Paradise Island

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Passport Information
Our doors are always open, and our closeness with the American people is without equal among the peoples of the world. However, laws are written for a reason and they must be respected. Here you will be reminded that all Americans, including newborns, must have valid passports to travel to the Bahamas from America and back again. You'll also learn about the passport services offered, the application process, and how to replace a lost or stolen passport. Read More >

Travel from North America
Hundreds of planes leave U.S. cities every day with thousands of Americans beaming with joy at the thought of being Bahamas bound, even if it's just for a few days of fun and relaxation. Click here and you'll find flight information and links to all the major carriers bringing vacationers, and business travelers, to the Bahamas from the Americas. Read More >

International Travel
No matter where on Earth you live, it's easy to get to the Bahamas, especially as the world gets flatter and travel becomes more sophisticated. Non-stop service is now available from many major cities, and here you'll find out exactly when you can leave from where. Read More >
Passport Information
New U.S. government regulations require all adults and children (even newborns) to have a valid passport for all international travel by air. This regulation also applies to travel to The Islands of the Bahamas.

The U.S. Government offers two types of passport processing:
routine service and expedited service.

If you choose routine service, the U.S. Government states that you will receive your passport ordinarily within 6-8 weeks after application. They warn that processing times can vary depending on workload and occasional unforeseen circumstances and busier travel season times.

The U.S. Government also offers expedited service for those travelers needing a passport quickly. In this case, the government states that you will receive your passport, if you pay additionally for expedited service and two-way overnight delivery, ordinarily in about 3 weeks. This service costs an addtional $60 per application, plus overnight delivery costs. In this section of our site, we'll explain in great detail the passport application process and walk you step-by-step through the passport application process. We'll also give you information about how to renew a passport or how to replace a lost or stolen passport. Questions? Call the Bahamas passport team toll free at 1-800-523-7682. Our passport specialists answer all calls within three rings…there are no recordings. Call center hours of operation are 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM EST weekdays, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM EST Saturdays and 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST Sundays. Please, do not hesitate to call if you have any questions.
How to Get a New Passport
To apply for a new passport, you will need to appear in person at a post office or courthouse that accepts passport applications. Use the form below to find the passport acceptance office nearest you. You can also call 1-800-275-8777 for the location nearest you.

Passport Acceptance Office Search
Closest facilities or
All facilities within miles

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At the acceptance facility, you will need to provide the following:
1. Proof of Citizenship
You will need ONE of the following:
1. Original or Certified copy of your birth certificate - hospital birth certificates are unacceptable (If you do not have your original birth certificate, click here to order a certified copy)
2. Old Passport
3. Original Naturalization Certificate or Certificate of Citizenship
4. Consular Report of Birth Abroad

2. Proof of Identity
You will need to provide ONE of the following:
1. Driver's License (issued more than 6 months ago)
2. State-issued identification card (issued more than 6 months ago)
3. Official government or military picture identification
3. New Passport Application (DS-11)
Click here to download the DS-11 form (Do NOT sign the DS-11 until you are instructed to do so by the acceptance agent)

4. Passport Photos
Go to a passport photographer and have your passport photos taken. You will recieve two (2) identical passport photographs. Click here for passport photo requirements and where to have photos made.

5. Check, money order or bank draft to pay application fees
You will need to provide two separate checks for fees:
1. payment of $75 payable to U.S. Department of State
2. payment of $25 payable to the acceptance facility
(Please include your date of birth on the memo line of the check)
Remember, you are only required to renew your U.S. Passport once every 10 years.

Expedited Passport Service
You can receive your passport, ordinarily, in about 3 weeks if you pay an additional $60 fee. Write a check in the amount of $135 made payable to U.S. Department of State (this includes $75 processing fee and $60 expediting fee). You will still need a separate check, payable to the acceptance facility in the amount of $25. Totaling $160 for an expedited adult passport.

