Do you need a passport traveling from Florida to the Bahamas by plane?

If you are an American citizen traveling to the Bahamas, you will more than likely need a passport to go. Under the WHTI, if you are traveling to the Bahamas by plane, you must have a US passport book.

If you are traveling by sea, you can use a passport book or one of the following documents:

• a passport card
• a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, SENTRI or FAST card
• an enhanced driver's license (only some states have these).

Please note that the passport card can only be used if you are traveling to the Bahamas by sea-it's no good for air travel.

Exceptions

There are, however, a few exceptions to the above rules. For example, if you are traveling to the Bahamas on a closed-loop cruise, a cruise that begins and ends at the same US port, you can use your driver's license and birth certificate instead of a passport.

There are also a couple of exceptions for children. Children under age 16 can use a birth certificate, naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship IF they are traveling to and from the Bahamas by sea. Children under age 19 can also use birth certificates IF they are traveling by sea and IF they are traveling with a school group, a church group or a social or cultural organization supervised by an adult.

Just like adults, children in any age group must have a passport book to travel to the Bahamas by plane.