Passport Requirements for U.S. Citizens

There may be new requirements for travel documents since you last traveled abroad. Please see this important information for full details. Or, click here for information about how to apply for, or renew a U.S. passport.

Hurricane Guarantee

New this year! Visitors planning trips to the famed pink sand beaches of Bermuda over the coming months can now do so with greater peace of mind due to the first-ever "Hurricane Guarantee" program offered by 16 of the island's top resorts. Get full details here.

Arriving in Bermuda

Airport

Planes arrive at Bermuda International Airport in St. George's. You can reach Bermuda in less than two hours from the East Coast of North America. Bermuda International Airport was re-named in 2007 to the L.F. Wade International Airport. The ceremony took place in April to honour the late L. Frederick Wade, the former leader of the Progressive Labour Party.

Airlines Servicing Bermuda

Bermuda is currently serviced by the following airlines: American, Air Canada, USA3000, Continental, Delta, US Airways, British Airways, jetBlue and Zoom. Please see transportation for more info.

Local Transportation

Bermuda does not allow rental cars. However, there are numerous and convenient options for travelers to get around the islands. Ferries, taxis (with typically friendly and informative drivers), boat rentals, buses (efficient, clean, affordable and on time), cycles (or mopeds) and bicycles. Read the Transportation section for rates and full details.

Customs & Duty

U.S. residents who have been out of their country for 48 hours or more may take home items valued up to $800 once every thirty days without incurring taxes. Residents of Great Britain over 18-years-of-age may take home 200 cigarettes, 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars, and one litre of spirits or two litres of wine.

Additional Information About Clearing Customs in Bermuda

On Island Time

Bermuda's Standard Time is one hour later than U.S. Eastern Standard Time. Bermuda's Daylight Savings Time begins at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March and ends on the first Sunday in November.

Currency and Credit Cards

The Bermuda dollar is divided into 100 cents and is equal in value to the American dollar; both are legal tender on the island. Exchange rates for all other foreign currencies are available throughout Bermuda banks. Credit cards are widely accepted in stores, restaurants and hotels.

VISA and MasterCard may be used for cash advances at local bank branches. In addition, Bank of Bermuda HSBC and Butterfield Bank provide ATMs island-wide for MasterCard, Cirrus and Plus cash advances. VISA, MasterCard and AMEX credit cards are accepted virtually everywhere on island.

Electricity

Same as in the U.S. and Canada: 110 volts, 60-cycle AC.

Telephones

To Call Bermuda - area code: 441
To Call Out of Bermuda - International Operator 00
To call U.S.A. - Dial 1 before the area code and the seven-digit number
To call U.K. - Dial 011 + 44 + area code and phone number
To call any other country - Dial 011 + country code + area code + phone number

Calling Cards

You can buy calling cards in denominations of $5, $10, $20 and $50 from Cable & Wireless, Logic, and Telebermuda at various locations throughout Bermuda.

Weddings, Honeymoons, Event Planning

The best way to plan your Bermuda trip is to contact an expert who knows Bermuda well and can insure all the details are handled. Relax and enjoy your event or vacation - contact a Bermuda specialist like Bermuda Travel to do all the work for you: bermudatravel.bm.

Important Telephone Numbers

Postal Information

Post Office: 56 Church Street, Hamilton (Open Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Saturday, 8 a.m. - noon).

Rates: Airmail postcards: Canada and U.S., Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia 70¢ - 80¢ - 90¢. Airmail closing time at the General Post Office on Church Street, Hamilton, is 9:30 a.m. of the same day.

Internet

Bermuda has a number of Internet service providers. Both DSL and dial-up connections are available.

Newspapers

Bermudian, British, Canadian and U.S. papers, including The Miami Herald International Edition, are often available at several locations in Bermuda. In addition, The Royal Gazette is can be found online at www.theroyalgazette.bm.

Shops and Bank Hours

Shops are generally open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Business and professional offices are open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. Clocktower Mall in Dockyard is open weekdays 10 a.m. - 8 p.m., and opens Sundays and holidays 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Taxes and Tipping

No sales tax. At most restaurants, a 15 percent tip will be added to your bill. At hotels, a 7.25 percent hotel occupancy tax is added to your bill at checkout.

Legal Drinking Age: 18

Smoking

Smoking is outlawed in public places and workplaces including bars, restaurants, private clubs, hotels and business vehicles. It is illegal to sell tobacco to anyone under 18.

Religious Services

Check the local newspaper for detailed information on religious services.

