LONDON, UK – On his way to South Africa, the Rt. Hon. Hubert A. Ingraham, Prime Minister and Minister of Finance stopped at the Bahamas High Commission in London, where he witnessed a demonstration of the new electronic visas and biometric systems for the processing of E-passports.

 The Prime Minister was accompanied by the Hon. O.A.T. Tommy Turnquest, Minister of National Security, and the Hon. Charles Maynard, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture. They saw first-hand the issuance of an electronic visa to a foreign national travelling to The Bahamas for vacation and the enrolment of Bahamian nationals currently employed at The Bahamas Maritime Authority in London for their new biometric passport or E-passport. 

 The High Commission now has in place the appropriate infrastructure to start the enrolment and issuance of biometric (e-passports).  These passports are already being issued in the Passport Offices in Nassau, Freeport and Abaco and are being processed through the consulates and missions in Miami, Atlanta, Washington, New York and Ottawa. 

 Bahamian nationals in the United Kingdom and in Europe will now be able to enrol for their new biometric passports in person, in London.  While the passports will still be printed at the Passport Office in Nassau, the mission will be working toward a four-week turnaround from enrolment to issuance. 

 Further information regarding the electronic visas, renewal of passports, and the application forms, can be found on the mission’s website at: HYPERLINK "http://www.bahamashclondon.net"www.bahamashclondon.net