Bahamas spouse visa (Resident Spouse Permit)

The Resident Spouse Permit is for non-Bahamians married to Bahamian nationals who live with their Bahamian spouse and have been married for less than five years at the time of application. It allows them to live and work legally in The Bahamas. Once five years of marriage have passed, the spouse may apply for an extension of the permit, citizenship or permanent residence.

Most Department of Immigration applications share a core: a letter of request to the Director of Immigration; the BSD 200 non-refundable processing fee, paid by card, postal money order or certified cheque; the notarised application form with a BSD 10 Bahamian postage stamp; an original medical certificate dated no more than 30 days before submission; an original police certificate issued within six months covering five years of residence (from age 14); two 2 x 2 inch photos taken within six months; and a copy of the passport bio-data page with at least two months' validity.

Foreign documents must be apostilled or legalised and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and certified English translations must carry a BSD 10 postage stamp. People applying for status for the first time should not be in The Bahamas while the application is processed.

A BSD 200 non-refundable processing fee applies. Under the Immigration Fee Scale, a permit for the spouse of a Bahamian citizen costs BSD 300 for each year or BSD 1,500 for five years, and a residence permit for a child of the spouse of a Bahamian citizen is BSD 300 a year.

Add a copy of the Bahamian spouse's passport bio-data page, a certified copy of the marriage certificate with an English translation and BSD 10 stamp, certified birth certificates of children under 18 (both of the marriage and of the applicant), the applicant's original birth certificate verified by the consulate and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a certified copy of the Bahamian spouse's birth certificate, any death certificate or divorce decree of a previous spouse, adoption or guardianship documents and deed poll if applicable, the spouse's registration or naturalisation if applicable, and employment letters for the Bahamian spouse and, if employed, the applicant.