U.S. Embassy in The Bahamas

International parental child abduction is the removal or retention of a child outside their country of habitual residence in breach of another parent or guardian’s custody rights.

One of the highest priorities of the Department of State and U.S. embassies and consulates abroad is to provide assistance to U.S. citizens incarcerated abroad. The Department of State is committed to ensuring fair and humane treatment for U.S. citizens imprisoned overseas. We stand ready to assist incarcerated citizens and their families within the limits of our authority in accordance with international, domestic, and foreign law. More information available at Travel.State.gov.

When an U.S. citizen dies abroad, the Bureau of Consular Affairs assists the family and friends. The Bureau of Consular Affairs attempts to locate and inform the next-of-kin of the U.S. citizen’s death. The Bureau of Consular Affairs provides information on how to make arrangements for local burial or return of the remains to the United States. The disposition of remains is subject to U.S. and local (foreign) law, U.S. and foreign customs requirements, and the foreign country facilities, which are often vastly different from those in the United States.

When an American Citizen is presumed dead/missing and a body has not been located, procedures are as follows: (1) A police report must be filed immediately with the nearest police station where the person would have last been seen. Witnesses if any, must provide statements to the police. (2) Proof of the deceased/missing person’s citizenship must be confirmed/provided to the police. The U.S. Embassy can help identify whether or not the person in question is a U.S. citizen. (3) Notify the US Embassy, American Citizen Services section immediately at acsnassau@state.gov or by telephone at 1-242-322-1181 ext 4519 or 4406.

Being the victim of a crime in a foreign country can be a devastating and traumatic experience. While no one can undo the emotional trauma, physical injury, and/or financial loss you may have experienced, the ACS Unit at the U.S. Embassy in Nassau stands ready to help. We are very concerned about crimes committed against U.S. citizens in The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos Islands (TCIs).

As of July 1, 2023, U.S. Embassy Nassau issues form DS-2060, U.S. Department of State Report of Death of a U.S. Citizen or U.S. Non-Citizen National Abroad (CRODA), electronically. The electronic CRODA contains the digital signature of the consular officer who signed the form with a time and date stamp when it was signed on the form’s Signature on all copies line, the typed name and title of that consular officer, and the U.S. Embassy Nassau digital seal to the left of the digital signature. 

The Child Citizenship Act of 2000 provides for automatic naturalization of a child who both has been legally adopted by a U.S. citizen and has lawfully entered the U.S. as an immigrant. This means the child “automatically” becomes a U.S. citizen as soon as he/she meets all of the requirements stipulated in the law. For further information, see the Travel.State.Gov webpage regarding International Adoptions.

A child born outside the United States to a U.S. citizen parent or parents may be eligible for U.S. citizenship if the parent(s) meets the requirements for transmitting U.S. citizenship under the Immigration and Nationality Act. U.S. citizens eligible to transmit citizenship are required to file for a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (CRBA).

U.S. embassy and consulate personnel cannot perform marriages in foreign countries. Depending on the law of the foreign country, local civil or religious officials generally perform marriages. Marriages performed overseas are considered valid in the country where they take place if they are entered into in accordance with local law. Recognition of the validity of marriages performed abroad depends on the laws of the place in which the marriage is to be recognized.

Each country determines who is and who is not a citizen of that country in accordance with its own laws. Therefore, some persons may acquire citizenship under the laws of more than one country, either from the moment of their birth or upon taking certain actions. It is important to recognize that some countries limit or prohibit their citizens from being citizens of another country, while others do not.

What is required to enter The Bahamas may vary greatly than what is required to re-enter the country of origin. The Bahamas requires compliance with regulations to divert child abduction. Any child traveling without one of the parents as listed upon the birth certificate must have a letter from the absent parent granting permission for the child to travel. This should be sworn before a notary public and signed by the absent parent(s). If the parent is deceased a certified death certificate may be necessary.