Visa Duration / Bahamas

[Sunspot Baby]

Has anyone recently received 6 months on their Bahamas visa. It used to be no problem but the last couple of years, it seems they have only been granting 3 months and then you have to get to a port of entry to renew.

If you have received 6 months, how recently did you get it, where was it issued, and did you do or say anything special to get it?

We are about to head south and this would be good to know.

George

[defever]

there doesn't seem to be any consistancy in the lenngth of time one gets for their bahamian visa. we've gotten 90 days to 8 mos. however last year the official who checked us in (in nassau) said she would handle both customs and immigration papers. we asked for 6 mos. but she said she could only give us 90 days and we'd have to extend our visa at the end of that period. she did say however that we could go down to the nassau immigration office the next day and get our extension immediately (i doubt that would have happened).

after about a month, i looked at our passport and saw that there was a customs stamp on it w/ no date or initials---uh, oh--big problem. the cruising permit had the same stamp (no date/unsigned) and we figured we'd better go to the george town immigration office to straighten this mess out.

wow!! this was a big deal for the officer to fix but after calls to the nassau office and the marina we checked in at , lots of discussions and an hour later, the local officer took our suggestion and gave us the 90 day extension from the date it should have been so we wound up w/ 6 mos. the hard way.

i guess government officials world wide are prone to the same screw ups that we all make...they are, afterall, just people!!

[Vasco]

Last two seasons only got 90 days at Nassau. Also customs and immigration done by same officer (this is new). Extension in GT without any problems.

[nautical62]

My last one was also for 90 days and was no problem to renew.

[Sunspot Baby]

Thanks. Sounds like the norm is now 90 days so there is the extra hassle of getting to a port of entry near the end of your term. Less convenient than it used to be.

George

[Beach Cruiser]

Cleared in at Green Turtle a few days ago and were told they could only give us 90 days then we would have to renew. Same thing happened last season and we had no problem getting another 90 days.

[Amapola]

We got 4 months at West End earlier this year with no trouble. I think they would have given us 6 if we wanted to stay that long.

[Tingum]

The answer I was given is that some of the officials (mostly new or Jr.) do not have the authority to give the longer entry.

[witchcraft]

Despite the fact the officer where we cleared in did not stamp our passports, we had no trouble extending our visa. friends of our cleared in at Govenors Harbour last time, and said it was the most pleasant entry they had ever had. not that any of the others had been difficult.
Fair winds
Witchcraft