Permanent Residency in the Bahamas Through Property, 2026

Any foreign national who purchases Bahamas real estate valued at $1,000,000 USD or above and agrees to hold that investment for a minimum of 10 years qualifies to apply for Bahamas Economic Permanent Residency (EPR). There is no nationality restriction. The applicant must have a clean police record, sufficient financial means, and express an intention to reside in the Bahamas for a cumulative minimum of 90 days per year. Use the eligibility quiz above to check your specific fit in 30 seconds.

Foreign nationals obtain Bahamas Economic Permanent Residency by making a qualifying real estate investment of at least $1,000,000 USD (effective January 1, 2025, increased from $750,000). The investment must be held for a minimum of 10 years. The EPR application is filed with the Bahamas Department of Immigration with a registered Deed of Conveyance confirming the qualifying investment, police certificate, financial statements, passport, and character references. Standard processing is 6-18 months. The government fee on approval is $20,000. An alternative qualifying route is purchasing Zero-Coupon Bonds from the Central Bank of the Bahamas to the same value. Glenn Ferguson files EPR applications concurrently with property purchase closings across all Bahamas islands. See the Ask Glenn page for all property purchase questions.

The total cost has three components. First, the qualifying investment: a minimum of $1,000,000 USD in Bahamas real estate held for 10 years. Second, property purchase closing costs of approximately 11-12% of the purchase price — the flat 10% government conveyance VAT on the full purchase price (often split between buyer and seller by negotiation), legal fees charged on a percentage basis (the customary Bahamas Bar Association scale is 2.5% plus 10% VAT for one side, with sliding-scale reductions on higher-value purchases often dropping toward 1%–1.5% as values rise; in 2026 attorney fees on $1M+ transactions typically range approximately 1.5% to 3.5% plus VAT depending on attorney and negotiation), and title search and recording fees of $2,000–$4,000. Third, the EPR government fee: $20,000 on approval, plus $300 per family member endorsed (spouse and dependent children under 18). Glenn provides a full personalised cost breakdown at any specific purchase price before any offer is made.

Standard Bahamas EPR applications take 6-18 months from submission to approval (Legal 500, Fragomen, Bahamas Department of Immigration). An interview with the Department of Immigration is typically scheduled within 2-3 months of submission. Applications for purchases at $1.5M or above receive priority consideration from the Immigration Board and typically move significantly faster. The property purchase process itself (accepted offer to registered deed) closes in 30-90 days. Glenn files the EPR application concurrently with or immediately after the purchase closing, so the residency clock starts from the earliest possible date.

If the Department of Immigration denies an EPR application, the applicant retains freehold title to the property and may continue to use it. The property owner may apply for an annual Home Owners Resident Card (available to any foreign property owner regardless of purchase price) which grants renewable annual residency to the owner and eligible family members. The government fee of $20,000 is only paid on approval, not on submission, so a denial does not trigger that fee. The applicant may also reapply after addressing the reasons for denial. Grounds for denial typically relate to background, documentation, or presence-intent concerns rather than the investment itself - which is why Glenn raises likely obstacles in the first call so the application is structured to avoid them.

Bahamas EPR requirements are set by government policy and can change. The January 2025 increase from $750,000 to $1,000,000 and the introduction of the 10-year hold are recent examples. Historically, holders approved under prior rules have not been retroactively required to increase their investment to match new thresholds - EPR certificates issued under previous rules remain valid according to the terms at the time of issuance, subject to compliance with the 10-year declaration requirement and any new standing obligations. However, there is no permanent statutory guarantee of grandfathering. All applicants should engage a Bahamian immigration attorney to review current rules at the time of application and clarify the grandfathering status of any interim changes.

No - you must keep the property to maintain the EPR, not sell it. Effective January 1, 2025, Bahamas EPR holders are required to maintain their qualifying investment for a minimum of 10 years from the date of EPR approval. This is a new requirement - previously the law was silent on whether holders must retain the property after certificate approval. If an EPR holder sells their qualifying property before the 10-year mark, the Immigration Board may revoke the EPR certificate. After 10 years, the property can be sold while the EPR status is retained. Every buyer considering EPR with a planned resale horizon must factor this 10-year hold into their purchase and exit strategy. Glenn raises this in every first conversation with EPR-motivated buyers.

US citizens remain subject to US federal income tax on worldwide income regardless of Bahamas residency. The Bahamas imposes no additional layer of income tax, capital gains tax, or inheritance tax - but becoming a Bahamas resident does not automatically terminate US tax obligations. The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion, Foreign Tax Credits, and other US tax provisions may or may not apply depending on residency status under the US substantial presence test. Full renunciation of US citizenship has significant tax consequences and should never be considered without specialist cross-border tax counsel. Glenn is not a US tax adviser and does not provide US tax advice. Every US buyer considering EPR should model their post-residency US tax position with a CPA before committing.

Standard Bahamas Economic Permanent Residency, obtained through a qualifying real estate investment of $1M+, is typically granted with a condition that the holder may not work in the Bahamas (Legal 500, Bahamas Department of Immigration). The EPR obtained through real estate is primarily a residency right. Foreign nationals who wish to work or operate a business in the Bahamas must obtain a separate work permit. The Bahamas also offers an EPR category with right to work for certain business investment pathways, which involves a different application and government fee structure. If working in the Bahamas is a primary objective, Glenn discusses the appropriate application category before any property purchase is committed.

Bahamas EPR does not require full-time residency. Applicants must express an intention to reside in the Bahamas for a cumulative minimum of 90 days per year, and maintaining a genuine connection to the country is expected by the Department of Immigration. For most buyers this means using the property as a seasonal or holiday base for at least one quarter of the year. There is no enforcement mechanism that tracks daily presence like some citizenship-by-investment programmes. The 10-year declaration required every decade confirms that no material change has occurred in the EPR holder's circumstances - maintaining the qualifying investment and the expressed connection to the Bahamas is what matters.

The Bahamas does not offer citizenship by direct investment - only permanent residency. After 10 years of legal permanent residence in the Bahamas (EPR), the holder may apply for Bahamian citizenship through naturalisation, subject to meeting statutory presence and character requirements as assessed independently by the Bahamian government. Citizenship through this pathway is not automatic - it is a separate application. The pathway is: qualifying $1M+ investment obtains EPR, genuine 10-year period of EPR residency satisfies the naturalisation threshold, then a citizenship application can be submitted. The Bahamas passport provides visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to approximately 150 countries.

All Bahamas islands qualify equally for Economic Permanent Residency - there is no island restriction in the Bahamas Investment Act or the Immigration Act. A qualifying real estate purchase of $1M or above on Nassau, Paradise Island, Cable Beach, Eleuthera, Exuma, Abaco, Harbour Island, or Grand Bahama all qualify for EPR on identical terms with the same government fee and application process. Nassau and Paradise Island offer the broadest range of EPR-qualifying inventory at the widest range of price points from $1M to $15M+. Glenn compares qualifying properties across all islands in a single conversation. See the island comparison guide.