How do you bring a pet to the Bahamas in 2026?

BAHFSA handles permits to import domestic animals such as dogs and cats. Since late 2024, agri-import permits move through Customs Click2Clear rather than older gateway tools. Register on Click2Clear first. Government guidance then tells applicants to email click2clear@bahamas.gov.bs to activate username and password access for BAHFSA pet-permit applications, reset the password, and log into the e-permitting portal.

Complete the Application to Import Domestic Animal form, pay the published fees, and wait for approval. After approval you receive the import permit and a veterinarian form (AGR/VS/1A) that a registered veterinarian must complete within 24 hours before travel. That timing window is strict; do not finish the vet form a week early and hope it still works. Keep digital and paper copies of the permit, microchip details, vaccination records, and airline health certificates the carrier also demands.

At arrival you present the dog or cat permit and completed veterinarian form to an Agricultural Officer and a Customs Officer. Incomplete packs delay release. Commercial traders need extra business-licence evidence; household pets follow the domestic-animal path. Export from the Bahamas later uses a separate endorsement certificate process if you move onward.

Housing still decides whether the paperwork was worth it. Many Cable Beach and western Nassau rentals restrict breeds, size, or pets entirely. Family Island cottages can be more flexible and thinner on emergency vet care: Where to live and Living in Nassau. Keep Immigration and banking on a parallel track so you are not stuck in a hotel that bans animals: Residence or work permit and Open a bank account. A local number helps coordinators reach you on landing day: Get a mobile phone.