Getting your pet permission to come to the Bahamas has always been a bit of a hassle for boaters. As with crossing any international border, you must get permission from the appropriate authorities and complete all the paperwork to ensure that your pet meets the letter of the law: not a banned breed, has all the right shots, etc.
On September 1, 2024, things changed in the Bahamas as the responsibility to issue pet importation permits moved from one department to another. It’s now under the Bahamas Agriculture and Health Food Safety Authority (BAHFSA), which has decided to use the Customs Department’s online Click2Clear system to issue the certificates.
Click2Clear is a mixed bag. We’ve been using it for a few seasons now to get our cruising permits while checking in, but that’s a completely different process in a different part of the system. Here’s a look at how the process now works for getting your pet into the islands legally.
Note: Because these changes are new, many online references and cruising guides are now out of date. This includes the official Bahamas government site seen here. Any site that references the “Department of Agriculture” is outdated.
Always double-check the requirements before submitting any forms, and if in doubt, consider using a local agent like bahamaspetpermit.com.
Rules for Bringing Pets Into the Bahamas
The actual requirements for bringing a pet in haven’t changed much.
A few breeds cannot come to the Bahamas at all. These are banned:
- Pit Bull
- Presa Canario
- Cane Corso
- American Bully
- Staffordshire Terrier
- Dogo Argentino
- Any mixed breed dogs that are mixed with these breeds are also restricted, so a pit bull mix is also restricted from importation.
- Restricted Cat Breeds: Savannah Cat, Bengal Cat, Chausie
Next, you must provide proof that your pets meet immunization requirements. These specifics should be listed on the permit form for your vet to sign off on.
Here’s an incomplete screen grab of the most recent information I could find, but I can’t check its accuracy or completeness at this time. I will update it when we get our permit later this year.
a. Dogs
1. Rabies vaccine:
Steps to Complete to Get Your Bahamas Pet Permit
Here’s a rough outline of what you need to do to get your pet into the Bahamas with the new 2024 system.
- Register for an account on Click2Clear (You may have used Click2Clear in the past, but chances are you didn’t need an account to do it, so this is new.)
- Choose “Register” at the top and complete the form.
3. Then, email their support desk (click2clear@bahamas.gov.bs) and ask that your account be activated to submit permits. Here’s the email I sent:
Hello:
I’ve just registered for Click2Clear, but I need to activate it to submit permits/concessions. I am looking to apply for the new pet permit/domestic animal temporary import.
Thank you,
4. Once you get the approval email (mine only took a few hours), you can log into the system and create a request for the permit.
You’ll select the “Submit General Concession/Permit Application” in the left-hand column.
5. Before continuing past the first page, hit “Save” and write down the “Provisional Ref. No,” which will be used to find your application in the future.
√ Double-check all your contact information on the second page under “Party.”
√ Fill out your trip details (departure and arrival ports and date) on the third page, “Transport.”
√ Under “Item,” you will fill out the details of your dog or cat. The video implies that you can type “dog” into the box, and it will find the right code, but it didn’t work for me. I copied the code from the video, and then it came up. The HS code for a dog is 01061910. Here is the completed item page; your dog’s breed and weight will obviously vary.
6. At the end of the process, in the “Summary” tab, you will “Validate” the application and then “Submit” the application. After that, you can pay the $50 per animal fee to get the permit.
Your application will be reviewed by an inspector and issued within 48 hours (so they say). That’s a big improvement over the old system, which could drag on for weeks and required sending forms and money via snail mail!
Here’s a video from BAHFSA with a step-by-step tutorial on the system. Tutorial PDF/ Video
Finding a Vet Before Setting Sail
Once you get the permit, it should be taken to your vet for their sign-off just before you depart on your trip (some forms state as little as 24 hours before departure). Historically, officials have been lax on boaters with this time limit, understanding that boat trips take much longer and that the rules are generally more important for those flying with their pets. But under the new system, it’s anybody’s guess how this will be handled, so it’s best to comply with the rules as closely as possible in 2024/2025 just to be on the safe side.
Your vet will also issue you a USDA international health certificate, which you technically need to re-enter the United States upon returning. It has never been asked for in the past, but it might become very important if something happened and you needed to fly home. Things are changing on the US side, too, and it might become more important when you check back into the US in the future.
It’s always been a challenge for us to find vets who can and will do the paperwork. It is always best to call the office before your appointment to ensure that the vet on duty can issue international paperwork — not all vets can!
We’ve started using Banfield Animal Clinics, a national chain with locations in most PetSmart locations. This way, no matter what town we’re in, there’s a vet who has access to Chelsea’s records, and most can do international paperwork. So far, we’ve been to four or five different Banfields, and it has been pretty smooth.
There’s also a list of veterinarians boaters have used. It’s posted in Addison Chan’s excellent Facebook group Bahamas, Land, and Sea.
Checking In to The Bahamas
When you use Click2Clear to request your cruising permit, you can declare your pet and upload your signed Bahamas import permit. Remember, you’ll request the permit by choosing “Cruising Permit,” not by logging in as you did for the pet permit.
Again, this was never asked for in the past, and I imagine many people never included their pets on their customs declarations. However, with the new system centralized in Click2Clear, it’s probably best to cross your t’s and dot your i’s.
Using an Import Agent
In years past, we used the services of Wellington Saunders of BahamasPetPermit.com. The primary reason was that the initial process of getting the permit by snail mail was so fraught with problems: You had to use DHL to get the paperwork there at all, and you had to pay via an international money order, which was a pain to get. In all, using Wellington allowed you to pay online, and then he would hand-deliver the forms.
Now that it’s all online, we will try doing it ourselves. However, Wellington is still available to help you file the forms. Don’t hesitate to use his service if you want to smooth out the process.
Returning to the US With Your Pet
In 2024, the US Center for Disease Control began requiring permits for all animals coming into the US, including US pets returning home. Instructions can be found on the CDC website. This is a new step, in addition to the USDA international health certificate your vet will give you before you leave the country.
Thankfully, this also isn’t a burdensome change. The form is simply downloaded, filled out, signed, and emailed to the CDC for approval. Once you get a permit emailed back, keep a copy to show to Customs and Border Patrol (if requested) upon your return. In our experience, CBP has never shown the slightest interest, but they might start with this new form. And while agents have historically been lax with boaters, if you have to fly home due to an emergency, you’ll need to have all the paperwork completed before the airline will let you fly.
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