 2010 at 7:47 ambe getting off the ship to get onto the island and then back on
the ship to go back to Florida. Do I need a passport. Thanks
Hi Jeff,
You should be fine with just a certified copy of your birth certificate and a driver’s license, but double-check with your cruise line to be sure.
Enjoy your cruise!
December 16th, 2010 at 7:25 pmMy mom is taking a friend and I on a cruise to the bahamas for a girls weekend. I’m 18 and my friend is 20. I was told we only needed license and birth certificate, but I was just wondering if that was right. Were leaving from florida and will be returning to florida..
And if my friend isn’t my moms daughter will she be okay with just her license and certificate too, or will she need a passport?
Thank you
December 28th, 2010 at 9:44 pmYes, you all should be fine. Enjoy your cruise!
January 8th, 2011 at 9:21 pmI just sent in my passport for renewal.
January 14th, 2011 at 11:31 pmHow do I go to the bahamas Sunday?
Well, if you’re going on a closed-loop cruise you can use your driver’s license and birth certificate. If not, you need a passport. It’s unfortunate that you’ve already sent it off. I would call the National Passport Center and see if they can help: 1-877-487-2778
Best of luck!
January 18th, 2011 at 10:24 pmHello, I plan on going on a Carnival cruise to the Bahamas. It start out in Miami and ends in the same port. I have an Argentine passport with a multiple entry Visa to go to the U.S., would this be all I need? I’m a bit worried since I already purchased the tickets, thank you.
January 29th, 2011 at 3:04 amI will be going to from miami to bahamas and bahamas to miami. If am not US Citizen, just permanent resident. Do i bring my permanent resident card?
January 30th, 2011 at 2:33 amThank You
Hi Alla,
Yes, you’ll need to bring your permanent resident card. Have a great trip!
January 30th, 2011 at 2:30 pmHi Cynthia,
It sounds like you should be fine, but do contact your cruise line just to be on the safe side. Have a great trip!
January 30th, 2011 at 2:31 pmI’m worried about the person who didn’t know that Hawaii was part of the US.
February 10th, 2011 at 9:12 pmAm a permanent resident and have my permanent resident card with me. is that all i need, or do i still need to get a passport?
February 26th, 2011 at 7:30 pmHi Jean,
You’ll need your passport (from the country you’re currently a citizen of) and your permanent resident card. Hope this helps!
February 27th, 2011 at 10:07 pmHi, we are from Seattle, we have teenagers and want to book a trip to Atlantis in the bahamas. Do we need passports ?
March 21st, 2011 at 4:14 pmHi,
I have a question I will be going on a cruise this year, I am a permanent resident, and have a greencard, my national passport from the country I was born in however is expired, will i be able to go on a royal caribbean cruise to mexico, under close loop sailing is this all i require(green card), since I (will depart from the same port in fort lauderdale that I leave from), or do I need to get my passport renewed, renewing the passport is not really an option though.
April 7th, 2011 at 5:20 pmHi Bob,
Unfortunately, as a permanent resident you’ll need both your green card and a valid passport. See below for more details: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/passportGuidelines.do
April 8th, 2011 at 2:16 pmI have the chance to go to fly the Bahamas on short notice with work. My daughter does not have a a us passport, but she does have a permanent resident card. Will she need a US passprt to get back onto the plane and admitted into the US?
April 17th, 2011 at 3:26 pmHi Tracey,
No, if she’s a permanent resident all she’ll need is her permanent resident card and a valid passport from the country she’s a citizen of. Have a great time!
April 19th, 2011 at 5:10 pmHi,
I just won a trip to the bahamas and I was hoping to bring my boyfriend but he doesnt have a passport. Could he get a passport card instead or is it required to have the passport book?
April 25th, 2011 at 10:16 amIs Florida one of the states that has the enhanced Driver License? If so and I get one is that all I will need for the cruise to the bahamas?
April 26th, 2011 at 12:33 pmHi Jake,
No, but if it’s a closed-loop cruise, one that begins and ends at the same US port, you can just use a regular driver’s license and a certified copy of your birth certificate in most cases. Please contact your cruise line to verify what you need.
April 26th, 2011 at 1:10 pmIt depends – he can use the passport card if you’re traveling there by sea, but if you’re flying in he has to have a passport book.
Congratulations, and I hope you both enjoy your trip!
April 26th, 2011 at 1:18 pmI am going on a carnival cruise to the bahamas I will leave from Miami and return to Miami will I need a passport? If we get out and onto land?
April 28th, 2011 at 2:56 pmMy Girlfriend is from Cuba, She is a permanent US resident and has a green card, but she lost her cuban passport.
May 5th, 2011 at 10:06 pmDo she need her passport to go on a cruise from Miami to bahama and back to Miami?
Thank you for you answer.
if my husband and i were to leave from miami to go on a cruise to the
May 16th, 2011 at 7:16 pmbahamas and owe back child support would we need passports or just our driver license and original birth certificate
Hi Brandy,
In most cases, you should be fine with your driver’s license and birth certificate but please confirm this with your cruise line prior to travel.
