The Bahamas are located in the Atlantic Ocean and are part of the West Indies. There are around 700 islands in total, but only 30 of them are inhabited. The Bahamas have an area of almost 14,000 square kilometres, on which almost 400,000 people live. The name is derived from the Spanish Baja Mar, which means "shallow sea". This name comes from the Spanish conquistadors.
Brief history of the Bahamas
Settlement of the archipelago began as early as the 4th century, but the first permanent settlement did not occur until the 9th or 10th century.
The discovery from a European point of view was made by Christopher Columbus in 1492. At that time, about 40000 people lived on the islands, who were taken to Hispaniola in the following years. There they had to work in the mines, where most of them died of exhaustion or disease.
From 1629, the islands came into the possession of Great Britain, who established the first settlements there from 1650. Later, the islands were a sought-after hideout for pirates. Piracy in the Bahamas only came to an end when the island became a British crown colony.
During the American War of Independence and the Civil War, the islands were a sought-after smugglers' meeting place. This remained the case during Prohibition.
From 1964, the Bahamas were able to govern themselves, and from 1973 they were independent.
The Bahamian political system
The Bahamas uses the Westminster system. Parliamentary elections are held every five years. As in the UK, Parliament is bicameral. The Senate has 16 members and the House of Assembly 39. The House of Assembly are determined by the majority voting system. Of the senators, nine are chosen in consultation with the prime minister, four are chosen by the opposition and three are chosen by the governor-general.
The Head of State is the King of England and his representative in the Bahamas is the Governor General.
How to enter the Schengen area from the Bahamas
It is expected that from the end of 2023, entry into the Schengen area will only be possible with ETIAS. Currently, a valid passport is sufficient for entry. This approach is viewed critically by many people, because a passport is not a good way to control the flow of travellers. It is better if they register with a form beforehand. This makes it easier to identify people with evil, criminal and terrorist intentions. They will then not be allowed to enter the Schengen area.
The form can probably only be filled out via the internet. At the moment, an app is being discussed with which one can also upload a picture of the passport at the same time. However, it is not yet certain whether this will be done.
As things stand, travellers will have to fill out a form on the internet. First, they have to enter their personal data. This data must exactly match the data on the passport. Experience with the related ESTA system has shown that the passport number in particular causes problems time and again. A number or a letter is quickly mixed up or omitted. In this case, the ETIAS is invalid and must be applied for again at the airport. This can take several hours and by then the plane is often already on its way to the Schengen area. Another problem is often the validity of the passport. These data also have to be exactly right. Fewer mistakes are made with the name, but here too it is important that the data match the identity card.
The applicant is asked a number of security questions, which he or she must answer truthfully. If one of these questions is answered in the affirmative, a more detailed check of the traveller is carried out. As far as we know today, the traveller will not be rejected immediately, as is the case with ESTA.
Once the application has been sent, it is usually approved within a few hours.
In rare cases, an application may be rejected. You can appeal against this and the application will then be processed again. This slightly delays the issuance of ETIAS. The applicant should therefore submit the ETIAS as early as possible.
Once approval has been granted, the traveller can enter the Schengen area several times for three years. However, entry is limited to 90 days within a 180-day period.
ETIAS offers greater security when travelling
ETIAS may be a burden for some travellers, but it also brings many advantages. The authorities know exactly who is entering the Schengen area and can prevent people they suspect of criminal or even terrorist intent from entering. This makes travelling into the Schengen area safer for everyone. Not only for the inhabitants, but also for the travellers themselves.
munich-g6c7b4302b_640.jpg
The Bahamas are located in the Atlantic Ocean and are part of the West Indies. There are around 700 islands in total, but only 30 of them are inhabited. The Bahamas have an area of almost 14,000 square kilometres, on which almost 400,000 people live. The name is derived from the Spanish Baja Mar, which means "shallow sea". This name comes from the Spanish conquistadors.
Brief history of the Bahamas
Settlement of the archipelago began as early as the 4th century, but the first permanent settlement did not occur until the 9th or 10th century.
The discovery from a European point of view was made by Christopher Columbus in 1492. At that time, about 40000 people lived on the islands, who were taken to Hispaniola in the following years. There they had to work in the mines, where most of them died of exhaustion or disease.
From 1629, the islands came into the possession of Great Britain, who established the first settlements there from 1650. Later, the islands were a sought-after hideout for pirates. Piracy in the Bahamas only came to an end when the island became a British crown colony.
During the American War of Independence and the Civil War, the islands were a sought-after smugglers' meeting place. This remained the case during Prohibition.
From 1964, the Bahamas were able to govern themselves, and from 1973 they were independent.
The Bahamian political system
The Bahamas uses the Westminster system. Parliamentary elections are held every five years. As in the UK, Parliament is bicameral. The Senate has 16 members and the House of Assembly 39. The House of Assembly are determined by the majority voting system. Of the senators, nine are chosen in consultation with the prime minister, four are chosen by the opposition and three are chosen by the governor-general.
The Head of State is the King of England and his representative in the Bahamas is the Governor General.
How to enter the Schengen area from the Bahamas
It is expected that from the end of 2023, entry into the Schengen area will only be possible with ETIAS. Currently, a valid passport is sufficient for entry. This approach is viewed critically by many people, because a passport is not a good way to control the flow of travellers. It is better if they register with a form beforehand. This makes it easier to identify people with evil, criminal and terrorist intentions. They will then not be allowed to enter the Schengen area.
The form can probably only be filled out via the internet. At the moment, an app is being discussed with which one can also upload a picture of the passport at the same time. However, it is not yet certain whether this will be done.
As things stand, travellers will have to fill out a form on the internet. First, they have to enter their personal data. This data must exactly match the data on the passport. Experience with the related ESTA system has shown that the passport number in particular causes problems time and again. A number or a letter is quickly mixed up or omitted. In this case, the ETIAS is invalid and must be applied for again at the airport. This can take several hours and by then the plane is often already on its way to the Schengen area. Another problem is often the validity of the passport. These data also have to be exactly right. Fewer mistakes are made with the name, but here too it is important that the data match the identity card.
The applicant is asked a number of security questions, which he or she must answer truthfully. If one of these questions is answered in the affirmative, a more detailed check of the traveller is carried out. As far as we know today, the traveller will not be rejected immediately, as is the case with ESTA.
Once the application has been sent, it is usually approved within a few hours.
In rare cases, an application may be rejected. You can appeal against this and the application will then be processed again. This slightly delays the issuance of ETIAS. The applicant should therefore submit the ETIAS as early as possible.
Once approval has been granted, the traveller can enter the Schengen area several times for three years. However, entry is limited to 90 days within a 180-day period.
ETIAS offers greater security when travelling
ETIAS may be a burden for some travellers, but it also brings many advantages. The authorities know exactly who is entering the Schengen area and can prevent people they suspect of criminal or even terrorist intent from entering. This makes travelling into the Schengen area safer for everyone. Not only for the inhabitants, but also for the travellers themselves.