New Prime Minister: Changes for Cruisers

24th September 2021

PRESS RELEASE BY THE HONOURABLE DR. MICHAEL DARVILLE, MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS

RE:THE EMERGENCY POWERS (COVID-19 PANDEMIC) (MANAGEMENT AND RECOVERY) (NO.2) (AMENDMENT)(NO.14) ORDER, 2021

Since March 2020, many residents of The Bahamas have been affected by the travel regime established under various Emergency Powers Orders. Following discussions with the health care professionals and with Cabinet approval, the Prime Minister, the Hon. Philip E. Davis, Q.C. M.P. has signed the following Order made under the Emergency Powers (COVID-19 Pandemic) (Management and Recovery) (No.2) (Amendment) (No. 14). The amended Order makes the following changes to the existing Emergency Powers Order as follows:

1. The Order removes the requirement for a travel health visa for inter-island travel within The Bahamas.

2. Vaccinated persons travelling inter-island from New Providence and Grand Bahama, will now only be required to produce a negative result of a rapid antigen test of the type approved by the Ministry of Health, and if non-vaccinated, travellers are required to produce a negative result of the RT-PCR test at the point of embarkation to the operator of the airline or vessel on which they are travelling.

3. For persons travelling inter-island from any other islands of The Bahamas, only a negative result of an antigen test of the type approved by the Ministry of Health is required.

4. The requirement for secondary testing for inter-island travellers is now removed.

5. The travel health visa is still required for Bahamian citizens, residents and visitors entering The Bahamas.

6. The payment of the travel health visa fee is no longer required for Bahamian citizens and residents returning to The Bahamas.