Bahamas

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Quote from funky:

ideally we want to be on the ocean, so we chose these places. a house seems a bit too expensive just yet, but we haven't ruled that out...

...anyone want to host me and show me around?

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I just looked around for a place in December, and like anywhere, you get what you pay for. And if you want to be on the water, you will pay a lot.

To get an idea of costs, I stayed for 10 days at Port Of Call Villas in December (this is where Metooxx also lives). My 2 bedroom unit was $1500 a month and had an ocean view, but the view was when you looked at a 45 degree angle, because there is another building in front of it.

If you want to be in the building directly on the water, the price jumps to $2500 a month.

I also saw a nice little unit at Taino Beach Condos for only $700 a month, that's close to the beach but not directly on the beach. The great part about that is you get to use the resort facilities. But it was a one bedroom, too small for me, so I never seriously considered it.

I decided to rent a duplex and am happy I did. It is 2 bedroom, very spacious, nice front and back yard, gated driveway, etc.

It listed at $1200 a month, but I bargained it down to $1000 a month. I got it thru a real estate agent, James Sarles Realty (they have a very nice website). It is not directly on water, but it is only a 2 minute walk to the beach, and I walk down there almost every day. The way I figure, when on an island, you see water all the time anyway, so why pay so much just to look at water 24 hours a day.

btw, if you still need someone to show you around the island, I can help you out. I don't know as much as metooxx, but learn more about the island all the time. and I've also got extra time because I am not a daytrader, I don't trade the entire day, so I have time during the day to show someone around the island. let me know well in advance though, because I am only there half the time.
 
Quote from funky:

how hard is it to gain a visa to the bahamas? or can i just leave every 8 months? this is what the bahamas.com site says:

"To enter The Bahamas, U.S. citizens need one of the three documents listed below, accompanied by a return or onward journey ticket and proof of funds to support the visit. Stays not to exceed eight months."

can i just take the CAT to ft. lauderdale for the day? let me know what you guys/girls do....

thx

p.s. don't you need to have residency in bahamas to get the foreign exemption? thus, wouldn't you need to have a visa?
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When you start living in Bahamas, you soon realize the rules are "made to be broken". Forget about what you read on government websites, talk to people that live there and get the "real story" of how things work.

Forget the visa, you don't need it. As a US citizen, you can go there for 8 months as a tourist, then leave for one day on the CAT, and come back the next day and live there for another 8 months.

You won't want to stay 8 months anyway, you will get "island fever", and will have to visit USA once in awhile just to do some shopping and reconnect with the "real world".

Look at me, I am from canada, according to the Bahamian website, a Canadian is only allowed 21 consecutive days there without a VISA (not 8 months), but that isn't being enforced. Last time I arrived I told customs I was staying 28 days, and it was not even an issue, they didn't even mention the "official policy" to me, I wonder if they even know it. I can't believe how easy it is to get into Bahamas each time, just tell them you are "on holiday" every time and they leave you alone.

And you don't need a visa to get residency. If you purchase an expensive home, you get residency there. Or better yet, do what I do, just rent a place and apply for an annual residence permit at a cost of $1000 per year. These are not advertised by the government because they want people to buy real estate, but they do exist. They allow you to live there 365 days a year if you choose, as long as you are not working (trading does not count as "working").

I applied for the annual residence permit, but everyone said I was wasting my time and money getting it because I did not need it. But I applied for it anyway.
 
Cdn Dude. So when u come & go on new tourist visas, assume that you have to have a return transportation ticket out of Bahamas. So do you match these up with declared length of stay (i.e.28 days) or use open/changeable return tickets?
Often , some countries immigration agents scrutinize carefully the outward bound departure dates on travel tickets to verify traveller declarations/intentions.
 
Quote from Stardust:

Cdn Dude. So when u come & go on new tourist visas, assume that you have to have a return transportation ticket out of Bahamas. So do you match these up with declared length of stay (i.e.28 days) or use open/changeable return tickets?
Often , some countries immigration agents scrutinize carefully the outward bound departure dates on travel tickets to verify traveller declarations/intentions.
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First of all, a canadian does not need a visa to visit Bahamas, all I need is a passport. technically, you are supposed to have return transportation out of the bahamas on a SPECIFIC DATE already booked before you enter bahamas. I always do, but I have never been asked to prove it by bahamas customs.

When I enter, they always ask me how long I intend to stay. Then they stamp my passport and write in the number of days I am allowed to stay on that stamp. They always add a couple days extra to what I declared I would stay.

But nobody has ever followed up on that, although you do have to present the back half of the customs form when you leave to your airline, so technically customs could figure out if you stayed much longer.

All I know is I have came and went there 4 times in 4 months and have never been hassled, either when entering Bahamas, or enter back into the USA. All I do is tell them I am a tourist on holiday, that I have no job there, and that I make my money by "managing my investments". And that's good enough for them every time.

The thing they look for the most is what you are importing. You will be asked to open your suitcases, and if you are taking in anything expensive that a typical tourist does not carry with them, you will probably be asked to pay duty on it. I ended up paying duty on a backup power supply for my computer.

I find there is a generally lax attitude by bahamas customs. I have not tried it, but I don't think there is much preventing me from staying another week or even another month beyond my initial declared stay, and then departing much later. Yes, it would be illegal, but they have no way of tracking me while I am on the island. If I ever did do it, I think I could talk my way out of the situation without much further trouble.

You have to remember, their main concerns are that you don't take a job away from a Bahamian, and that you pay duty on your imports. Beyond that, they don't seem to care all that much.
 
Quote from Stardust:

Thanks for the info. What are the requirements to get the 1 year residency permit beyond signing a property rental agreement?
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There are no hard rules for what is required, I have applied but that does not mean I will be approved. Things that are required are:

- document must be filed by a Bahamian lawyer
- must have a police report showing clean record
- must have health certificate less than 30 days old
- 2 reference letters including one from a bank
- financial statements proving net worth
- documents that show how you can support yourself
- physical proof of any degrees you are claiming

I can refer you to a lawyer that will do this for $400 (others are charging $1000)

Then you file and wait for a year for a decision. There are no guarantees, the easier way to get residency is to buy a property worth $500,000+

You can enter the Bahamas as often as you want as a "tourist" while the application is being processed, and it's just like you are already living there, because I own a car, I have insurance, have a house phone, cable tv, internet, etc. The only thing I don't have is OFFICIAL residency status.

btw, I don't think I was asked to show proof I was renting a property, I don't think that was a requirement
 
Quote from mikecully:

Can you send me his info?
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I assume you are referring to my lawyer?

He is Terrance Gape of "Dupuch & Turnquest & Co." located in Chancery House, PO Box 424578 in Freeport

Bahamas often doesn't have street numbers, but its located at northeast corner of East Mall Drive & Explorers Way

tel: 242-352-8134

dulaw@coralwave.com

I only met him once, since then an assistant has been handling everything

They will charge you $400 USD, that is a good rate, because another lawyer quoted me $1000 for the same thing

It takes about one year to process the paperwork and get a decision I am told, so get started on it as soon as you can
 
Location North Eleuthera

Yes, starting to get everything batted down. leaving the Sat dish for the internet until last moment. If Frances comes it will be my forth major hit in the past 12 years. Andrew, Floyd and Michelle came and went before.
 
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