---
title: "The Bahamas Student permit requirements 2026: 1-year stay"
url: https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/permit-to-reside-student/
lang: en
updated: 2026-10-10
---

The Bahamas · Student

# The Bahamas Student permit

**First stay:** 1 yr

Permit to Reside (annual permit) — student or trainee

First checked against official sources on 10 Oct 2026 [Change log](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/)

- **First stay:** 1 yr (Issued per year or part of a year at the stated fee; renewable.)
- **Who can apply:** Any passport

## Key facts

Student permit is a student route for The Bahamas. Checked 2026-10-10 against the official source.

- **Government fees:** BSD 300/yr ≈ $300 · BSD 200 ≈ $200
- **Processing:** 8–12 weeks
- **First stay:** 1 yr

## Cost, time and long term

To apply: 2 government fees listed below; decision: 8–12 weeks. No lawyer or agent fee is included.

**Government fees: BSD 300/yr ≈ $300 · BSD 200 ≈ $200**

- BSD 300 a year (≈ $300) Residence permit fee for a person attending an institution of higher learning full time or a trainee, certified by the Minister responsible for education.
- BSD 200 (≈ $200) Non-refundable processing fee.

**Renewal: Renewable**

The Permit to Reside is renewed each year with a renewal form, and students send their latest school letter, transcript and report cards.

[Bahamas Department of Immigration](https://www.immigration.gov.bs/applying-to-stay/permit-to-reside-renewal/)

**Processing: 8–12 weeks**

After a complete application, applicants are asked to contact the Consultation Unit for an update within 8 to 12 weeks.

[Department of Immigration, The Bahamas](https://www.immigration.gov.bs/applying-to-stay/permit-to-reside/)

**Where to apply: From abroad**

First-time applicants should not be in The Bahamas while the application is processed.

[Department of Immigration, The Bahamas](https://www.immigration.gov.bs/applying-to-stay/permit-to-reside/)

## Why this route may not fit

Check this before you apply.

- Applications are made from outside The Bahamas, not after arriving
- Needs a place at a school or university in The Bahamas

### What you'll need

#### What you must show and pay

- **A fee of BSD 300 a year (≈ $300)** · Residence permit fee for a person attending an institution of higher learning full time or a trainee, certified by the Minister responsible for education.
- **A fee of BSD 200 (≈ $200)** · Non-refundable processing fee.

#### Documents

- A letter of enrolment in a school in The Bahamas is required.
- A financial institution reference is required.
- A sponsor passport copy is required.
- Medical and police certificates are required.
- Character references are required.

#### Steps

1. An update on the application is available 8 to 12 weeks after submission.

## When you become tax resident

How The Bahamas decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.

- **Stay on this route:** **1 year at first, renewable**
- **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.
- **Foreign-source income:** **No personal income tax**

[All tax rules for The Bahamas](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/tax/) Tax records checked 10 Oct 2026

**Full official text**

Non-Bahamians attending school, college or university, and dependants of persons lawfully resident, apply for a Permit to Reside. (sources 1, 2)

#### What you must show and pay

- A fee of BSD 300 a year (≈ $300) · Residence permit fee for a person attending an institution of higher learning full time or a trainee, certified by the Minister responsible for education. (source 2)
- A fee of BSD 200 (≈ $200) · Non-refundable processing fee. (source 1)

#### Requirements

- A letter of enrolment in a school in The Bahamas is required. (source 1)
- A financial institution reference is required. (source 1)
- A sponsor passport copy is required. (source 1)
- Medical and police certificates are required. (source 1)
- Character references are required. (source 1)
- An update on the application is available 8 to 12 weeks after submission. (source 1)

#### Stay

- Issued per year or part of a year at the stated fee; renewable.
- Initial permitted stay: 12 months.
- Visa validity: 12 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.

#### Work

The permit is for residence other than working.

#### Family

Accompanying dependants (spouse, children under 18) must apply for their own Permit to Reside.

Checked 2026-10-10

## Official sources

1. [Permit To Reside](https://www.immigration.gov.bs/applying-to-stay/permit-to-reside/) · Department of Immigration, The Bahamas · checked 2026-10-10
2. [Immigration Fee Scale](https://www.immigration.gov.bs/applying-to-stay/immigration-fee-scale/) · Department of Immigration, The Bahamas · checked 2026-10-12
3. [Permit To Reside Renewal](https://www.immigration.gov.bs/applying-to-stay/permit-to-reside-renewal/) · Bahamas Department of Immigration · checked 2026-10-11

## Student permit and its alternatives

| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Student permit | – | 1 yr, renewable | – |
| [Student residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/mexico/temporary-student/) Mexico | Needs income of MXN 26k+ a month ≈ $1,410 | – | – |
| [Student visa V](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/colombia/v-student/) Colombia | – | 2 yr | Yes |
| [Student stay](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/costa-rica/student/) Costa Rica | – | 2 yr, renewable | – |
| [Student visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/brazil/vitem-iv-student/) Brazil | – | 1 yr, renewable | Yes |

## Questions people ask

### How much money do I need for the Student permit?

A fee of BSD 300 a year (≈ $300). Residence permit fee for a person attending an institution of higher learning full time or a trainee, certified by the Minister responsible for education. A fee of BSD 200 (≈ $200). Non-refundable processing fee.

### How long can I stay on the Student permit?

Issued per year or part of a year at the stated fee; renewable.

### How long does the Student permit take to process?

After a complete application, applicants are asked to contact the Consultation Unit for an update within 8 to 12 weeks.

### Can I work on the Student permit?

The permit is for residence other than working.

### Can I bring my family on the Student permit?

Accompanying dependants (spouse, children under 18) must apply for their own Permit to Reside.

### How are Student permit holders taxed in The Bahamas?

No special regime in our records is tied to the Student permit. The standard rules apply: 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.

## More in The Bahamas

[Work permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/the-bahamas/annual-work-permit/)

## Study visas elsewhere

[🇦🇷 Student residence](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/argentina/temporary-student/) [🇨🇦 Study permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/canada/study-permit/) [🇺🇸 F-1 / M-1 Student visa](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/united-states/f-m-student/) [🇩🇴 Student permit E-1](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/dominican-republic/student-e1/) [🇦🇬 Student permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/antigua-and-barbuda/student-permit/) [🇨🇼 Student permit](https://settleanywhere.com/countries/curacao/student/)

≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.

## How this was checked

**Checked on 2026-10-10 against 3 official sources.** Status: verified against the official sources.

Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.

1. [Permit To Reside](https://www.immigration.gov.bs/applying-to-stay/permit-to-reside/) · Department of Immigration, The Bahamas · checked 2026-10-10
2. [Immigration Fee Scale](https://www.immigration.gov.bs/applying-to-stay/immigration-fee-scale/) · Department of Immigration, The Bahamas · checked 2026-10-12
3. [Permit To Reside Renewal](https://www.immigration.gov.bs/applying-to-stay/permit-to-reside-renewal/) · Bahamas Department of Immigration · checked 2026-10-11

Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the [changes page](https://settleanywhere.com/changes/), and the [methodology page](https://settleanywhere.com/methodology/) explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email [contact@stayglobe.app](mailto:contact@stayglobe.app?subject=Correction) with a link to the official source.