Public Holidays

Bermuda Consuls

Working in Bermuda

In an effort to strike a fair balance in accommodating both businesses and Bermudian citizens in the work force, the government of Bermuda maintains strict policies concerning non-Bermudians seeking employment on island. A complete list of policies and restrictions about employment including; self-employment, non-Bermudians engaged or seeking to reside in Bermuda, relatives of Bermudians, temporary work permits, as well as job categories that are closed or restricted to non-Bermudians, can all be found at www.immigration.gov.bm.

Extended Stays

Extended stays must be authorized by the Minister. Generally, on arrival at the airport, a visitor is given the opportunity to stay in Bermuda for up to 21 days. If you require a longer stay you must make an appointment with an Immigration Inspector at the Department of Immigration Headquarters. For stays beyond three months there is a small fee. Extensions are normally given for no more than a total stay of eight weeks. In very exceptional circumstances, extensions may be given for up to five months, but visitors are limited to a total maximum stay of six months. For returning visitors, the length of stay is cummulative (the length of stay for each successive visit is added to the duration of the previous visit).

Business in Bermuda / Relocation Guide

Read the Experience Bermuda Business & Relocation Magazine online now.
(Best if viewed with IE 7.0.)

Vessels Visiting Bermuda

H.M. Customs may give permission for a vessel and visiting yachtsmen to remain in Bermuda waters for an extended period, particularly during the Hurricane Season. From June 1st through November 30th permission may be granted to stay in Bermuda for up to five months to provide safe haven. Contact the Department of Immigration to learn more about documentation and requirements.

Cruise Ships That Stop In Bermuda

Cruise ships may dock in St. Georges, Royal Naval Dockyard (West End, King's Wharf), or Hamilton.

Ships with frequent stops to Bermuda are: Caribbean Princess, Explorer of the Seas, Grandeur of the Seas, Norwegian Dawn, Norwegian Dream, Norwegian Majesty. Additionally the following ships will call once a year in 2008, or occassionally: Boudicca, Noordam, Hebridean Spirit, Costa Fortuna, Azamara Journey, Constellation, Seven Seas Navigator, Navigator of the Seas, Brilliance of the Seas, Carnival Miracle, Amsterdam, Club Med II, Seven Seas Mariner, Century, Seven Seas Voyager Amadea Jewel of the Seas, Crystal Symphony, The World, Regatta, Island Star, Vistamar.

A comprehensive guide to the 2008 cruise ship calls to Bermuda is published by the Bermuda government. You can view it in PDF here.

Local Information

Land

Bermuda is composed of approximately 138 islands that are volcanic in origin with limestone caps.

Bermuda's "mainland" comprises seven of the largest islands linked by bridges.

People

Weather

Rainfall is even throughout the year.

* Bermuda Government Statistics Department

Winging It

Bermuda Has A Proud Aviation History

Surrounded by water, Bermuda enjoys a venerable seafaring heritage. But the islands also boast several aviation milestones.

Even in the early days of commercial aviation, crowds flocked to fly to balmy Bermuda. British Airways began service from New York to Bermuda as Imperial Airways in 1937. Soon service was offered from the United Kingdom as well.

Sir Winston Churchill, the country's legendary prime minister, was among the first travellers to take advantage of the service, bucking the traditional trans-Atlantic cruise by boarding a Boeing 314 "flying boat."

The 4,437-mile trip took a little longer than it does today — 17 hours and 55 minutes, compared with only six and half hours that modern fliers face from Gatwick.

But it was still a few years before BA offered regular service from London. That began in 1950 with a Boeing Stratocruiser that stopped along the way in Lisbon and the Azores. Surprisingly, it wasn't until the 1980s that BA offered non-stop service.

Now BA offers five flights a week from London's Gatwick on Boeing 777 jets.

Local Lingo

English is the official language in Bermuda, but from time to time you're apt to overhear some unusual words and phrases. Bermudians love to add their own special twist to things and language is no exception. Want to talk like a native? Bone up on these bon mots.

Fast Facts About Bermuda

 Bermuda is the oldest British Colony. In 1995 73% of Bermuda’s voting population voted ‘no’ to independence.

 Throughout Bermuda there is approximately 155 miles of roadway.

 Bermuda bus stops are painted either pink or blue. Pink indicates a bus traveling into Hamilton and blue indicates the bus is heading away from the city. Learn more about Bermuda bus transportation here.

 Bermuda’s typical breakfast is Codfish & Potatoes.

 'Onions'’ – the unofficial name for Bermudians and 'Onion patch' – the unofficial name for Bermuda.

 The land mass of Bermuda is almost equal to the size of London’s Heathrow Airport. Bermuda has approx 138 islands that are volcanic in origin with limestone cap. Mainland comprises of 7 largest islands linked by bridges.

