VZCZCXYZ0016
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBH #1117/01 2051855
ZNY SSSSS ZZH
R 241855Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY NASSAU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2932
INFO RUEHBE/AMEMBASSY BELIZE 1275
RUEHWN/AMEMBASSY BRIDGETOWN 5428
RUEHGE/AMEMBASSY GEORGETOWN 3542
RUEHKG/AMEMBASSY KINGSTON 8374
RUEHPU/AMEMBASSY PORT AU PRINCE 3398
RUEHSP/AMEMBASSY PORT OF SPAIN 4554
RUEHDG/AMEMBASSY SANTO DOMINGO 2672

S E C R E T NASSAU 001117 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/I, WHA/CAR KJMCISAAC 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/17/2016 
TAGS: PINR PINS PTER CIVS KFRD BF
SUBJECT: C-NC6-00829: BAHAMAS IMMIGRATION SYSTEMS ASSESSMENT 
 
REF: STATE 114021 
 
Classified By: Acting Political Chief Hugh Simon for Reasons 1.4(b) and 
 (d) 
 
1.(S/NF)  SUMMARY:  The Bahamas comprises more than 700 
islands and cays in an area roughly the size of California, 
policed by only 2500 law enforcement personnel backed by 1200 
defense force members.  While cooperative with US officials, 
the Bahamian Immigration Service is poorly funded and 
equipped.  The major tourist ports of entry (POES) employ a 
networked online database for air arrivals, but sea arrivals 
and departures are only lightly scrutinized.  CBP 
pre-clearance facilities in Nassau and Freeport add a 
significant layer of screening for air travel to the US.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  Below are detailed responses keyed to questions in reftel: 
 
¶A.  National Immigration Database 
 
1)  (S/NF) The Bahamian Immigration Service has its own 
online database.  Visitor data is entered upon arrival in the 
Department of Immigration's system via passport swipe and 
entry of data from immigration cards.  The cards are 
subsequently transferred to the Ministry of Tourism, which is 
responsible for tracking visitor departures.  A complete 
tracking of visitor entry/departure information requires a 
hand search of card files held by the Tourism Ministry as 
well as Immigration. The Immigration database is available at 
most international airport POES located on the larger islands 
in the Bahamas, but not at seaport POES. 
 
2)  Problems: 
 
- (S/NF) The Police, Immigration Service and Tourism 
personnel have limited formal exchanges of information; 
personal relationships allow operational information 
exchange.  There is no electronic interconnectivity.  For 
example, if the Special Branch of the Police, which tracks 
terrorism, becomes involved in locating an individual, 
Special Branch personnel must physically search the card 
files of the Immigration and Tourism ministries. 
 
- (S/NF) The Immigration Service and political officials 
connected with immigration have been involved in the past in 
immigrant smuggling to the US.  The Immigration Service Chief 
attempts to work effectively with a positive attitude. 
 
- (C) Immigration Service personnel receive limited training. 
 The US has provided some airport security training to 
Immigration personnel. 
 
- (C) A limited and static Immigration Service budget is a 
continuing constraint on operations and improvement. 
 
- (S/NF) With only limited screening of visitors at the 
smaller Bahamian ports and total lack of electronic 
connectivity, controls are not effective.  Once a sea-borne 
visitor has checked into a Bahamian port on most islands, 
departure and reentry are not monitored. 
 
(S/NF) Database Updating:  The Immigration Service's database 
is updated with each new card entry on a daily basis.  The 
Tourism ministry's card file is 2-3 months behind on filing. 
 
¶B.  Watchlist and Information Sharing 
 
1)  (S/NF) No electronic watchlist is used for screening 
visitors at POES.  Physical lists are available in the 
Immigration Service's offices at each staffed POE, for 
Immigration officials to peruse, but they are not available 
at the stations visitors must pass while entering The 
Bahamas.  Screening depends upon an individual officer's 
memory. 
 
- (S/NF) The Special Police, who are US officials' primary 
contact for terrorism watchlists do not routinely review the 
Immigration database for suspects. 
 
2)  Domestic information: 
 
- (S/NF) There is no domestic watchlist. 
- (S/NF) The Police are the central custodian of domestic 
criminal/terrorist information.  They operate, however, with 
limited information exchange from other agencies.  For 
example, the Foreign Ministry, to whom the US supplies 
deportee lists, does not share this information with the 
Police.  (US officials provide copies to the Police.) 
 
3)  International lists: 
 
- (C) The Interpol watchlist is handled by the Criminal 
Detection Unit of the Bahamian Police Force. 
 
- (S/NF) Domestic Bahamian airlines use US No-fly and other 
lists via the DHS/CBP pre clearance facilities at Nassau and 
Freeport airports.  If a "hit" is received, the airline waits 
for clearance from the US before clearing.  Bahamian 
authorities are in touch with the Embassy when this occurs. 
 
4)  (S/NF) Networking:  There is networking among Immigration 
posts via Internet at major POES. 
 
5)  (S/NF) Networking among agencies:  There is no electronic 
networking among agencies' systems.  Each has its own system. 
 
6)  Access: 
 
- (S/NF) For Immigration systems, all officers have access. 
 
- (S/NF) For Police, the Special Branch officers have access 
via Intranet, using security provisions for access levels. 
 
7)  Notification Procedures: 
 
- (S/NF) If the CBP at the pre-clearance facilities 
encounters a watchlisted individual, US procedures are 
followed. 
 
- (S/NF) If Bahamian agencies identify a watchlisted person, 
the Police Special Branch is notified, who also contacts the 
US Embassy.  The Bahamian authorities hold the person while 
the Embassy contacts the appropriate US agencies. 
 
8)  (S/NF) There are no bi-lateral agreements on these 
subjects between The Bahamas and neighboring countries. 
 
9)  (S/NF) Automated checks:  Nassau and Freeport airports 
conduct automated checks on passenger lists for air arrivals. 
 There is no system for sea arrivals.  Sea arrivals are 
issued cards by the passenger line, which serve as 
identification for departure. 
 
10)  (S/NF) Entry information is collected by the Immigration 
Service from arrivals; the Tourism ministry gathers data from 
departing visitors. 
 
¶C.  Biometrics 
 
1) (S/NF) There are no biometric systems in place at ports of 
entry or known plans to install such a system other than 
development of an e-passport discussed in C-5 below. 
 
2) ( S/NF) Biometric technologies:  There are no biometric 
technologies in use. 
 
3) (S/NF) Monitoring biometric technologies:  There is no 
monitoring in place. 
 
4) (S/NF) Populations:  There is no monitoring of any 
population. 
 
5) (S/NF) Machine readable passport:  Currently, The Bahamas 
does not use a machine-readable passport, but one is 
currently under development. 
HARDT