Do you need a passport book or card for the bahamas

You cant use a passport card for flying, but you can use one to enter the united states by sea and land from canada, mexico, the caribbean and bermuda. You should take your photo id with you but you will not need your passport. Six caribbean islands you can visit without a passport. If you are departing the bahamas for a country that has the passport validity requirement of six 6 months beyond the dates of travel, then that requirement will be enforced. Disneys alaskan and hawaiian itineraries leave from vancouver, canada. A passport card can only be used for land or sea travel. Can you travel to the bahamas from the us without a passport.

Do i need a passport book, passport card, or passport book. Citizens will need a us passport or passport card, or a whti compliant document. We are a nationally recognized us passport and visa service by the washington post, new york times and usa today. Can a passport card be used for travel to the bahamas from. The card may not be used to travel by air outside the united states. The passport card is good for land border crossing between the us, canada, and mexico and sea cruise border crossings in the caribbean and bermuda.

Rightno passport needed as i would guess you stopped at a foreign port en route to nyc. One reason that its wise to have a passport to go to the bahamas which means you can stay longer than a cruise stop is that you can island hop between the bahamas best beaches, like gold rock beach on grand bahama island and cabbage beach on paradise island. What is a passport card, and what should you know when youre. You cannot use the passport card for international air travel, even when you reenter the u. Please be sure your passport book is valid for at least 6 months after the sailing ends. If you plan to travel by air, you must obtain a passport book. Passport cards are also seen as more convenient when traveling, due to its size. But, the passport card can only be used for international travel by land and sea. While the same documents will allow you to reenter the. While no visa is required to visit the bahamas, you must have at least two pages blank for the entry stamp. Oct 05, 2018 if so, you ve probably noticed the option for a passport card. Well outline the differences between the two so youll know the correct answer. All visitors require a return or onward ticket, confirmed hotel booking or letter of invitation if staying.

Can you travel to bahamas with passport card answers. It will otherwise carry the rights and privileges of the u. However, the passport card cannot be used for travel by plane. The passport card can be used only to reenter the u.

You can apply for both a passport book and passport card at the same time using either form ds11 apply in person or form ds82 renew by mail must be eligible. Passport cards are less expensive than a regular passport book. Do you need a passport to take a cruise from the u. Find out if you need a passport to go on a cruise celebrity. Do you need a passport to visit the bahamas as us citizen. It is possible to travel from the united states to the bahamas on a cruise and enter both countries without any issues if you do not hold a passport book. Find more information about common safety and security concerns in the bahamas including credit card fraud, real estate and time share scams, and water sport and scooter safety on our website. For frequent travelers traveling by land or sea only into the bahamas, a passport card could be considered a less expensive option. Thus, practically speaking, you need either a passport card or. I believe getting the passport card is the same price as getting a passport book renewal. An adult passport card looks similar to a drivers license, and is valid for ten years. Maybe you want to arrive at your caribbean destination, get your bag and immediately head to the beach. The passport card cannot be used for entry into the states by air.

The passport card, meanwhile, is both less expensive and less flexible. Jun 30, 2016 united states citizens, for example, can use a passport book or card, or an enhanced drivers license to enter the bahamas via sea border. Passport card can be used to enter the united states from canada, mexico, the caribbean, and bermuda at land border crossings or sea portsofentry and is more convenient and less expensive than a passport book. Exceptions are always there, those who love to or desire to travel by sea, there is relaxation for them. Canadians must present a passport to visit the bahamas, which must be valid for at least three months beyond the date of expected departure from that country. If you are looking to book a cruise you may be wondering if you need a passport to cruise. Citizens you will need a valid passport and, in some cases, a visa. Do americans need a passport to travel to the bahamas or. What identification is needed for a cruise to the bahamas.

However, travelling to the bahamas with a passport card or an enhanced drivers license means that. The requirements for both are the same and there is one application form for both. Citizens of all other countries including children original valid passport. You must also have a return ticket or onward journey ticket, hotel confirmation if staying at a hotel, or name and address of residence and, if requested, proof of.

If your ship had to end the cruise at a foreign port due to a mechanical issue or if you had an emergency need to fly home, a passport book would have been required for reentry into the us from a foreign port. Heres everything you need to know about the travel documents that will. A us passport card can only be used for land and sea travel to canada, mexico or the caribbean. The passport card will facilitate entry and expedite document processing at u. I suggest you get the card since you are going on a cruise. Basic passports for traveling to the bahamas usa today. Bahamas passports requirements nassau paradise island. Frequently asked questions do you need a passport to go to the bahamas. Also, if cruising to cuba, a passport book is needed. If flying internationally, a passport book is required. Although not required on closed loop sailings, which call at foreign ports but sail roundtrip from the u. One reason that its wise to have a passport to go to the bahamas which means you can stay longer than a cruise stop is that you can island hop between the bahamas best beaches, like gold rock beach on grand bahama island and. The bahamas only requires that you prove your citizenship and present a picture i. To enter the bahamas, you must have a passport valid for at least six months from the date of departure.

British and american passport holders can enter with less than six months remaining on their passports if visiting for up to 21 days. You need a passport for cruises to and from foreign ports. That said, since you need a passport book to fly from the bahamas, it might be best if you all had them just in case there were some sort of emergency and you had to fly back. She flies to a different island each month to oversee operations. What are the benefits of the passport book vs passport card. Differences between a passport book and passport card.

Passport requirements for cruise passengers royal caribbean. You wouldnt need a passport for a direct flight to these locations, but you may still need one for your disney cruise. This is a requirement set by the government of the commonwealth of the bahamas as well as the u. While you do not technically need a passport to go to the bahamas, you do need one for reentry into the united states. The bahamian government only requires proof of citizenship e.

