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Pathway

Bahamas Permanent Residence by Investment

Bahamas Residency
Pathway overview

At a glance

The Bahamas economic permanent residence route is for investors making a substantial qualifying investment, usually in real estate or approved financial instruments. It generally requires proof of the investment, source of funds, and standard background checks.

Type
Investment residence
Investment fit
Investors making a qualifying investment in the Bahamas
Core requirements
Investment amount, source of funds, and required approvals
What to know
Meeting the listed requirements does not guarantee approval; the authority retains discretion
Duration
Permanent residence, tied to maintaining the qualifying investment.
Renewal / path
The investment must generally be held for at least 10 years.

Summary

The Bahamas offers an economic permanent residence certificate to a person who makes a qualifying investment. This is permanent residence, not citizenship by investment. The certificate is normally issued for the holder's lifetime unless it is revoked, but approval is discretionary and the investment conditions must be respected.

For applications under the rules effective January 1, 2025, the qualifying investment is at least BSD 1,000,000 in either Bahamian real estate or zero-coupon bonds issued by the Central Bank of The Bahamas. The asset must be held for at least ten years. The Bahamian dollar and US dollar are different currencies even though they generally trade at parity, so applicants should document the value and payment currency precisely.

Pathway fit check

Eligibility

The core statutory requirement is a qualifying investment of at least BSD 1,000,000 for a minimum ten-year period in one of these forms:

A deed of gift cannot be used as the real-estate investment for this category.

For a real-estate application, the 2024 amendment requires evidence including the conveyance, sales agreement, real-property-tax assessment number, proof that the relevant tax was paid and the conveyance lodged for recording, and a valuation by a licensed appraiser. For a bond application, the applicant must provide a Central Bank receipt confirming the qualifying purchase.

The Department of Immigration also lists general permanent-residence documents. These currently include:

The official checklist should be checked immediately before filing because document, authentication and fee requirements can change.

What This Route Allows

An approved certificate gives permanent-resident status for the holder's lifetime unless revoked. The Department describes permanent residence as carrying the right to reside and/or work, but the precise permission is recorded on the certificate. Applicants who intend to work should confirm that the certificate expressly includes the right to work rather than assuming that investment alone authorizes employment.

A spouse and children may need their own applications or endorsements and supporting civil-status documents. Family inclusion should therefore be confirmed with the Department for the particular household before making the investment.

After the minimum ten-year holding period has been completed, the investment condition does not by itself convert residence into citizenship. Any later citizenship application is a separate process under Bahamian nationality law.

What This Route Is Not

Next Steps

  1. Read the current Department of Immigration permanent-residence page and download the economic permanent-residence form.
  2. Choose between qualifying real estate and Central Bank zero-coupon bonds, then obtain advice on title, valuation, taxes, source-of-funds evidence and the ten-year holding obligation before committing funds.
  3. If using real estate, confirm that the conveyance, sales agreement, tax-assessment number, proof of tax payment and licensed appraisal will meet section 17A. Do not rely on a deed of gift.
  4. If using bonds, confirm the current purchase process directly with the Central Bank and obtain the receipt required by section 17A.
  5. Assemble the Department's current identity, police, medical, civil-status, authentication and translation documents. Check each document's validity window before submission.
  6. Confirm the current fees and whether the requested certificate will include the right to work. Keep evidence that the qualifying asset remains held for the required ten years.
Compare your options

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Sources