The Bahamas Digital Arrival Card is in a selective soft-launch pilot, not a universal entry requirement.
As of 13 July 2026, the Bahamian government says only select visitors on selected flights can use the dedicated web form at participating ports of entry.
If your flight has not been confirmed for the pilot, follow the traditional paper-based arrival process and the instructions from your carrier and Bahamian border officials.
- The Bahamas announced the BDAC pilot on 5 May 2026 for select visitors on selected flights at participating ports.
- The digital form combines an immigration card and a customs declaration, but the paper process remains in place alongside the pilot.
- No public list of eligible flights, airlines, ports or nationalities appears in the launch announcement.
- Do not pay or share passport details through a site claiming the card is mandatory for everyone unless the link and requirement are independently verified with an official source.
What is the Bahamas Digital Arrival Card pilot?
The Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation announced the pilot phase of the Bahamas Digital Arrival Card, also called the BDAC, on 5 May 2026. It is the country’s first digital system designed to replace the traditional paper immigration card for participating arrivals.
During the pilot, eligible travellers can complete entry documentation through a dedicated web form before arriving. The government says the BDAC functions as both an immigration card and a customs declaration.
Who may use the Bahamas Digital Arrival Card?
The published eligibility description is narrow: select visitors participating in the pilot on selected flights, using participating ports of entry. The announcement does not say that every passenger on every selected flight will necessarily participate, and it does not publish a self-enrolment route.
It also does not name participating airlines, flight numbers, ports, citizenship groups or visa categories. Eligibility therefore cannot be inferred from nationality, destination airport or travel date alone.
How to confirm you’re eligible
The safest approach is to use the digital process only after your flight’s participation and your access to the official form have been confirmed through a trustworthy pilot communication or directly with your airline or a Bahamian authority.
What should travellers outside the pilot do?
If you have not been selected, continue with the traditional paper-based process used for your arrival. The pilot announcement explicitly says paper remains in place alongside the digital system.
Follow the forms supplied for your journey and any instructions from your carrier, Immigration and Customs. The government’s general arrival guidance still describes an immigration form and customs declarations for travellers.
Those procedures can differ for visitors, returning residents and particular goods, so do not use a general article as a substitute for the instructions given for your status. The Government of The Bahamas arrival guidance and the official Immigration and Customs information are useful starting points.
If an eligible participant cannot access the digital process, do not invent a workaround or submit personal data to an unverified site. Ask the airline or border authority what to do and be prepared for the paper process that remains available during the pilot.
How to submit through official digital channel
The official launch announcement confirms a dedicated web form for pilot participants, but it does not publish a public form address. That means a search result using the words “Bahamas Digital Arrival Card” is not automatically an official portal.
A private service may copy the product name, claim a universal requirement or charge for assistance that the government has not described. Before entering passport, trip or customs information:
- start with the official Bahamas Digital Arrival Card announcement;
- confirm that your flight and traveller participation are included in the pilot;
- verify any form link using contact details obtained independently from your airline or an official Bahamas government or tourism site;
- treat claims of mandatory nationwide use, guaranteed approval, priority processing or a required fee as unverified unless a Bahamian authority confirms them; and
- avoid sharing a completed form or confirmation publicly because entry documents can contain personal information.
The government announcement does not confirm a BDAC fee, approval service, processing time, confirmation format or paid fast-track option.
This article therefore does not recommend a third-party application site or promise how the form will be delivered to each participant.
Does the BDAC replace a passport or visa?
No. The government’s description is limited to an immigration arrival card and customs declaration.
It does not say that the BDAC replaces a passport, visa, onward-travel evidence or any other entry document that may apply to a traveller. Visa and passport rules depend on citizenship, residence, route and length of stay.
Check those requirements separately with the Bahamas Immigration Department, your carrier and the relevant official authorities. Being selected for the digital-card pilot does not itself confirm permission to enter.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Bahamas Digital Arrival Card mandatory for every traveller?
No, it is a pilot for select visitors on selected flights at participating ports as of 13 July 2026. The traditional paper process remains in place alongside it.
Who is eligible for the Bahamas BDAC pilot?
Select visitors on selected flights may participate, according to the government. It has not published a complete list of airlines, flights, ports, nationalities or other eligibility criteria in the launch announcement.
Where can I find the official Bahamas Digital Arrival Card form?
The launch announcement refers to a dedicated web form but does not publish a public application URL. Use a link only after confirming that your journey is in the pilot and verifying the access route with your airline or a Bahamian authority.
What if my flight is not part of the pilot?
Follow the traditional paper-based arrival process. Also follow the instructions provided by your carrier and Bahamian Immigration and Customs officers.
When will the Bahamas Digital Arrival Card launch for everyone?
The government has not announced a nationwide rollout date. The soft launch is being used for evaluation, refinement and feedback before any broader implementation.
Plan your Bahamas trip
Confirm whether your flight is included before looking for a digital form, and keep the paper process in mind until an official source tells you otherwise.
Once your travel dates are set, compare hotels in The Bahamas on Wego and keep your verified arrival instructions with your other travel documents.
Sources
- The Official Website of The Bahamas: Bahamas Digital Arrival Card soft launch
- Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation: BDAC pilot announcement
- Government of The Bahamas: arrivals and departures guidance
- The Official Website of The Bahamas: Immigration and Customs information
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