* Provide 2 prepaid "U.S. Postal Service Express Mail" envelopes
1. One envelope addressed to the U.S. Passport Agency (use address listed in the "Mail to" section of your DS-11 application)
2. One envelope addressed to the place you wish to have your new passport returned

Here's what you can expect to happen at the passport acceptance facility. The passport acceptance agent will:
a. Witness you signing line 23 of the DS-11 (Do not sign until asked to do so)
b. Check your identification to verify your identity
c. Attach your proof of citizenship documents to the application
d. Attach your photos to the application
e. Receive payments for your passport application

At this point, the acceptance agent will send your documents to the U.S. Passport Agency. You will receive your new passport in the mail in about 6-8 weeks (or about 3 weeks if expedited) together with your citizenship documents. When you receive your passport, please be sure to sign in the space provided for your signature.
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How to Get a New Passport for a Child Under 16
All children, including newborn infants, must have a passport for international travel by air. (Please note: passports issued to children under the age of 16 are valid for 5 years only and if your child has an expired passport, it cannot be renewed and a new passport must be secured.)

To apply for a new passport for your child, you and the child will need to appear in person at a post office or courthouse that accepts passport applications. Click here to find the passport acceptance office nearest you. You can also call 1-800-275-8777 for the location nearest you.

If your child is under 14 years of age, the child and BOTH parents should appear in person. If only one parent can appear, the parent making the appearance must submit the second parent's written, signed and notarized Statement of Consent Form (DS-3053) which provides authorization for the child to be issued a passport.

At the acceptance facility, you will need to provide the following:
1. Proof of Citizenship - You will need to provide ONE of the following
a. Original or certified copy of your child's birth certificate - hospital birth certificates are unacceptable (If you do not have your child's original birth certificate, click here to order a certified copy)
b. Old Passport
c. Original Naturalization Certificate or Certificate of Citizenship
d. Consular Report of Birth Abroad

2. Proof of Parents Relationship to Children Under 14
Parents or legal guardians applying for a child under 14 must submit an original or certified copy of ONE of the following:
a. Certified U.S. birth certificate of the applicant (with parents' names)
b. Certified Foreign Birth Certificate of the applicant (with parents' names and translation, if necessary)
c. Report of Birth Abroad of the applicant (Form FS-240) (with parents' names)
d. Certification of Birth Abroad of the applicant (Form DS-1350) (with parents' names)
e. Adoption Decree of the applicant (with adopting parents' names)
f. Court Order Establishing Custody of the applicant
g. Court Order Establishing Guardianship of the applicant.
If the name of the parent/guardian is other than that on the document, evidence of legal name change is required.

3. Parent's Proof of Identity
In order to prove the parent's or guardian's identity to the acceptance agent, each parent or guardian must submit ONE of the following:
a. Valid driver's license
b. State-issued identification (issued more than 6 months ago)
c. Valid official U.S. Government or military picture ID
d. Official government or military picture identification
e. Valid U.S. or foreign passport with recognizable photo

3. Parent's Proof of Identity - continued
f. Naturalization/Citizenship Certificate from BCIS with photo
g. BCIS Alien Resident Card

4. DS-11 Application for a New Passport
Click here to download the DS-11 form
(Do NOT sign the DS-11 until you are instructed to do so by the acceptance agent.)

5. Passport Photos
Go to a passport photographer and have your passport photos taken. You will recieve two (2) identical passport photographs. Click here for passport photo requirements and where to have photos made.

6. Check, money order or bank draft to pay application fees
You will need to provide two separate checks for fees:
1. payment of $75 payable to U.S. Department of State
2. payment of $25 payable to the acceptance facility
(Please include your child's date of birth on the memo line of the check)

