Permanent Residency
Bahamas Permanent Residency
Through Real Estate
This page has been reviewed and verified by Sheldon Pitt, Principal Broker at Pitt Property Group, with over 30 years of Bahamas real estate investment experience. All investment thresholds and programme requirements reflect current Bahamas Immigration Department requirements effective January 2025.
The Bahamas offers one of the most straightforward and genuinely attractive residency-by-investment programmes in the world. A minimum real estate investment of $1,000,000 USD qualifies a foreign national — and their immediate family — for lifetime permanent residency in a jurisdiction with no income tax, no capital gains tax, and no inheritance tax, fifty miles from the coast of Florida.
This guide covers everything you need to know — the investment threshold, what qualifies, the application process, fees, what residency grants you, and what it does not.
What Is the Bahamas Economic Permanent Residency Programme?
The Bahamas Economic Permanent Residency — formally the Economic Certificate of Permanent Residence (EPR) — is an investment migration pathway administered by the Bahamas Department of Immigration. It was formally introduced through the Immigration (Amendment) Act, 2021, though the Bahamas has offered investment-based residency pathways for decades prior.
The programme allows applicants and their families to obtain lifetime permanent residence in the Bahamas by making a qualifying investment in real estate or zero-coupon bonds issued by the Central Bank of the Bahamas.
The EPR grants the right to reside permanently in the Bahamas. It does not, however, confer the right to work. Investors who intend to operate a business or take employment in the Bahamas must apply separately for the appropriate work permit.
The $1,000,000 Investment Threshold
The investment must be made in one of two qualifying forms:
Qualifying real estate — the purchase of residential property in the Bahamas with a minimum value of $1,000,000 USD. The property must be residential. Qualifying assets include residential homes, condominiums, vacant land, and hotels and resorts for sale in the Bahamas where the total purchase price meets or exceeds the $1,000,000 threshold
Zero-coupon bonds — issued by the Central Bank of the Bahamas. This route does not require property ownership but provides no lifestyle asset. The vast majority of EPR applicants choose the real estate route because the investment produces a tangible asset — a Bahamian home — rather than a financial instrument.
The investment must be maintained for a minimum of 10 years from the date of approval. The Immigration Board may revoke residence status if the investment is not retained for this period.
Fast-track processing is available for investments above $1,500,000 USD. At this threshold the application is prioritised by the Immigration Department, significantly reducing the standard processing timeline from up to 18 months to as little as 3–6 months.
For plain language definitions of every term in a Bahamas property transaction — from conveyance to exchange control registration — visit the Bahamas real estate glossary.
What the Bahamas Permanent Residency Grants You
The right to reside permanently in the Bahamas with simplified immigration entry and re-entry. Granted for life — no annual renewal required.
No personal income tax, no capital gains tax, no inheritance tax, no wealth tax, no estate duty. One of the most tax-efficient jurisdictions in the world.
Spouse and dependent children are endorsed on your Certificate of Permanent Residence. One application covers your entire immediate family.
Full-time residency is not required. The minimum presence expectation is approximately 90 days per year — making this ideal for buyers with international commitments.
Eligible to apply for Bahamian citizenship through naturalisation after approximately 10 years of permanent residence. Subject to physical presence, good character, and government approval.
Direct flights from Nassau to Miami (35 min), New York (2h30m), Toronto, London, and Frankfurt. The most accessible offshore residency destination from the US.
- Right to work in the Bahamas
- Bahamian passport or citizenship
- Schengen-area travel rights
- Voting rights in Bahamian elections
Important note for US citizens: The United States taxes its citizens on worldwide income regardless of where they reside. Obtaining Bahamas permanent residency does not exempt US passport holders from US federal tax obligations. US buyers should consult a qualified cross-border tax advisor before structuring their Bahamas investment.
Which Properties Qualify?
Any residential property in the Bahamas with a purchase price of $1,000,000 USD or above qualifies as the basis for an EPR application, subject to Immigration Department review and approval. There is no restriction on island or community.
Nassau and New Providence offers the widest range of qualifying residential options at the $1,000,000 threshold and above. Communities including Cable Beach, Palm Cay, Albany, Lyford Cay, Old Fort Bay, and Ocean Club Estates all have active inventory at qualifying price points.
Nassau land for sale above $1,000,000 also qualify. Properties in established communities such as Ocean Club Estates on Paradise Island and Albany frequently meet the investment threshold required for Bahamas permanent residency through real estate.Bimini is attracting increasing interest from US buyers. Fifty miles from Miami with a direct American Airlines flight, Bimini offers the fastest US-to-Bahamas access of any island. Bimini Bay has a growing waterfront residential market with properties at and above the qualifying threshold.
