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Resident Belonger Permit

BahamasAncestry and return

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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What family, citizenship, ethnic, historical or former-resident connection creates access to this route?

The permit was created for three groups: persons covered by Article 7 of the Constitution who were born in The Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents and are permanently residing in The Bahamas at the time of application; persons covered by Article 9, born legitimately outside The Bahamas to a married Bahamian mother and a non-Bahamian father; and the foreign-born offspring of a Bahamian male under Articles 3(2) and 8 who is married to a non-Bahamian spouse.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The page paraphrases Articles 7, 9, 3(2) and 8 of the Constitution and marks the descriptions with an ellipsis, so the full constitutional wording and its edge cases are not reproduced here.
  • The page does not state an age limit, a residence requirement or a deadline for applying under any of the three groups, except that group (a) must be permanently residing in The Bahamas at the time of application.
  • Page introduction
    Resident Belonger Permit status was established, as noted on May 8, 2015, Official Gazette , by the administration of the day to offer a legal status option to:
  • Page introduction
    a) persons referred to in Article 7 of The Constitution of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and who are permanently residing in The Bahamas at the time of application (i.e. persons born in The Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents…)
  • Page introduction
    b) persons referred to in Article 9 of The Constitution of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas (i.e. persons born legitimately outside The Bahamas to a married Bahamian mother and non-Bahamian father…)
  • Page introduction
    c) the foreign-born offspring of a Bahamian male referred to in Articles 3(2) and 8 of The Constitution of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, who is married to a non-Bahamian spouse.

How far back can the qualifying connection extend, and what important transmission limitations exist?

All three groups are defined by the applicant's own parents: birth in The Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents, birth outside The Bahamas to a married Bahamian mother and non-Bahamian father, or being the foreign-born child of a Bahamian male married to a non-Bahamian spouse.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The page does not say whether a grandparent or a more remote ancestor can create access, so no generational limit is stated.
  • The page does not say whether Resident Belonger status can itself be passed on to the holder's own children.
  • The transmission conditions live in Articles 7, 9, 3(2) and 8 of the Constitution, which the page names but does not reproduce.
  • Page introduction
    a) persons referred to in Article 7 of The Constitution of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and who are permanently residing in The Bahamas at the time of application (i.e. persons born in The Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents…)
  • Page introduction
    b) persons referred to in Article 9 of The Constitution of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas (i.e. persons born legitimately outside The Bahamas to a married Bahamian mother and non-Bahamian father…)
  • Page introduction
    c) the foreign-born offspring of a Bahamian male referred to in Articles 3(2) and 8 of The Constitution of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, who is married to a non-Bahamian spouse.

What records are central to proving the lineage or historical connection?

The parentage is proved with the applicant's original birth certificate verified by the Consulate and authenticated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, copies of the parents' passport biographical pages, certified copies of the parents' birth certificates and of the parents' marriage certificate, documentary evidence of the parents' immigration status, and, where a parent is deceased, a certified copy of the death certificate.

See recorded sources

Does the pathway result in a visa, residence permit, right of return, citizenship or another status?

The route results in a Resident Belonger Permit, described as a legal status option established in the Official Gazette of 8 May 2015 for the three constitutional groups. It entitles the holder to reside and engage in gainful occupation in The Bahamas for the term the Director of Immigration specifies in the permit. The page does not present it as citizenship.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The page does not state how long the Resident Belonger Permit is valid or whether it is a permit that must be renewed.
  • The page does not state what rights the status carries, in particular whether the holder may work or study.
  • The page does not state whether holding the permit leads to permanent residence or citizenship.

What application progression, residence obligations, family consequences or further citizenship/residence possibilities follow?

Under section 30A of the Immigration Act, a resident belonger permit is granted for the term the Director of Immigration determines and specifies in the permit, and the Department runs a renewal/extension procedure with a $200 processing fee. The grant does not affect the holder's right to apply for registration as a citizen under Article 7 of the Constitution, and the Board may grant a certificate of permanent residence to a minor who is entitled to apply for such registration. No fixed validity period, maximum number of renewals or automatic progression to permanent residence is stated.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The Act leaves the term of the permit to the Director of Immigration; neither the Act nor the Department's pages state the usual validity period or a maximum number of renewals.
  • Section 30A(3) preserves the Article 7 citizenship-registration right only for the Article 7 category (born in The Bahamas to non-Bahamian parents); the Act says nothing equivalent for the Article 9 and Article 3(2)/8 categories, and the constitutional time limit for an Article 7 application was not verified here.
  • No provision was found that converts a resident belonger permit into permanent residence for an adult; section 13(3) covers only minors entitled to apply for citizenship registration, and any adult application falls under the general section 13 discretion.
  • The renewal page lists 'Current school records and transcripts', which suggests the Department expects many holders to be minors or students; the position of adult holders is not described.

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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