 Tree frogs, also known as whistling frogs, are hard to find. You can hear their relaxing chirp every night but they will show themselves only when it rains.

 In Bermuda, most Christmas trees are imported from Canada.

 Bermuda has more golf courses per square mile than anywhere else in the world. Read more in Land Sports.

 Bermuda roofs are made from Bermuda slate and timber. They are whitewashed and collect rainwater into tanks stored under each house. The water undergoes a filtration process with each dwelling having their own water supply.

 Kite flying is a custom always done on Good Friday. (a public holiday in April). Many families make their own kites and a popular place to fly them is on Horseshoe Beach. Find local events here.

 The Dark'n Stormy^TM is Bermuda's national drink made with authentic Gosling's Black Seal Rum. Place ice cubes in highball glass, add 1.5 oz. of Gosling's Black Seal Rum, top with Ginger Beer. Squeeze lemon wedge around the rim of the glass and garnish with lemon wedge. Enjoy!

 Car rentals are not permitted in Bermuda. However, transportation is made easy using moped, buses, taxi, or ferries. Get full details here.

 Johnny Barnes is a self appointed “Good Will Ambassador of Bermuda’’. Each weekday morning between 6am-10am you will find him standing by the round-about near Crow Lane Park in Paget, waving and greeting travelers going in and out of Hamilton. He has been doing this for over 20 years. Read more.

 The Gombeys are traditional dancers originating back to the 17th century. They perform with drum and bottle whistles in a fantastic whirl of colour and rhythm. The word Gombeys comes from the African Bantu language and means both rhythm and drum.

 St Georges is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is the oldest continuously inhabited town of English origin in the western hemisphere. In 1612 it was the second English town to be established in the New World. Learn more here.

 In 1815 Hamilton became Bermuda’s capital and still is today.

 Gibbs Lighthouse was the second cast iron lighthouse to ever be constructed. At 362 feet above sea level it was the tallest in the world. There are 185 steps to the top. Visit the lighthouse and find more about sightseeing here.

 Bermuda has one of the highest concentrations of limestone caves in the world.

 The waters off Bermuda are home for more than 650 species of fish. The Bermuda Aquarium and Zoo and Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute are great places to explore for educational fun. Read more.

 Bermuda has pink sand from the remains of a tiny organism known as the red foram. This marine animal has a red skeleton and grows in abundance on the under side of rocks. When it dies, the skeleton is eroded by waves and mixes with other particles of shells, coral and sea urchins, which together form the grain of pink sand.

 Bermuda’s waters seem to be much bluer than other places because of the low levels of phytoplankton.

 Bermuda shorts are the most famous attire for men in Bermuda. They are worn with jacket, tie and knee socks. They are typically worn from the first week in May through the first week in November, however many locals are seen to be wearing them all year round.

 Houses were always given a name until recently when they were issued numbers.

 May 24th is the traditional ‘first swim date of the year’.

 Most advertisements, advertising, guide books and newspapers in Bermuda are spelt the British, not the American way. Also Bermudians write the dates the English way for example, July 4th 2005 would be 04/07/05, not 07/04/05.

 In Bermuda distance is shown in meters, not miles and petrol (gasoline) is measured in liters, not gallons.

 Locals predict storms and other severe weather from a unique shark oil-based barometer. The appearance of the oil alters consistently with the changes of the weather. The most logical theory seems to be that sharks are alerted to weather changes by a change in their liver. They will swim to deeper water before a bad storm arrives. The oil used in the home-made barometers seems to retain its ability to detect the weather change by changing from a clear golden color to milky white.

 Coordinates:
      Bermuda’s Latitude: 32 degrees 19’ north
      Bermuda’s Longitude: 64 degrees 46’ west

 Maximum elevation is 259.4 ft high

Per every 10,000 people there are:
	Doctors	15
	Nurses	79
	Dentists	6

Racial Ratio
	Black	61%
	White	39%

In the workplace
	Bermudians	77%
	Expats	23%
	Unemployment	2.6%
	Average hours worked in a week	32.6
	Average employment income	$44,000
	Average household income	$72,000

Private Cars are limited to one per household.
	Private Cars	22,000
	Motor Cycles and Mopeds	24,250
	Buses, Truck & others	5,103

DID YOU KNOW? Bermuda time is 12 hours behind Hong Kong, five behind Paris and Frankfurt, four behind London and one ahead of Atlanta, Boston, New York and Toronto.

Learn more about Bermuda’s professionals, industries and doing business in Bermuda.

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