Eleuthera and Harbour Island suit buyers prioritising privacy, natural beauty, and a boutique island lifestyle. Harbour Island has a well-established international residential community with active inventory at and above the qualifying threshold.
Exuma attracts buyers seeking ultra-privacy and natural Bahamian landscape. Properties in the $1,000,000 to $5,000,000 range are available with strong long-term capital appreciation.
The Application Process — Step by Step
The EPR application cannot be submitted until the property purchase is complete and a conveyance has been executed. The qualifying investment must be in place before the Immigration Department will process the application. Working with a BREA-licensed broker — such as Pitt Property Group — and a qualified Bahamian attorney from the outset ensures the purchase is structured correctly and the documentation required for the EPR application is prepared simultaneously with the conveyance.
While not legally required, virtually every successful EPR applicant engages a Bahamian immigration attorney to manage the application. The documentation requirements are extensive, all foreign documents must be authenticated correctly, and errors at the submission stage cause significant delays. A qualified immigration attorney ensures the application is complete and correctly presented at first submission.
All foreign documents must be properly authenticated through apostille (for Hague Convention countries) or legalisation, with signatures authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. English translations are required for all non-English documents.
- Copy of conveyance for the purchased property
- Original police certificate (within 6 months, covering 5 years)
- Two current passport photographs (white background, 2×2 in)
- Copy of biographical page of current passport
- Spouse's passport biographical page (if applicable)
- Children's passport biographical pages (if applicable)
- Original birth certificate with apostille authentication
- Financial reference from reputable bank
- Two written character references
- Medical certificate (within 30 days of submission)
Applications are submitted to the Bahamas Department of Immigration in Nassau. All fees are payable at time of submission.
For a full breakdown of VAT, closing costs, and all transaction terms involved in your qualifying property purchase, see the Bahamas real estate glossary.
An interview is typically scheduled within two to three months of application submission. The Department conducts due diligence checks on the applicant and reviews all submitted documentation. The applicant and their attorney should be available to respond to any requests for additional information promptly.
Processing time is typically between three and eighteen months from submission to approval. Fast-track processing for investments above $1,500,000 USD reduces this timeline materially. Once approved, the Certificate of Permanent Residence — and any applicable family endorsements — is issued, granting lifetime permanent residence in the Bahamas.
Ongoing Requirements After Approval
Permanent residency is granted for life but carries ongoing obligations that must be maintained to preserve status.
A Certificate of Permanent Residence may be revoked if the holder is ordinarily resident outside the Bahamas continuously for three or more years, is imprisoned for a criminal offence of one year or more, or has so conducted themselves that the Immigration Board considers it not in the public interest to continue their residency privileges.
The Homeowner's Card — For Sub-$1,000,000 Buyers
Buyers who purchase residential property below the $1,000,000 EPR threshold may apply for the Homeowner's Card — a separate, annually renewable residence card for non-Bahamians who own property in the Bahamas.
- $1,000,000+ qualifying investment
- Lifetime — no annual renewal
- Simplified entry and re-entry
- Family endorsed on certificate
- Path to citizenship after 10 years
- Full permanent resident status
- Below $1,000,000 investment
- Annual renewal required ($250/yr)
- Facilitates entry — up to 1 year stay
- Does not cover family members
- No path to citizenship
- Not full permanent residency status
For buyers who purchase a property below $1,000,000 and subsequently acquire an additional property — bringing their total Bahamian real estate portfolio to $1,000,000 or above — an EPR application becomes available at that point.
Bahamas Permanent Residency vs Other Caribbean Programmes
The Bahamas EPR is a residency programme, not a citizenship-by-investment programme. The Bahamas does not offer citizenship by investment — citizenship is available only through naturalisation after approximately ten years of permanent residence, and generally requires renouncing existing nationality.
For buyers whose primary objective is a second passport and visa-free travel rights, Caribbean citizenship-by-investment programmes in St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada, Antigua and Barbuda, and Dominica offer faster pathways to citizenship. These should be evaluated separately with an immigration specialist.
For buyers whose primary objectives are tax residency, lifestyle, property ownership, and long-term Caribbean living — with proximity to the United States as a priority — the Bahamas EPR is among the most attractive programmes available globally. The combination of zero income tax, lifetime residency, a fifty-mile crossing to Florida, and one of the world's most genuinely beautiful archipelagos is difficult to match in any other jurisdiction.
Frequently Asked Questions
