Confirm entry documents and the flight separately
Arriving at Lynden Pindling International Airport (NAS) with a dog or cat involves several separate decisions. Permission to bring the animal into the Bahamas does not establish that an airline will carry it, that your accommodation will accept it or that a particular car is suitable. This guide concerns pets accompanying their travellers on an international arrival in Nassau. Unaccompanied animal cargo and assistance-animal arrangements require their own checks; do not assume that ordinary pet procedures describe either service.
Check the requirements for your departure country and travel date
BAHFSA publishes pet-import application instructions through Customs Click2Clear. Check the permit conditions and veterinary documents applicable to your animal and journey with the responsible authority and your veterinarian before travel. The Bahamas arrival declaration portal also instructs visitors to declare visiting pets and upload the required documents. For travel from the United States, USDA APHIS announces a change effective 1 January 2027: export health certificates for pet dogs and cats must be electronically signed by a USDA-accredited veterinarian and electronically endorsed by APHIS. That is U.S.-departure guidance, not a rule to apply indiscriminately to every country. Recheck current instructions for your actual route and date rather than relying on an older fee list or another traveller's documents.
Obtain airline and accommodation acceptance
Ask the operating airline how your pet will travel and obtain its acceptance for the actual flight, including any connection. Confirm the carrier requirements and the collection procedure that applies to your booking; this article does not identify a universal animal collection point at NAS. Separately, ask the exact hotel or rental host to confirm acceptance of your animal, applicable restrictions and any property charge. A pet-friendly description is not an agreement for every room, animal or stay. Keep these confirmations with the entry documents. Neither airline acceptance nor a hotel agreement reserves an onward airport car.
Confirm the road journey before accepting a transfer
Tell the transport provider about the animal before accepting a vehicle or fare. NAS Airport Transfer does not currently establish a published pet-carriage policy, pet surcharge or confirmed pet-compatible vehicle through this article. Do not treat the ordinary calculator as approval to bring an animal. Ask whether the proposed provider can accept your specific party and carrier, how the carrier will travel and what complete fare and conditions apply. If suitability cannot be confirmed, the journey is not settled.
Describe the pet, carrier, passengers and luggage
Provide the number and type of animals, relevant size and weight, and the carrier's external dimensions. Add all adults and children, suitcases, cabin bags, strollers and other equipment. Passenger seats and cargo space are different constraints. Standard planning capacity is up to three passengers and VIP up to four, both subject to luggage; neither limit confirms pet acceptance or carrier space. Larger parties and special loads require a custom review. Ask the provider to confirm a suitable arrangement explicitly instead of assuming an SUV will automatically accommodate the animal and every bag.
Use one clear request for the actual destination
Prepare a message such as: We arrive at NAS on [Nassau local date] on [operating airline and flight]. We have [passengers], [bags] and [dog or cat details] in a carrier measuring [length, width and height]. Our destination is [exact hotel or residence and entrance]. Can you confirm acceptance, the suitable vehicle arrangement, the complete fare and waiting terms? Add any relevant assistance requirements and ask how changes should be reported. Send only the information needed for the road journey; veterinary records and permit documents belong with the authority, airline or other party that requires them. Written acceptance should resolve the animal and carrier as well as the people and bags.
Agree the airport handover and return journey
Keep the animal's documents and your confirmed provider's contact details accessible during arrival. Complete the applicable entry procedures and the airline's animal-collection process before presenting yourself as ready to leave. Follow the meeting instructions supplied for your actual flight. There is no fixed pet-clearance duration established by this guide, and landing time is not a guaranteed car departure time. Ask in advance when included waiting begins and what to do if a document check or collection issue delays you.
Report delays without assuming unlimited waiting
If arrival takes longer than expected, update the confirmed road provider with your booking name, flight and current situation when you can. Ask whether the original pickup remains available and obtain revised instructions where necessary. A driver cannot resolve import permission or override the responsible officials. Do not change the agreed meeting area in search of another vehicle without confirming the plan. Any requested stop, including an additional appointment, needs separate acceptance; an ordinary airport-to-accommodation journey does not automatically include it.
Confirm the return independently
Before leaving Nassau, check the next destination's animal-entry requirements and the operating airline's arrangements for that flight. A permit for entry into the Bahamas does not by itself settle the return journey's paperwork. Reconfirm the animal, carrier, passenger and luggage details with the road provider, along with the exact accommodation pickup point and Nassau local date. Work from the airline's current reporting requirements when agreeing the pickup. An accepted arrival journey does not automatically reserve a return car or establish that the same vehicle will be suitable for a changed load.
Questions about arriving at NAS with a pet
Does a Bahamas pet import permit also confirm my airport transfer?
No. Entry permission, airline carriage, accommodation acceptance and the road journey require separate confirmation. A permit does not establish pet acceptance by NAS Airport Transfer, reserve a vehicle or settle a pet charge.
What carrier details should I send before arranging a car?
Send the carrier's external length, width and height, the number and type of animals and relevant size and weight. Include the full passenger and luggage inventory. Ask the provider to confirm both acceptance and a suitable vehicle arrangement before treating the journey as reserved.
Prepare the pet, carrier, passengers, luggage and exact address for any future suitability enquiry. Our operations will start in January 2027; booking and WhatsApp contact are currently paused. This guide does not confirm that pet carriage will be offered at launch. For an existing reservation, contact the provider responsible for that journey directly.
Prepare your pet, carrier and luggage detailsSources and review
Reviewed on 1 November 2026 using BAHFSA pet-permitting guidance, the Bahamas arrival declaration portal and USDA APHIS guidance for travel from the United States. Requirements depend on origin and travel date; obtain current instructions from the responsible authorities, veterinarian and operating airline. This planning article does not establish pet acceptance, a pet fare or an available vehicle from NAS Airport Transfer.