Here's what you can expect to happen at the passport acceptance facility. The passport agent will:
a. Witness the parents (or child if 14 or 15) signing line 23 of the DS-11 (Do not sign until asked to do so)
b. Check identification to verify parent's identity
c. Attach child's proof of citizenship documents to the application
d. Attach child's photos to the application
e. Receive payments for child's passport application
At this point, the acceptance agent will send your child's documents to the U.S. Passport Agency. You will receive your child's new passport in the mail in about 6-8 weeks (or about 3 weeks if expedited) together with your child's citizenship documents. Please note: Your child's passport is valid for only 5 years. (Applicants aged 16 or older will receive a passport valid for 10 years.) When you receive your child's passport, if the child is under 14, in the space provided for signature, the mother or father must print the child's name and sign their own name. Then, in parenthesis by the parent's signature, write the word (mother) or (father) so authorities will know who signed for the child. If the child is 14 or 15, the child should sign.
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How to Renew Your Passport
You can renew your passport, if you...
1. Already have a passport that is not damaged; and
2. Received it within the past 15 years; and
3. Were at least age 16 when it was issued - (A child's passports cannot be renewed); and
4. Still have the same name that appears in your passport (or you have had a legal name change).

Follow these steps to renew your passport
1. Complete Application For Passport By Mail, form DS-82
Click hereto download the DS-82 Application form. Be sure to sign and date your application.

2. Attach the following to the DS-82
a. Your most recent passport (Your old passport will be returned to you.)
b. Two identical passport photographs - Go to a passport photographer and have your passport photos taken. You will receive two (2) identical passport photographs. Click here for passport photo requirements and where to have passport photos made.
c. A personal or company check, money order or bank draft payable to U.S. Department of State for $75. Please include your date of birth on the memo line of the check.

3. If your name has been legally changed
and is different from the name in your most recent passport, apply in your new name, and enclose a certified copy of the legal document specifying your name change (for example, a marriage certificate, divorce decree, adoption decree, or court order - photocopies are unacceptable ).

4. Mail your renewal documents in a padded envelope to:
National Passport Processing
P.O. Box 13349
Philadelphia, PA 19101-3349

If you are using a mailing service other than U.S. Post, (e.g. Fed Ex, DHL or UPS) mail to:
National Passport Processing
Attn: Department 13349
1617 Brett Road
New Castle, DE 19720
Telephone: 1-877-487-2778

You will receive your new passport in the mail in about six to eight weeks together with your old passport (unless it was damaged) and any name change documents if you had a legal name change. When you receive your passport, sign it in the space provided for your signature. Remember, you are only required to renew your U.S. Passport once every 10 years.
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How to Replace a Lost or Stolen Passport
To replace a lost or stolen passport, you must apply for a new passport. You will need to appear in person at a post office or courthouse that accepts passport applications. Click here to find the passport acceptance office nearest you. You can also call 1-800-275-8777 for the location nearest you.

You will need to provide the following:
1. Proof of Citizenship
You will need ONE of the following
a. Original or certified copy of your child's birth certificate - hospital birth certificates are unacceptable (If you do not have your original birth certificate, click here to order a certified copy)
b. Old Passport
c. Original Naturalization Certificate or Certificate of Citizenship
d. Consular Report of Birth Abroad

2. Proof of Identity
You will need to provide ONE of the following
a. Driver's License (issued more than 6 months ago)
b. State-issued identification card (issued more than 6 months ago)
c. Official government or military picture identification

3. New passport application (DS-11)
Click here to download the DS-11 form
(Do NOT sign the DS-11 until you are instructed to do so by the acceptance agent)

4. Statement Regarding Lost or Stolen Passport (DS-64)
Click Here to download the DS-64 form
Fill out the form and sign it.

5. Passport Photos
Go to a passport photographer and have your passport photos taken. You will recieve two (2) identical passport photographs. Click here for passport photo requirements and where to have photos made.

6. Check, money order or bank draft to pay application fees
You will need to provide two separate checks for fees:
1. payment of $75 payable to U.S. Department of State
2. payment of $25 payable to the acceptance facility
(Please include your date of birth on the memo line of the check)

Here's what you can expect to happen at the passport acceptance facility.
The passport acceptance agent will:
a. Witness you signing line 23 of the DS-11 (Do not sign until asked to do so)
b. Take your signed DS-64
c. Check your identification to verify your identity
d. Attach your proof of citizenship documents to the application
e. Attach your photos to the application
f. Receive payments for your passport application

At this point, the acceptance agent will send your documents to the U.S. Passport Agency. You will receive your new passport in the mail in about 6-8 weeks (or about 3 weeks if expedited) together with your citizenship documents. When you receive your passport, please be sure to sign in the space provided for your signature.
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is a passport required to go to the Bahamas?
Yes. If you are departing or returning to the U.S. by air a passport is required

Why is a passport required to go to the Bahamas?
A Federal law passed in 2004 mandated that all persons returning by air to the United States after January 23, 2007, must present a passport for entry into the U.S.