Have a great trip!
May 18th, 2011 at 8:32 pmHi Ernie,
All the US requires of her is her green card. However, the Bahamas appears to require US permanent residents to show a valid passport from their native country and their green card.
See below for more details, and call the Bahamas Embassy if you have further questions about what she’ll need to get in:
http://www.bahamas.com/vacation-planning/us-resident-non-citizen
Good luck!
May 18th, 2011 at 8:51 pmHi Kaitlyn,
You should be fine with just your driver’s license and a birth certificate, but please check with your cruise line for their requirements.
Have a great trip!
May 18th, 2011 at 8:52 pmHi, im a U.S resident, i have my permanent resident car and im going to the Bahamas on a private boat, my passport is expired, can i go with my resident card and expired passport?
May 19th, 2011 at 9:36 amHi Junelly,
That’s no problem as far re-entering the US is concerned; however, you may need a valid passport to enter the Bahamas. It depends on the country you’re a citizen of. Call the Bahamian Embassy and see what you need.
More info here: http://www.bahamas.com/vacation-planning/us-resident-non-citizen
May 19th, 2011 at 10:05 amand here: http://www.bahamas.gov.bs/bahamasweb2/home.nsf/vContentW/47AF6CB888DEC02885257754004F27DD
I’m from Cuba.
May 19th, 2011 at 10:32 amBe safe get a passport otherwise you could be denied boarding!!
May 21st, 2011 at 10:59 amPlease I am going on a 4 day cruise and two of the days they stop at
May 31st, 2011 at 12:33 pmNassua,Bahamas.I am a permitted resident My card was issue in 1976
and does not expire.I was ten years old and that is the picture on it
I have not change much.Do you think I will have a problem?And I have a
valid driver license.Please help
Hi Maria,
You will probably need to renew it. According to US Citizenship and Immigration Services, if you have a card that doesn’t have an expiration date on the front, it’s a very old version that is no longer valid. Plus, if you were only 10 when it was issued, you will likely run into trouble if you try to use as ID now.
For more information and renewal instructions, see: http://www.uscis.gov/USCIS/Resources/B2en.pdf
June 2nd, 2011 at 8:07 pmHi
I am a U.S. citizen taking a cruise from orlando to nassau with my child (under 16). I understand that since it is a closed-loop cruise we should be fine with certified copies of our birth certificates and photo i.d.s…but, will be have any trouble getting off the ship in nassau without a passport?
Also, is there any difference in the entry to the ship in the U.S. like expedited entry if you have a passport versus just birth certificate and photo i.d. or is it just one line for everyone. Please advise.
Thanks
June 13th, 2011 at 1:07 pmWhat states have the enhanced driver’s license?
June 26th, 2011 at 7:52 pmHi Savannah,
Currently, just Michigan, New York, Washington and Vermont.
June 30th, 2011 at 8:09 pmhi , i’m from saudi arabia and i go to school in usa and i would like to go to bahamas do i need visa or do i need to take my passport with me ?? what i need to take …?
thank you .
June 30th, 2011 at 10:35 pmIf I take my own private boat to the bahamas from palm beach, and back does that comply with closed loop? Or is closed loop only for commercial cruise lines?
July 1st, 2011 at 11:52 amHi Mike,
Closed-loop is only for commercial cruise lines. For a private boat, you’ll need a passport or a passport card. Have a great trip!
July 1st, 2011 at 8:48 pmHi Majic,
You’ll need your passport and a tourist visa. You can apply for the tourist visa here: http://bahamas.visahq.com/requirements/Saudi_Arabia/resident-United_States/
July 1st, 2011 at 8:50 pmI am traveling to Paradise Island, Bahamas in August and have a current
July 11th, 2011 at 9:03 amU.S. pass port. My passport is good for several more years but does
not have my married name on it. Can I travel with my maiden name on my
passport if I bring along my marriage license? HELP!
Hi Kelly,
Due to the US government’s Secure Flight Initiative, the name on your tickets/boarding pass must match the name on the government-issued ID you’re using to travel. For an international trip, that’s your passport, and so if you’ve booked your ticket under your married name you’ll need to get the name changed on your passport.
More information here: http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/secureflight/
July 13th, 2011 at 7:58 pmIf I’m a felon and don’t have a passport will I be able to cruise to the Bahamas with just my driver’s license and birth certificate, or is there something else I must do before I make cruise reservations?
July 14th, 2011 at 6:35 pmHi Pam,
All you should need in terms of ID is your driver’s license and birth certificate, but do call the Embassy of the Bahamas first to make sure your history won’t keep you from being able to enter. Hopefully that won’t be a problem, but it’s always better to know beforehand.
Good luck!
