--- title: "Moving to The Bahamas 2026: visas, requirements and tax" url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/ lang: en updated: 2026-10-12 --- Atlantis resort towers on Paradise Island across the harbour from Nassau # Moving to The Bahamas 6 ways to move to The Bahamas in our guide: 3 investor routes, 1 work visa, 1 student visa, 1 spouse visa. No digital nomad visa. Smallest investment: [Economic PR · $1M property](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/economic-pr-real-estate/), BSD 1M+ ≈ $1M. Tax for newcomers: [No personal income tax](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/tax/), No personal income tax. Checked against official sources on 12 October 2026. **Smallest investment needed:** **BSD 1M+ ≈ $1M** Economic PR · $1M property **Longest first stay:** **1 year** Work permit **Tax angle:** **No personal income tax** No personal income tax The Bahamas offers a few clear paths for non-Bahamians who want to live here, mostly built around investment or work. The rules are set out in the records, and each route has its own paperwork and conditions. Investors able to commit to a long-term holding Home owners with a primary residence abroad Employees with an employer willing to sponsor Students enrolled in a Bahamian school Dependants of lawful residents ## Investing · 3 ### Economic PR **Investment needed:** BSD 1M+ ≈ $1M - [$1M property](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/economic-pr-real-estate/) - [$1M bonds](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/economic-pr-zero-coupon-bonds/) ### [Home Owner permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/home-owner-resident-permit/) [Details](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/home-owner-resident-permit/) ## Work · 1 ### [Work permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/annual-work-permit/) **First stay:** 1 yr [Details](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/annual-work-permit/) ## Student · 1 ### [Student permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/permit-to-reside-student/) **First stay:** 1 yr [Details](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/permit-to-reside-student/) ## Spouse visas · 1 For people married to, or in a partnership with, a citizen or permanent resident. ### [Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/spouse-of-citizen/) [Details](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/spouse-of-citizen/) **Free movement and visa-free stays · 1** - **[Visa-free stay (8 months)](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/visa-free-240d/)** · Up to 8 months as a visitor Work not allowed Open to 3 passports: [Canada](https://settleanywhere.com/passports/canada/), [United Kingdom](https://settleanywhere.com/passports/united-kingdom/), [United States](https://settleanywhere.com/passports/united-states/). [Where each passport can live without a visa →](https://settleanywhere.com/passports/) ## Tax The records list no personal income, capital gains, inheritance, withholding, dividend or payroll taxes. Residents pay VAT and National Insurance contributions instead. Because there is no personal income tax, no income tax residence test applies, and National Insurance covers employees, employers and the self-employed. Immigration status and tax are separate questions. Standard rules ### [No personal income tax; VAT and National Insurance](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/tax/#tax-bs-no-personal-income-tax) No personal income tax Foreign-source income: No personal income tax **Details** - On: Consumption (VAT) and wages (National Insurance contributions) The Bahamas Government investment guidance lists personal income, capital gains, inheritance, withholding, dividend and payroll taxes as absent; residents pay VAT and National Insurance contributions instead. #### Taxed on Consumption (VAT) and wages (National Insurance contributions) #### Tax residence No income tax residence test applies because no personal income tax is levied; National Insurance applies to employees, employers and the self-employed. #### Visas Permanent residence and permit holders pay VAT and National Insurance on the same basis. #### Other taxes National Insurance contribution rates rose by 1.5 percentage points from the first Monday of July 2024 (shared by employer and employee), with further 1.5-point rises every two years to 2044. Real property tax applies to owners. Checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026, some details partly verified [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) [Full page →](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/tax/) Checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/) **No digital nomad visa in The Bahamas.** Remote workers usually look at [Economic PR · $1M property](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/economic-pr-real-estate/), [Economic PR · $1M bonds](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/economic-pr-zero-coupon-bonds/), [Home Owner permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/home-owner-resident-permit/), or [nomad visas elsewhere](https://settleanywhere.com/visas/digital-nomad/). **Path to permanent residence · 3** - **PR after 10 years** · Economic Permanent Residence — real estate investment of $1.0 million - **PR after 10 years** · Economic Permanent Residence — Zero Coupon Bonds of $1.0 million - **PR after 20 years** · Permanent residence — 10 to 20 years of residence with a qualifying work permit ## Arriving in The Bahamas: first steps 1. Arrange health cover as part of your medical certificates for the application. 2. Have proof of your Bahamian address ready, such as a deed or rental agreement. 3. Complete police and medical certificates as required by your route. 4. For work permits, ensure your employer has the Labour Certificate and advertising in place. 5. For students, keep your enrolment letter and financial reference for the Permit to Reside. ## Questions people ask ### How much do you need to invest for residency in The Bahamas? The Bahamas has 3 investor routes. [Economic PR · $1M property](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/economic-pr-real-estate/) asks for an investment of at least BSD 1,000,000 (≈ $1,000,000). [Economic PR · $1M bonds](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/economic-pr-zero-coupon-bonds/) asks for an investment of at least BSD 1,000,000 (≈ $1,000,000). There is also [Home Owner permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/home-owner-resident-permit/). ### What work visas does The Bahamas offer foreigners? The Bahamas has 1 work visa. [Work permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/annual-work-permit/) gives a first stay of 1 year that can be renewed. ### How do I get a student visa for The Bahamas? The Bahamas has 1 student visa. [Student permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/permit-to-reside-student/) gives a first stay of 1 year that can be renewed. ### Can I join my spouse or partner in The Bahamas? Yes. The Bahamas has 1 spouse visa. It is [Spouse of a citizen](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/spouse-of-citizen/). ## Compare with [🇲🇽 Mexico](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/mexico/) [🇨🇴 Colombia](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/colombia/) [🇨🇷 Costa Rica](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/costa-rica/) [🇧🇷 Brazil](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/brazil/) [🇦🇷 Argentina](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/argentina/) [🇨🇦 Canada](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/) [🇺🇸 United States](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-states/) [🇺🇾 Uruguay](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/uruguay/) ≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.