Get a Fast Passport And Snag Cheap Flights to the Bahamas - Expedited Passports

Fall is here, and the days and nights are starting to get a little bit chilly. I love fall, but my bones are starting to ache and I can’t deny that I’d also  love to lounge on the beach and chase autumn’s chill away with some sun and sand.

Spirit Airlines’ new special makes it much more affordable to do just that (via SmarterTravel). Right now, they’re offering flights from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Nassau in the Bahamas and back again, for $1 each way! Nope, that’s not a typo. If you fly on the right dates, you can snag a round-trip ticket to the Bahamas for just $2.

Of course, there’s still taxes and fees to consider, plus Spirit is notorious for its baggage fee structure. If you can travel light, it’s probably still worth it, but it’s not a bad idea to guesstimate how much luggage you’ll be carrying and then check prices from other carriers.

If you go, remember that you’ll need a US passport to fly to the Bahamas. They won’t let you on the plane without one.

Spirit’s $2 fares are available in November, December, January and February. If you want to squeeze some time on the beach in before Christmas, you’ll need to request fast passport processing.

If you apply for expedited service from the Department of State, you’re still looking at a processing time of at least 3 weeks. For truly fast passport processing, you’ll need to go ahead and make your flight reservations and then either apply in person at a Regional Passport Agency office or use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.

Of these two options, using a private passport expediting company is the most convenient. Unlike a passport office, there’s no need to make an appointment, wait in line, travel to an agency office or any of that other stressful stuff. All you have to do is apply like normal, get your documents “sealed” at the post office and then forward them to the expediting company. At RushMyPassport, we can have your application processed in as little as 24 hours. How’s that for fast passport processing?

Ready to hit the beach? Apply for a fast passport with us today!

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.

Apply for your passport with us today!

UPDATE: Effective June 1st, 2009, the requirements to travel to the Bahamas have changed. Please see this entry for the most up-to-date information.

Changing travel regulations have left many people scratching their heads, wondering whether or not you need a passport to go the Bahamas.

Actually, it depends. Right now, if you’re traveling to or from the Bahamas by sea, all you need is government-issued photo identification and proof of citizenship, such as your birth certificate.  However, if you’re flying, you have to have a US passport to re-enter the US from the Bahamas.

On June 1st, 2009, the rules are changing again. After that date, almost everybody who is traveling to the Bahamas will need a passport to re-enter the US, whether they are traveling by land or by sea.  There are only a few  exceptions: (more…)