Bahamas permanent residence for $1 million investors
Put $1 million into Bahamian property or Central Bank bonds, keep it there 10 years, and you get a residence certificate that lasts for life.
What it costs on top of the investment, the paperwork Immigration wants, and the rules that can cost you the certificate later. Updated October 2026.
Who it fits
A route for savings, not salaries
This is for Americans who can tie up $1 million for a decade and don't need a Bahamian job: retirees selling a U.S. house, investors, snowbirds ready to commit.
Living on Social Security or a pension? The annual residence permit costs far less to start. Want a local job? That's a work permit.
What the path really costs (2026)
$1,000,000
Minimum investment
property or Central Bank bonds
$20,000
Government fee for the certificate
$25,000 with the right to work
$200
Processing fee at filing
non-refundable
$300
Per spouse or child endorsed
each person added
10%
VAT on a foreign buyer's purchase
$100,000 on a $1 million home
3.5%
Typical legal fees on a purchase
per Bahamas Realty
0.625%
Yearly property tax, foreign-owned home
just over $6,000 at $1 million
6 to 18 months
Typical vetting time
per Bahamian lawyers
The requirements
Economic Permanent Residence (Investor)
For people who buy at least $1 million of Bahamian real estate or Central Bank zero-coupon bonds. It grants a Certificate of Permanent Residence, which is issued for life unless revoked, and you choose whether it includes the right to work in your own business. The investment must be held for at least 10 years.
- Government cost
- $20,200
- Timeline
- Permanent (for life unless revoked); qualifying investment must be held at least 10 years
- Difficulty
- Hard
Key requirements
- Minimum investment of BSD $1,000,000 (about $1,000,000) in Bahamian real estate or Central Bank of The Bahamas zero-coupon bonds
- Hold the qualifying investment for at least 10 years or risk revocation
- Medical certificate dated within 30 days of submission
- Police certificate issued within the last 6 months covering 5 years of residence (age 14+)
- Authenticated birth certificate, two character references and proof of current immigration status
- Notarized application form with a $10 Bahamian postage stamp and a letter of request to the Director of Immigration
Step by step
From closing day to certificate
Buy first, then apply. The investment has to be in place and documented before Immigration will look at your file.
- Buy a home worth $1 million or more and register the purchase under the International Persons Landholding Act, or buy $1 million of Central Bank zero-coupon bonds
- Gather a police certificate (within six months, covering five years), a medical certificate (within 30 days), your birth certificate and two character references
- Apostille every U.S. document, then have the signature authenticated by the Bahamian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
- File in person or on Immigration's online portal with the $200 processing fee
- Expect an interview, usually within two to three months
- Pay the certificate fee within 90 days of filing, or the application lapses
The fine print that can cost you the certificate
Hold it for 10 years
Sell the property or cash out the bonds early and the Immigration Board can revoke your status. A home you received by gift deed doesn't count.
Don't stay away three years
The Immigration Act lets the Board revoke the certificate if you're ordinarily resident outside The Bahamas for a continuous three years.
Work rights aren't automatic
The fee is $25,000 with the right to work, $20,000 without. Bahamian lawyers say the certificate is usually granted without, and a home purchase alone rarely earns it.
Family goes on your certificate
The Board can endorse your spouse and dependent children, at the start or later, for $300 each. It's discretionary, so ask your lawyer before you file.
A declaration every 10 years
Holders file a declaration each decade confirming nothing material has changed since the original application.
Citizenship means giving up yours
Naturalization is discretionary and requires renouncing other citizenship, so for Americans permanent residence is the realistic finish line.
Seen $750,000 quoted? That's the old number
Some guides, and even Immigration's own permanent residence page, still mention $750,000. That was the floor until January 1, 2025. The Immigration (Amendment) Act raised it to $1 million and narrowed what qualifies to Bahamian real estate or Central Bank zero-coupon bonds. Check the date on anything you read.
