Requirements for Entry

Bring your best friend to The Bahamas with a clear plan. Use this checklist to prepare your dog or cat’s application, then let Bahamas Pet Agents handle the permit paperwork.

Before you travel: Obtain an approved import permit for each pet and follow the conditions printed on it. A permit does not replace your pet’s veterinary travel documents.

1. Share your pet and travel details

  • Owner’s full name, contact details and Bahamas destination address.
  • Pet’s name, species, breed, sex, age and identifying details, plus a clear photo.
  • Departure country and arrival date. For a bundle, provide a separate future arrival date for every entry.

2. Prepare the veterinary records

BAHFSA’s published dog and cat guidance requires pets to be older than six months and accompanied by an international veterinary health certificate issued within 10 days of import. Ask your veterinarian to check all permit conditions and the requirements for your departure country before scheduling the examination.

  • Dogs: vaccination records for rabies, distemper, hepatitis, leptospirosis, parvovirus and adenovirus.
  • Cats: vaccination records for rabies, feline leukemia, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia and pneumonitis.
  • Evidence of a negative fecal test for internal parasites and freedom from external parasites, as required by the official guidance.

Rabies vaccine timing depends on origin and vaccine duration. Send the full record, including administration and expiry dates, for review. Contact us before purchasing if breed eligibility, age or documentation is uncertain.

3. Check the rules for your route

For travel from the United States on or after January 1, 2027, USDA requires the dog or cat’s export health certificate to be electronically signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and electronically endorsed by APHIS. Your veterinarian should check any additional origin-specific requirements.

Confirm your airline or vessel’s pet policy and the requirements for your return journey separately. We recommend planning well ahead; USDA advises allowing at least four weeks for the Bahamas import permit application.

4. Apply online

Upload your available vaccination records and supporting documents through our application. We review the information and flag missing or inconsistent details before submission. If the travel health certificate must be obtained closer to departure, arrange that timing with your veterinarian and send it when available.

Start your application

Frequent travelers: We submit all complete bundle applications upfront using each future arrival date and deliver the approved permits together. Each trip still needs valid veterinary documents for its own arrival date.

Official guidance

Reviewed October 20, 2026. Requirements can change; confirm current conditions before departure.

Need help? Contact Bahamas Pet Agents.