For the past two years, bonefish have been tailing, spawning, and living life largely unaffected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Bahamian bonefish populations are robust, and opportunities to catch massive, impressive bones abound. Moreover, as travel restrictions are being gradually rolled back, visiting the Bahamas is becoming much easier. Whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, it’s important to know what to expect before packing your gear and boarding your flight.
Bahamas Travel Health Visa
On June 19, 2022, The Government of the Bahamas officially eliminated its requirement for travel health visas. If you’ve been struggling to get a Bahamas Travel Health Visa or have been putting off your bonefishing trip due to this requirement, you’re now in the clear. In lieu of health travel visas, travelers are required to submit either negative COVID-19 test results or valid proof of vaccination.
Air Travel
When flying into and out of the Bahamas, be sure to have your proof of vaccination status or your negative COVID-19 test results ready. If you or anyone in your party has taken a positive COVID-19 test at least 10 days before your departure but no more than 90 days, you can present your positive COVID-19 test results along with a letter issued by a recognized health authority that clears you for travel.
All passengers flying from the Bahamas into the United States are no longer required to present negative COVID-19 test results before boarding. This means that as of June 12, 2022, all air passengers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, are no longer required to show a negative viral COVID-19 test result, or documentation of recovery from COVID-19, before boarding a flight to the United States.
Vaccinated Travelers
If you’ve been fully vaccinated against COVID-19, be sure to pack valid proof of your vaccination status before heading out. This will eliminate the need to complete COVID-19 testing before entering the Bahamas. As of June 19, 2022, tourists who are fully vaccinated are no longer required to engage in pre-trip testing.
Unvaccinated Travelers
Travelers who aren’t vaccinated and those who have yet to receive a second dose of any two-dose vaccine are still required to test for COVID-19 before visiting the Bahamas. You must provide proof of a negative Rapid Antigen or RT-PCR test at check-in before flying over. This test must be completed no more than 72 hours before your departure. This requirement applies to all people traveling into the Bahamas ages two and up. If you have a child who’s under the age of two in your party, they do not need to be tested.
These changes have been made to both safeguard public health and make planning a trip to the Bahamas a bit easier. Although proof of vaccination status or negative test results are required to enter the country, this documentation will only be checked once upon your arrival and again when leaving. Secondary record checks for visitors engaging in inter-island travel are no longer being performed, and no testing or vaccine-related documentation is required to patronize local businesses. These changes have made it infinitely easier to prepare for a bonefishing excursion. More importantly, they allow travelers to place more of their attention on preparing for the flats and readying themselves to catch one of the most stealthy and elusive species in Bahamian waters.