Other ways to live in The Bahamas
The Bahamas Annual Residence Permit for Americans
$3,000 a year to live in the islands on your own money. No investment minimum, no local job, and one filing rule that catches first-timers.
Bahamas Annual Work Permit: the employer-sponsored route for Americans
A Bahamian employer files it, a Bahamians-first hiring test comes before it, and the yearly fee runs from $500 to $16,275 depending on your job title.
Before you commit
Taxes and healthcare, the American version
The Bahamas has no personal income tax, but the IRS still taxes you on worldwide income, and a Bahamian account over the reporting threshold means filing an FBAR.
Care in Nassau is solid, yet the State Department warns that a serious illness can mean evacuation to the U.S. and tens of thousands of dollars up front. Sort out coverage before you buy.
Hunter Schultz
Healthcare Coach
A healthcare coach who helps you map where you'd actually get treated on your island and what coverage, including evacuation, makes sense.
ExpatInsure
Global Health Insurance
An international health insurance provider that compares plans and matches you to one that fits your age, health and where you'll live.
MyExpatTaxes
U.S. Expat Tax Service
Tax filing software and support for Americans abroad, including the FBAR and other foreign-account forms.
Moneycorp
Currency Exchange
A currency and international payments company that handles large transfers like a property purchase, plus recurring payments.
Questions
Bahamas investor residence: what Americans ask
Does Bahamas permanent residence lead to citizenship?
Not automatically. Naturalization is at the minister's discretion and requires 12 months' residence right before applying plus at least six of the nine years before that. Applicants must renounce any other citizenship, so an American would have to give up U.S. citizenship. Permanent residence itself doesn't require that.
What are the government fees for Bahamas economic permanent residence?
As of 2026, there's a $200 non-refundable processing fee when you file. The certificate itself costs $20,000, or $25,000 if it includes the right to work. Adding a spouse or dependent child costs $300 per person. Under the 2025 rules, the fee has to be paid within 90 days of submitting the application or the application lapses.
Can I sell my Bahamas home after I get permanent residence?
Not without risk for the first 10 years. The investment has to be held at least that long, and if you sell early the Immigration Board may revoke your residence status. After 10 years, holders file a declaration confirming nothing material has changed.
Do you have to live in The Bahamas full time to keep permanent residence?
The Immigration Act lets the Board revoke a certificate if the holder is ordinarily resident outside The Bahamas for a continuous three years. We couldn't confirm a fixed minimum number of days per year beyond that, so ask a Bahamian attorney how they read it for your plans.
How much do you need to invest for permanent residence in The Bahamas?
Since January 1, 2025, the minimum is BSD 1 million (about $1 million), invested in Bahamian real estate or zero-coupon bonds issued by the Central Bank of The Bahamas. You must hold the investment for at least 10 years. The old threshold was $750,000, and property received by gift deed doesn't qualify.
How long does Bahamas permanent residence take?
Immigration says a decision typically takes 8 to 12 weeks when no interview or extra documents are needed. Bahamian lawyers report that investor files usually take 6 to 18 months, with an interview within two to three months of filing. Buying the property and getting U.S. documents apostilled come first.
Can you work in The Bahamas with economic permanent residence?
Only if your certificate includes the right to work, which carries a $25,000 fee instead of $20,000. Bahamian law firms say the certificate is usually granted without work rights and that buying a home alone typically isn't enough to get them. If you need a Bahamian job, a work permit is the usual route.
Do Americans pay tax in The Bahamas?
The Bahamas has no personal income tax. You'll still pay VAT, and property tax on a home you own. The U.S. taxes citizens on worldwide income wherever they live, so you'll keep filing a U.S. return, plus an FBAR if your foreign accounts pass the reporting threshold.
Pressure-test the plan before you buy
Talk it through with an Expatsi advisor: the property, the paperwork and whether the annual permit would do the job for less.
Why not you?