Welcome to the Wicked Salty 5 Step Guide to Applying for your Bahamian Pet Import Permit! Here, we will go into detail about the exact process laid out by the Bahamian Department of Agriculture and also discuss some tips from our personal experience in applying with our dog Lola.
How to Apply for a Pet Import Permit:
- Complete the application and mail it to the address listed below. You can find the application here. Mail to: The Department of Agriculture Darville‘s Business Complex , Gladstone and Munnings Roads , P.O. Box N3028 , Nassau, New Providence The Bahamas.
- Pay the relevant fees. Mail with your completed pet permit application to the address listed above. More info. about required fees here.
- After approval, the permit will be issued. Expect to receive your pet import permit by mail.
- The applicant will be given (in our experience via mail) a Veterinarian Form. The AGR/VS/1A Form which must be completed by a registered Veterinarian 24 hours prior to travel. I know this sounds stressful but in our personal experience having the forms completed within 7 days of our expected arrival has worked perfectly.
- Applicant submits the Dog Permit and Completed Veterinarian Form to an Agricultural Officer and Customs Officer at the port of entry or departure. In our personal experience the customs officers are typically pretty relaxed and just do a quick skim of the paperwork then hand it back to you and BOOM you’re in!
Tips from our Personal Experience
- Start the process early. Printing paper work, getting signatures, vet visits etc. is time consuming stuff. The more time you allow your self to complete it the better.
- Take pictures of your application, money order and addressed envelope before putting it in the mailbox. Keep this in a safe place for your records.
- Print multiple copies of all your documents. I keep an envelop of the required documents in the bag I bring to land each day and one in the nav station on the boat so I always have it close by if needed.
Well there you have it, a step by step guide to bring your best friend to the Bahamas! Well, by boat that is. If you plan on taking a plane to the Bahamas the requirements may differ. If you have any questions about something we touched on above or anything we didn’t we’d love to talk with you in the comments below!
*I do my best to keep this post updated but requirements can change. For most up to date information please visit the Government of the Bahamas Website before your trip.*
By Kate Lilly, Wicked Salty