ETIAS FOR BAHAMIAN CITIZENS

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Citizens of the Bahamas are not need to obtain a visa to travel to Europe on a short-term basis. This is because the Bahamas and the Schengen Area have a visa waiver agreement.

Travelers from visa-exempt nations, including Bahamians, will be able to register for ETIAS online beginning in November 2023.

The European Union is introducing an electronic visa waiver system for people of more than 50 nations. The ETIAS will help with border control and security throughout the Schengen Area. Europe will be safer for visitors and residents as a result of ETIAS.

ETIAS Required

Currently, there are 22 European countries that form part of the Schengen Area:

  • EU Schengen
  • Non-EU Schengen States
  • Non-Schengen EU States
ETIAS Required

Non-EU Member States:

Micro-States de facto part of Schengen Area:

ETIAS Required

Non-Schengen EU States

The ETIAS visa waiver will be entirely available online. Bahamians will fill out an electronic application form from home and will never have to visit an embassy or consulate.

ETIAS, like the ESTA in the United States, is an electronic travel authorization, sometimes known as a visa waiver.

WHAT ARE THE ENTRY REQUIREMENTS FOR BAHAMIAN CITIZENS WHO WISH TO VISIT EUROPE?

To visit the European Schengen Area, Bahamians must meet normal entrance requirements. Most essential, visitors must have a valid passport.

Citizens of the Bahamas may visit Europe without a visa for up to 90 days. A Bahamian national who desires to stay for more than 90 days must get a visa.

Bahamians are not permitted to live, work, or study in Europe unless they have the necessary visas and permits.

ETIAS allows you to visit all Schengen countries, and you can apply online. European visas are typically issued at an embassy or consulate and are only valid for one member country.

ETIAS APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS FOR NATIONALS OF THE BAHAMAS

Once the ETIAS system is fully operational, Bahamian passport holders will be required to complete the ETIAS visa waiver conditions, which include the following:

  • A valid machine-readable Bahamian passport
  • A current email address at receive notifications
  • A debit or credit card to pay the processing fees

ETIAS will allow Bahamian nationals to stay in the region for up to 90 days during a 180-day period. Unless the passport expires sooner, ETIAS will be valid for three years.

HOW SHOULD BAHAMIAN CITIZENS APPLY FOR ETIAS

Once ETIAS is fully operational, citizens of the Bahamas will be able to apply in a few simple steps. They will need to complete the online ETIAS application form with the following details:

  • Full name
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Nationality
  • Contact details
  • Passport details

There will also be some health and security questions. This information is used to verify the applicant is eligible to travel without a visa.

Applicants should check all the information provided matches the Bahamian passport exactly. Spelling mistakes or missing information could lead to processing delays.

The ETIAS application will be cross-checked against several international security databases including the Schengen Information System (SIS), the Visa Information System (VIS) and Europol and Interpol data.

Following automatic processing, the majority of applications will be granted. If one of the systems fails, the application will be verified by the ETIAS Central and National Units.

Bahamians should arrange ahead of time for their ETIAS to be granted before travelling to Europe.

Applicants will get email alerts regarding their ETIAS application. Once accepted, the ETIAS visa waiver will be electronically connected to the traveller’s passport.

The tourist must travel to Europe using the same passport that was used for the ETIAS application. This is especially important for Bahamians who hold dual citizenship. In this case, travellers should use the same passport to apply for ETIAS and travel to Europe.

TRAVELLING FROM THE BAHAMAS TO EUROPE WITH ETIAS

Bahamians can enter the European Union with only a valid passport.

They may be asked to submit details about their lodging and if they have enough money to cover the expenditures of their trip when they arrive. All visitors from foreign countries who enter the Schengen Area must go through immigration control.

Citizens of the Bahamas will be eligible to seek an ETIAS visa waiver prior to their journey beginning in November 2023. It will become a prerequisite for admission. When the Bahamian passport is scanned at an external Schengen border, ETIAS will be verified.

ETIAS FOR BAHAMIANS – FAQ

A Bahamian ETIAS holder may stay in any Schengen country for up to 90 days in any 180-day period.

ETIAS is valid for three years, provided the passport used to apply is still valid. If the passport expires before the three-year period, the Bahamian national must apply for a new ETIAS visa waiver using their new passport information.

A Bahamian citizen can travel to Europe several times for stays of up to 90 days per trip. When the 90-day period in the EU expires, the Bahamian ETIAS holder must leave the EU and spend at least the next 90 days outside the Schengen Zone.

Bahamians who intend to stay in Europe for more than 90 days should contact the embassy or consulate of the country in which they wish to reside for information on obtaining a long-term visa.

Passport holders from the Bahamas can attend a convention, summit, or workshop in the Schengen Area.

Furthermore, professionals and students from the Bahamas who want to continue their studies in Europe but aren’t sure which university they want to attend would benefit significantly from an ETIAS.

With ETIAS, Bahamians can travel to all Schengen countries before picking where they want to study.

Once a Bahamian student has decided on an institution where they will pursue their degree and live while studying, the next step is to secure a student visa.

Unlike the ETIAS, European student visas are country-specific. As a result, the student would need to contact the embassy or consulate of the country where they intend to study for information on student visa requirements.

The ETIAS for Bahamians is valid for three years, as long as the linked passport is valid.

If the passport used in the ETIAS application expires before the visa waiver, the visa waiver will be null and void. The Bahamian individual must then apply for a new ETIAS using their newly obtained passport number.

Similarly, if the passport remains valid after the three years of ETIAS expire, the Bahamian citizen must apply for another ETIAS visa waiver using the same passport number.