Source-backed scope
Selected route: student permit to reside. Conditional rows identify the circumstances in which documents apply.
- Jurisdiction
- Bahamas
- Purpose
- Study
- Destination
- Bahamas
Build your personal checklist
Use this guide for your journey. Sign in or verify your account before viewing personalised results. Review the stated scope before proceeding.
Use this guide in the plannerRoute scope
Selected route: student permit to reside. Conditional rows identify the circumstances in which documents apply.
Reviewed Bahamas Department of Immigration guidance on 15 October 2026.
How to use this checklist
Start with the route facts first: citizenship, residence, application country, destination and purpose. Then review the document rows and order processing only where the row says it is required or optional.
Document requirements
| Document | Status | Scope | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Letter requesting a student Permit to Reside | required | visa application | Address the Director of Immigration. First-time applicants must remain outside the Bahamas during processing. |
| Notarised First Schedule Form 1 and student questionnaire | required | visa application | Complete the non-working applicant sections and additional student questionnaire; attach the prescribed Bahamian stamp. This is notarisation of the application, not of a translation. |
| Application processing-fee payment | required | visa application | Use an accepted card, postal money order or bank-certified cheque. |
| Original medical certificate | required | visa application | Issued within 30 days before submission; required for each applicant. |
| Original police certificate covering five years of residence | conditional | visa application | For applicants aged 14 or older; issued within six months before submission. |
| Two recent passport photographs | required | visa application | 2 x 2 inches, white background, taken within six months; print the applicant's name on the back. |
| Applicant passport biodata-page copy | required | visa application | Signed, readable copy; passport needs at least two months' validity. |
| Sponsor passport biodata-page copy | conditional | visa application | For a sponsored application: signed, readable copy with at least two months' passport validity. |
| Certified marriage-certificate copy | conditional | visa application | If applicable to the applicant. |
| Certified birth-certificate copy showing parents' names | conditional | visa application | Where applicable, including the child applicant's identity and parentage. |
| Two character references | required | visa application | From reputable people in the applicant's community; include phone numbers and email addresses. |
| Financial-institution reference or accountant's statement | conditional | visa application | For adult or independent applicants; bank reference states a figure range, or use a statement prepared by a Certified Public Accountant. |
| Bahamas residential-property conveyance copy | conditional | visa application | Only for adults who own relevant residential property; buying property is not a universal student requirement. |
| School-enrolment letter | conditional | visa application | Additional requirement for child applicants: confirms enrolment in a school in the Bahamas. |
| Court custody or guardianship document and parents' birth certificates | conditional | visa application | For children not accompanied by their parents: court appointment and certified copies of parents' birth certificates. If only one parent accompanies the child, provide evidence of legal custody. |
| Ministry of Education home-school registration | conditional | visa application | For a child who will be home-schooled. |
Processing route
- Letter requesting a student Permit to ResideAddress the Director of Immigration. First-time applicants must remain outside the Bahamas during processing. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Letter requesting a student Permit to Reside in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Notarised First Schedule Form 1 and student questionnaireComplete the non-working applicant sections and additional student questionnaire; attach the prescribed Bahamian stamp. This is notarisation of the application, not of a translation. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Notarised First Schedule Form 1 and student questionnaire in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Application processing-fee paymentUse an accepted card, postal money order or bank-certified cheque. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Application processing-fee payment in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Original medical certificateIssued within 30 days before submission; required for each applicant. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Original medical certificate in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Original police certificate covering five years of residenceFor applicants aged 14 or older; issued within six months before submission. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Original police certificate covering five years of residence in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Two recent passport photographs2 x 2 inches, white background, taken within six months; print the applicant's name on the back. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Two recent passport photographs in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Applicant passport biodata-page copySigned, readable copy; passport needs at least two months' validity. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Applicant passport biodata-page copy in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Sponsor passport biodata-page copyFor a sponsored application: signed, readable copy with at least two months' passport validity. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Sponsor passport biodata-page copy in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Certified marriage-certificate copyIf applicable to the applicant. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Certified marriage-certificate copy in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Certified birth-certificate copy showing parents' namesWhere applicable, including the child applicant's identity and parentage. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Certified birth-certificate copy showing parents' names in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Two character referencesFrom reputable people in the applicant's community; include phone numbers and email addresses. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Two character references in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Financial-institution reference or accountant's statementFor adult or independent applicants; bank reference states a figure range, or use a statement prepared by a Certified Public Accountant. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Financial-institution reference or accountant's statement in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Bahamas residential-property conveyance copyOnly for adults who own relevant residential property; buying property is not a universal student requirement. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Bahamas residential-property conveyance copy in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- School-enrolment letterAdditional requirement for child applicants: confirms enrolment in a school in the Bahamas. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare School-enrolment letter in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Court custody or guardianship document and parents' birth certificatesFor children not accompanied by their parents: court appointment and certified copies of parents' birth certificates. If only one parent accompanies the child, provide evidence of legal custody. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Court custody or guardianship document and parents' birth certificates in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
- Ministry of Education home-school registrationFor a child who will be home-schooled. For documents not in English, provide a certified English translation by someone proficient in the source language, with the prescribed Bahamian postage stamp. The cited checklist does not require every document to receive an apostille or sworn translation. 1. Prepare Ministry of Education home-school registration in the format described above 2. Submit according to the linked official application instructions
Official citations
- Bahamas Department of ImmigrationBahamas Department of Immigration document checklistwww.immigration.gov.bsLast checked 2026-10-15; evidence version bahamas-study-20261015
Permit to Reside expressly covers school, college and university students; current checklist includes certified English translations and conditional child and civil records.
Exceptions
- Requirements and accepted document formats can change. Follow the linked authority for your exact purpose and application stage.
- Use row-level processing labels: translation, notarisation, apostille, embassy attestation and MEA or HRD attestation are not interchangeable.
Relevant Enuncia services
- Certified translation for the applicable document rows
- Document checklist review
FAQs
Are all documents for Bahamas study automatically translated?
No. Translation is shown per document row because official sources may accept some documents as issued while requiring translation for others.
Can I order document processing from this checklist?
Build your checklist using the route facts first. A processing option can be selected only where supported by the document row. Rows needing language or authentication confirmation remain under review before pricing.
Related guides
- Bahamas destination guide
Destination overview for all published source-backed routes.
- Certified translation service
Service page for the applicable certified-translation document rows.