In fact, the airline probably wont let you on the plane without it. Jun 03, 2014 mary works for a florida company that does business throughout the caribbean. You only need a drivers license wphoto and birth certificate if its a closed loop cruise and your a us citizen. Passport book that is valid at least 6 months after your cruise. If you want, you can have a passport book and a passport card. To lay it all out there for you, just know that there are a number of different forms of identification that you can use in order to gain entrance into the bahamas, so you can pack light when traveling as you. Mar 18, 2020 the passport card, meanwhile, is both less expensive and less flexible. However, before you apply for a new passport card, consider carefully whether or not you might be better off getting a us passport book. Royal caribbean cruises passport requirements for cruises. As of january 1st, 2020, all guests on sailings visiting martinique will need a passport book not a passport card for boarding.

Can you use the passport card for travel to the bahamas. Just like adults, children in any age group must have a passport book to travel to the bahamas by plane. Canadian permanent residents must travel with a valid passport and a permanent resident card, also known as a prc, to travel outside of canada. The passport card functions like a passport book for land and sea. Passport a us passport for bahamas is an important travel document you need to have if you visit these islands. Passport and travel documentation disney cruise line. Though a passport book is not required for closed loop cruise travel, cruise. Report crimes to the local police at 919 or 911, and contact the u. United states citizens, for example, can use a passport book or card, or an enhanced drivers license to enter the bahamas via sea border. On these kinds of cruises, often called repositioning cruises as the ship repositions to new homeports, you need a passport. Do you need a passport to go on a cruise to the bahamas.

If you are traveling to the bahamas, do you need a passport. Both passport books and cards are valid for 10 years. In this post, we explore which cruises dont require passports and look at the guidance provided by the cruise lines. You will need a passport to fly into the bahamas, or a passport card to sail to the bahamas. Mary works for a florida company that does business throughout the caribbean. If you need a us passport quickly for your cruise, passports and visas. Guests may also sail with their official birth certificate and a supporting government issued photo id, like a driver. Use your passport book for international traveling and vacations.

The issue of whether or not you need a valid passport to get into the country is one that will come up as you make your preparations. Excellent form of official identification for children or nondrivers. Do you need a passport to go to the bahamas by cruise. Americans may enter the unites states from the bahamas by sea using a passport, passport card, or other western hemisphere travel initiative whti compliant document if they are on an officiallydesignated closedloop cruise. Passport book allows you to travel by land, sea and air. Effective june, 2009, a passport, passport card, or other western hemisphere travel initiative whticompliant documentation is required for us citizens to. Thats because even though bahamian officials would let you into the country with only a passport card or even a birth certificate and valid id, the u. Also, the minors passport card is valid for 5 years just like the passport book.

Those traveling to the bahamas on a cruise may use another western hemisphere travel initiative whti compliant document. Do john and mary need a passport book or a passport card. If you are traveling by boat or cruise ship, you can enter the bahamas without a passport book, but you will be required to have one in the event of an emergency that requires a flight. If traveling by air to the bahamas or jamaica, it is required to show a. Travel articles do you need a passport or a passport card. Entry requirements the official site of the bahamas.

When traveling to the bahamas by sea, including on a private vessel or ferry such as a cruise line, americans of all ages must hold a valid passport book or passport card. Passport cards are wallet sized while the passport book is larger and thicker. Do americans need a passport to travel to the bahamas or jamaica. It is advisable for americans to obtain their passport early in the event of an emergency. A passport card is a plastic, walletsized id that used for traveling by car or sea. The passport card is the size of a drivers license and is used for convenience as it is smaller and cheaper than the passport book. Nassau, bahamas if you are cruising to the bahamas from the u. If you desire to go through the air, i mean if you want to go back to your country via plane, then you need to carry your passport book along with you. Us citizens traveling to the bahamas by sea must have a valid passport. Feb 12, 2019 the passport card is the size of a drivers license and is used for convenience as it is smaller and cheaper than the passport book. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to. However, there are some alternative options when you take a cruise. In addition to a valid passport, you may be required to obtain a multipleentry visa for both canada andor the united. The passport card functions like a passport book for land and sea crossings.

When traveling by air from the bahamas, all us citizens must provide a valid us passport to enter or reenter the states. Closedloop cruises are the primary exceptions to the rule that those arriving in the u. If youre thinking of going on a cruise, the passport card might be nice when you need a from of identification to get on and off the ship. How to apply for a new passport card rush my passport. Nov 02, 2018 if you desire to go through the air, i mean if you want to go back to your country via plane, then you need to carry your passport book along with you. To fly into canada, everyone in your party needs a valid us passport book not a passport card.

A passport book or card serve as proof of identity and citizenship. To apply for or renew both the book and card, check the appropriate box at the top of the form to indicate that you would like to apply for both products. Passport cards and birth certificates will not be accepted and may result in a denial of boarding for both adults and minors. It can also be used for domestic air travel in the usa. However, whether you need a passport card or a book depends on how you travel to the islands. If youre flying, you absolutely need a passport book. Department of state recommends that all travelers hold a valid passport any time they exit the country. Also, their port of entry and reentry should be the same. Since the bahamas is not part of the united states, you need federal identification to travel there. You and the 17yearold need a passport or a passport card. United states citizens, for example, can use a passport book or card. Citizens traveling to the bahamas on short trips for tourist or business purposes do not require a visa. Passport cards are also seen as more convenient when. If you are in doubt, buying a passport is always a good idea.