July 20th, 2011 at 8:31 pmHi, I planing a trip to FREEPORT BAHAMAS,
July 27th, 2011 at 1:15 pmFROM NEW YORK CITY, DO I NEED A PASSPORT OR COULD I USE MY BIRTH CERTIFICATED AND ID?
AND HOW LONG DO THEY TAKE?
THANKS
So I have twin 14 month old girls and we are thinking of going to the Bahamas in fFeb. Will they need passports or will birth certificates be okay.
August 8th, 2011 at 12:04 amWe will be flying from Nework
August 8th, 2011 at 12:07 amHi Aaron,
No, you will not be okay with just birth certificates if you are flying to the Bahamas. When you take a plane out of the country, all passengers, no matter how young, must have a passport book. Birth certificates are only acceptable for children traveling to the Bahamas by sea.
August 13th, 2011 at 12:19 pmWhat if I plan on taking my personal yacht to the Bahamas.Will I need a passport or just my boat registration & drivers license?
August 22nd, 2011 at 4:11 pmQuestion concerning documentation drivers license and birthcertificate..will be cruising carnval, miami to bahamas in a couple of weeks, worried
August 22nd, 2011 at 11:38 pmabout birth certificate name not matching my drivers license, due to marriagehave been told to bring marriage license, it doesn’t match either married several times and a judge issue name change. Not sure what I need to do?? Anyone else have this problem.. Help
Hi Vanessa,
When the judge issued your name change, did those documents have your maiden name on it? If so, you could bring that instead of/along with the marriage certificate.
I would contact Carnival, if you haven’t already. You should be fine with just your birth certificate and marriage certificate- this is not an uncommon situation, after all. But check with them first, explain the situation clearly, and see what they say, as they have the final authority over whether you board or not.
Have a great cruise!
August 25th, 2011 at 8:11 pmHi Archie,
You’ll need a passport or a passport card. The driver’s license/birth certificate option is only available if you’re on a closed-loop cruise, like with Carnival.
Have a great trip!
August 25th, 2011 at 8:51 pmI am a British Citizen living in the US with a Resident Alien card my
August 27th, 2011 at 10:34 pmpassport has expired. Will I need a Temp(emergency) passport as my trip
is in a week from Miami to the Bahamas or will my Green Card and Drivers
license be enough?
Extension of my last post… a closed loop cruise. Maimi-Bahamas-Miami
August 27th, 2011 at 10:35 pmHi John,
According to the WHTI you should be okay, but contact your cruise line as they may require a valid passport and the ports you stop at may require a valid passport. Good luck!
August 31st, 2011 at 7:52 pmI want to take my mother to the Bahamas in November but she only has her Permanent resident Card, can she go with us with only that? and if not please advice what she needs. Thank you..
September 7th, 2011 at 2:32 pmLetty
Hi Letty,
She’ll probably need both her permanent resident card and a valid passport, which in most cases she’ll be able to get at the embassy of the country in which she is a citizen. Hope this helps!
September 15th, 2011 at 8:11 pmI want to take my fiancee to a closed-loop cruise for are anniversary she in the US on a visa so do i need to get somthing to take her to the Bahamas?
September 21st, 2011 at 4:37 pmHi Lewis,
Contact the cruise line to see what she needs. Thanks, and have a great cruise!
September 28th, 2011 at 9:38 pmHi,
I am an Indian citizen, living in US on valid long term US visa(L1 visa).
I am taking a closed loop cruise from Miami to Bahamas and back.
Please let me know if I need to have Bahamas Visa also.
Thanks so much!!!
Regards,
October 8th, 2011 at 10:42 amRashi
Hi Rashi,
Contact the Embassy of the Bahamas to see what their requirements are. Here is their contact information:
2220 Massachusetts Avenue, North West
October 10th, 2011 at 2:44 pmWashington
United States
Phone:
+1-202-3192660
+1-202-3192667
Hi was wonder can i travel straight to miami with my expired passport and other documents of identfication to et my passport renewed?
November 3rd, 2011 at 12:38 pmIf you aren’t a citizen of the US but you have a valid drivers license and a birth certificate is that enough to be able to go on a cruise to the Bahamas?
December 14th, 2011 at 10:35 pmHi Jackie,
If you’re a permanent resident, you’ll need your permanent resident card. Contact your cruise line and the Bahamian Embassy to see if you also need a passport. Have a great trip!
December 15th, 2011 at 10:27 pmHELP!!! Me and some girlfriends are heading out for the Bahamas out of Charleston tommorow but one of my friends cannot find her birth certificate, just a certificate of birth and her passport is expired. Is there anyway she can still board even if she doesn’t get off the ship in port?
January 25th, 2012 at 12:10 amHi Beverly,
Probably not. ID and a birth certificate (official copy with a raised, embossed or watermarked seal) is the minimum requirement for passengers on closed-loop Caribbean cruises, and it’s highly unlikely the ship will let her board without it. Could she get another copy of her birth certificate by going to the Department of Vital Records where she was born?
January 25th, 2012 at 9:04 pm