What is the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI)?
It is a proposed regulation to implement the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004. The objective of WHTI is to strengthen U.S. Border protection by requiring all persons entering the U.S. to present a valid passport.

Where do I get a passport?
U.S. passports are issued by the U.S. Department of State and can be obtained by applying at designated U.S. Postal Offices and Court Houses. For more information about securing a passport, click here.

How long does it take to get a passport?
Passports through traditional channels can be obtained in about six to eight weeks. If you need a passport more quickly, it can be obtained as quickly as 24 hours; however, extra fees apply.

How much does a passport cost?
The cost to secure a passport through normal channels in about six weeks is $75 for persons 16 and older. For children 15 or less, the cost is $60. For faster service there are additional charges of $60 or more depending on how quickly you need it.

I need a birth certificate to get my passport. Where do I go to get one?
You can obtain a birth certificate from the vital statistics office of the state in which you were born by clicking here.

What if I wasn't born in the U.S.?
If one or both of your parents was a U.S. citizen when you were born abroad, your parent(s) should have registered your birth at a U.S. embassy or consulate, and, received a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, Form FS-240. This form is acceptable legal proof of birth and U.S. citizenship. If your birth was not registered, call 888-202-1666. If you don't have a Consular Report of Birth Abroad click here to find information on how to obtain one.

What do I do if my driver's license was issued within the last six months or has expired?
You will need to submit additional information. You can find specific information by clicking here: Supplemental ID

I have an infant child. Does a child this young need a passport to go to the Bahamas?
Yes. Beginning January 23, 2007 every person, regardless of age, returning by air to the U.S. from the Bahamas will be required to present a passport.

What should I do if my passport has been stolen?
You should immediately report it stolen to the local law enforcement authorities and contact the U.S. Dept of State at 202.955.0430. Also, you can contact the Bahamas Passport Info Team at 800-523-7682 for additional assistance.

How do I check the status of my passport after I apply?
You check the status of your application by securely inputting your information by clicking here: Status Check

My child is under 14. Who signs my child's new passport?
In the space provided for the signature, the mother or father must print the child's name and sign their own name. Then, in parenthesis by the parent's signature, write the word (mother) or (father).
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Travel from U.S. Cities
Airline Information
Paradise Island - just a 2.5 hour flight from New York City and less than a 60 minute flight from Miami-Ft. Lauderdale - is served with daily non-stop service from:

- Atlanta
- Boston
- Charlotte
- Chicago - Dallas
- Detroit
- Ft. Lauderdale
- Miami - New York City
- Newark
- Orlando - Philadelphia
- Washington D.C.
- West Palm Beach
Flight Information
Just minutes away from Paradise Island, Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) welcomes flights from a variety of air carriers. For current schedules and flight information, please contact one of our airline partners.

American Airlines
Non-stops from Chicago, Dallas, Ft. Lauderdale, Miami
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Delta Airlines
Non-stops from Atlanta, Orlando, New York-LaGuardia
View Website Bahamasair
Non-stops from Orlando, Ft. Lauderdale
View Website

Spirit Airlines
Non-stops from Ft. Lauderdale
View Website Continental Airlines
Non-stops from Ft. Lauderdale, Newark, West Palm Beach
View Website

United Airlines
Non-stops from Washington Dulles
View Website JetBlue Airways
Non-stops from New York-JFK, Boston
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Northwest Airlines
Non-stops from Detroit
View Website US Airways
Non-stops from Charlotte, New York-LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Washington Reagan
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International Travel
Non-stop international service is also available from London, Toronto and Montreal:

Air Canada
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British Airways
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WestJet
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Getting Here
Passport Information
Travel from U.S. Cities
International Travel

Paradise Island Bahamas

GETTING TO PARADISE ISLAND

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