Bahamas
Residency by Investment Program
About the Bahamas
The Bahamas, an archipelago of 700 islands less than 100km southeast of Florida, USA, has been independent since 1973. The Queen remains the head of state and the country is a firm member of the Commonwealth of Nations. When Columbus discovered the American Continent in 1492 his first landfall was in the Bahamas (on San Salvador Island). For the following five centuries The Bahamas became a British crown colony in 1718, when the British clamped down on piracy.
In terms of GDP per capita, The Bahamas is one of the richest countries in the Americas (following the United States and Canada), with an advanced economy focused on tourism and international finance. Its currency, the Bahamian Dollar (BSD), has been kept at a 1-to-1 peg with the US Dollar (USD) since 1966. The Bahamas is a predominantly Christian country (mostly Protestant and Catholic), with a population of 350’000. About 90% of the population identifies themselves as black and 5% as white. The official language is English.
Due to its welcoming climate, public safety, pleasant nature and absence of taxes a long list of celebrities have chosen to take residence or own a property in The Bahamas. Among them are Bill Gates, Sean Connery, Shakira, Johnny Depp, Mariah Carey, Tiger Woods, Beyonce and David Copperfield.
The Bahamas is a member of the United Nations (UN), Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and Organisation of American States (OAS).
Immigration
Financially independent individuals or investors who are legitimate owners of a residence in The Bahamas can be admitted to the country directly as permanent residents, and the country has a long history of wealthy foreigners choosing to make it their first or second home.
Program Features
Processing time
2-3 months
Investment of minimum BSD 750’000 in real estate
Required documents include: Birth, and marriage or divorce certificates; certificates of criminal or police record from the country of origin and residence; two character references
Documents must be apostilled (if the issuing country is a signatory of the Hague Convention) or, if not, attested by a Bahamian consulate abroad.
Benefits
Permanent residents enjoy the friendly fiscal climate without income, capital gains, wealth, inheritance, gift and corporate tax. They can also make use of the excellent banking infrastructure as onshore customers.
Travel to the USA is facilitated by US immigration in The Bahamas. Arriving passengers from the Bahamas do not need to clear immigration after they land in USA.
Direct flights from many cities in USA, Canada, UK, Panama and Caribbean countries.
Key facts
Capital City
Nassau
Currency
Bahamian dollar (BSD)
Time Zone
UTC −5 (EST)
UTC −4 (EDT) / Summer (DST)
Languages
English
Population
400,516
Area
13,878 km2
Contact
Patrick Feuz – CFA TEP
Partner
Patrick Feuz is a Swiss citizen and has been living in The Bahamas since 2011. He served as the CEO of Julius Baer Bank (Bahamas) Limited and Gonet Bank & Trust Limited (Bahamas). Patrick began his career in the 1990’s at Swiss Bank Corporation in Zurich, Switzerland and acquired extensive knowledge and expertise in the field of international private banking at UBS, Credit Suisse, Julius Baer and Gonet in Switzerland, Latin America, the Caribbean and the USA. Patrick holds an MS in Business/Managerial Economics from the University of Zurich and is a CFA Charterholder. He also holds the Trust and Estate Practitioner designation (TEP), He is the founder and Chief Executive Officer of wealth management company Principal Global Advisors Limited in The Bahamas.
