Guidance

Bahamas: Knowledge Base profile

Published 11 August 2025

Version 2.0

About: Bahamas

This document contains useful information about The Bahamas which will assist His Majesty’s Passport Office staff process passport applications.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the document and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the document has factual errors then email the Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this document (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the document then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the document was published:

• version 2.0
• published for Home Office staff on 7 August 2025

Changes from last version of this document

This document has been updated with minor formatting changes.

Bahamas: names

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about names in The Bahamas.

In The Bahamas, names consist of:

• 1 or more forenames
• 1 surname - if the parents are married then it will be the father’s surname, if not married it will be mother’s surname

Children born to unmarried parents, can use their father’s surname through an affidavit.

Children are not given middle names at birth. A middle name is given through Baptism and is not used for official purposes.

A Bahamas passport issued prior to the introduction of the e-passport system in 2017 may show middle names as an initial due to the number of characters available.

Change of name

Name changes are allowed in The Bahamas.

Name alignment

HM Passport Office will not ask the customer to align their name, if there is a difference between the customer’s name on their British passport application and their Bahamas passport due to the character limit, which is a total of 39 characters.

Bahamas: nationality

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about nationality in The Bahamas.

Dual nationality is not recognised in The Bahamas for those over 21 years old.

Bahama citizens born outside The Bahamas can have dual nationality up to the age of 21. When they reach 21 years old, they have 12 months to renounce their other citizenship, otherwise, their Bahama citizenship is revoked.

Bahamas: legitimacy and parental responsibility

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about legitimacy and parental responsibility in The Bahamas.

Legitimacy

In The Bahamas, a child will be considered:

• legitimate:
  • if the parents were married at the time of the birth
  • if the parents subsequently marry after 1 January 1966 and one of the parents is not married to someone else
• illegitimate:
  • if the parents never marry
  • if the parents married before 1 January 1966; or,
  • if the parents married after 1 January 1966 but one or both parents were married to someone else

Parental responsibility

Parental responsibility is shared equally between both parents in The Bahamas, unless removed by the courts.

Bahamas: adoption

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about adoption in The Bahamas.

Adoption is legal in The Bahamas.

Bahamas: surrogacy

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about surrogacy in The Bahamas.

Surrogacy is allowed in The Bahamas.

Bahamas: gender recognition

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about gender recognition in The Bahamas.

Transgender citizens are not recognised in The Bahamas.

Bahamas: civil partnerships and marriage

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about civil partnerships and marriage in The Bahamas.

Civil partnerships and same sex marriages are not recognised in The Bahamas.

Civil and religious marriages are recognized in The Bahamas.

Couples can also have a ceremony that combines both civil and religious traditions in The Bahamas.

Bahamas: documents

This section gives HM Passport Office operational staff information about documents in The Bahamas.

Birth certificates

All births in The Bahamas must be registered within 21 days. Late registration is allowed until the age of three and requires an affidavit after the child turns one. After the child turns three years of age, the birth can only be registered with a court order.

Birth registrations are held on a central register.

The father’s surname may be added to the birth certificate of an illegitimate child if a joint affidavit by both parents is sworn, requesting the name of the child’s father is recorded in the Register of Births. The affidavit must be provided at the time of the registration.

Marriage certificates

All marriages must be registered within three months of the marriage ceremony. Late registration is allowed up to six months after the initial three month period.

Marriages are registered at the Registrar General Office and a marriage certificate is issued.

Death certificates

All deaths must be registered within 21 days of the death occurring. Late registration is allowed until three years after the death and requires an affidavit after one year. If the death has not been registered after three years, the death can only be registered with a court order.

Identity documents

The Bahamas authorities issue electronic identity cards to:

• holders of:
  • work permits
  • permanent residence certificates
  • permits to reside
  • resident spouse permits
• homeowners

Bahamas passports issued:

• before 2017 may only show an initial for the customer’s middle name if their full name exceeds more than the 39 character limit.
• from 2017 include the customer’s full name