Do you need a passport to go to the Bahamas?
US citizens need a passport book to fly to the Bahamas. On a closed-loop cruise, a passport card or birth certificate with photo ID usually works instead.
Updated
The Bahamas is an independent country, not a US territory, so every trip there is international travel. Whether you need a passport book depends on how you arrive: by plane or on a cruise ship. If you're booking a hotel stay on trip1, you'll be flying in, so plan on a passport.
Flying to the Bahamas
Every flight to the Bahamas is international, even a short hop from Florida. Have these ready:
- A valid passport book. Aim for at least six months of validity beyond your departure date, which is what Bahamas immigration guidance and many airlines look for.
- A return or onward ticket out of the Bahamas.
- Proof of where you're staying and enough funds for your trip. Your trip1 booking confirmation covers the accommodation question in one screen.
US citizens don't need a visa for a tourist stay of up to 90 days.
Cruising to the Bahamas without a passport
US rules for closed-loop cruises let US citizens use other proof of citizenship. Accepted documents usually include a US passport card, an Enhanced Driver's License, or a certified birth certificate plus a government-issued photo ID for anyone 16 or older. Children under 16 can usually travel with a birth certificate alone.
Your cruise line can set stricter rules than the legal minimum, so check its document page before you sail.
Important: If you miss the ship or need to fly home in an emergency, you can't board a flight without a passport book. Many travelers pack one even on a closed-loop cruise for that reason.
If you're not a US citizen
You need a valid passport from your own country, and the visa rules depend on your nationality. UK, Canadian and most EU passport holders don't need a visa for a short tourist stay. Canadians need a passport that stays valid for at least three months after they leave the Bahamas.
US green card holders can visit for up to 30 days with their green card and their national passport. If you fly in from the US on an ESTA, your days in the Bahamas still count toward your 90-day ESTA limit.
Hotel check-in in the Bahamas
Bring the passport you entered on. Hotels ask for photo ID for the person named on the booking, and your trip1 confirmation gives them your reservation details.
Do you need a passport to go to the Bahamas - FAQ
Only on a closed-loop cruise. US citizens 16 and older also need a government-issued photo ID, and a birth certificate is never accepted for flights to the Bahamas.
Yes, but only by sea. A US passport card works for closed-loop cruises, but it isn't valid for international flights, so you need a passport book to fly.
No. US citizens can visit the Bahamas as tourists for up to 90 days without a visa, though officers may ask for a return ticket and proof of funds.
Aim for at least six months beyond the date you leave. That's what Bahamas immigration guidance and many airlines look for, even though shorter validity is sometimes accepted.
Yes. Every flight to the Bahamas is international, however short, so US citizens need a valid passport book to fly there.