Moving to Bahamas
Visas and residency, citizenship, tax, company and banking, cost of living and the places to live in the Bahamas, in one place.
CaribbeanThinking about moving to the Bahamas?
Here's how long you can stay, the ways to live there for good, what you'd pay in tax and what everyday life costs, each figure from an official source.
In this guide, I'll show you:
- How long you can stay, by passport
- The visas and residency routes that let you live there
- How long citizenship takes
- How tax works, with the rates
- What it costs, and the internet and safety
- The basics: capital, currency and languages
Pick your passport at the top of the page, and the stay rule shows for you.
TL;DRKey takeaways
Bahamas at a glance
How long can you stay in the Bahamas?
It depends on the passport you hold.
Here's the rule for the most common ones:
US passport- Rule
- Visa-free
- Stay
- 240 days
UK passport- Rule
- Visa-free
- Stay
- 240 days
EU passport (German)- Rule
- Visa-free
- Stay
- 90 days
Canadian passport- Rule
- Visa-free
- Stay
- 240 days
Australian passport- Rule
- Visa-free
- Stay
- 90 days
Indian passport- Rule
- e-Visa
- Stay
- 90 days
For any other passport, pick yours at the top, or see every country on the visa-free countries map.
Visas and residency in the Bahamas
The Bahamas has a visa for people who work remotely:
- Bahamas Extended Access Travel Stay (BEATS) – an income of No set amount published, for 12 months
Compare them with every other country in the digital nomad visa finder.
Citizenship in the Bahamas
Naturalization takes about 10 years of residence.
Dual citizenship isn't allowed, so you'd give up your passport.
Work out your own timeline with the second passport calculator.
Tax in the Bahamas
The Bahamas has no personal income tax.
See where it sits among every country on the territorial tax map.
The main rates:
- Lowest income tax band – 0%
- Top income tax rate – 9%
- Corporate tax – 0%
- VAT or sales tax – 12%
Where you're a tax resident usually comes down to days.
Count yours with the 183-day rule calculator.
Company and banking
Compare the banks and cards that work for people abroad in the bank account finder.
Move money for less with the money transfer comparison.
Many people who live abroad run a US LLC instead; check yours with the US LLC for non-residents checker.
Cost of living in the Bahamas
Everyday prices in the Bahamas are about 96% of US prices.
That's the World Bank's price level for 2024: its purchasing power conversion factor divided by the exchange rate.
It's close to US prices, or above them.
Convert what things cost with the currency converter.
Is the Bahamas safe?
The US State Department rates the Bahamas Level 2 ("Exercise increased caution", updated 2026-07-28), the same level it gives France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain. Levels 1 and 2 are both everyday travel; the US only asks you to reconsider a trip at Level 3. Some advisories are stricter for parts of a country, so read the full advisory before you go.
For a second view, the UK has no warning against travel.
See every country's level on the travel advisory map.
Internet in the Bahamas
In M-Lab's open speed tests across the Bahamas over the last 12 months, half came in above 81 Mbps download.
The fastest quarter of lines came in above 188 Mbps, closer to a good fiber connection (28,504 tests).
Test your own line when you arrive with my internet speed test.
Bahamas: the basics
| What | Bahamas |
|---|---|
| Capital | Nassau |
| Currency | Bahamian dollar (BSD) |
| Languages | English |
| Population | about 385,640 |
From GeoNames' country data (CC BY 4.0).
More tools for the Bahamas
- Passport index and compare passports
- Time zone overlap calculator for calls with home
- eSIM finder for data when you land
- Card fees abroad calculator before you spend
Bahamas FAQs
Visa-free, for 240 days.
Pick another passport at the top of the page to see its rule.
It depends on your passport.
Pick yours at the top of the page to see the days, and whether you need a visa first.
Yes: Bahamas Extended Access Travel Stay (BEATS).
It asks for an income of No set amount published.
About 10 years of residence.
No.
You'd give up your other passport to naturalize.
The Bahamas has no personal income tax.
Check the details with a tax adviser before you move.
Everyday prices are about 96% of US prices, by the World Bank's price level for 2024.
Rent in the biggest cities can be higher than that suggests.
The US State Department rates it Level 2.
Levels 1 and 2 are everyday travel; read the full advisory for any regions it warns about.
Half of M-Lab's tests there came in above 81 Mbps download over the last 12 months.
The fastest quarter of lines passed 188 Mbps.
The Bahamian dollar (BSD).
The main language is English.
Navid Moazzez
AI business strategist & AI OS builder
Navid Moazzez helps creators and founders master AI and build their own AI Operating System (AI OS) to automate their business and life.
Navid.me is reader-supported. When you buy through links on this site, I may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.
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