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CHAPTER 24

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS (CONSULAR SERVICES) (FEES) RULES

(SECTION 6) [Commencement 1st February, 1979]

1. These Rules may be cited as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Consular Services) (Fees) Rules.

2. In these Rules, “Children’s Passport”, “Frequent Traveller’s Passport” and “Regular Passport”, respectively have the same meanings as in the Passport Rules.

3. The fees to be charged for the consular services rendered by the Ministry shall be those specified in the Schedule.

S.I. 64/1989; S.I. 73/1989.

SCHEDULE (Paragraph 3)

FEES FOR CONSULAR SERVICES RENDERED BY MINISTRY

PART I Notarial and Kindred Matters

Consular Service Fee $

1. Administering an oath or receiving a declaration, affirmation or attestation ............................................ 20.00

2. Authenticating or legalising a signature or seal:

First signature/seal...................................................... 20.00

For each additional signature/seal .............................. 20.00

except where this service is included under another fee 10.00

3. Supplying witnesses — for each witness or attestation 10.00

S.I. 9/1969 S.I. 64/1989 S.I. 73/1989 S.I. 32/2003

Citation.

S.I. 73/1989.

Interpretation.

Fees for consular services rendered by Ministry. Schedule.

S.I. 64/1989; S.I 73/1989.

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4. Initialling alterations in any document not prepared

by the Consular Officer (other than the striking out of any inapplicable words in a form) or marking exhibits, for each initial or marking........................... 2.00

5. Making or verifying (including certifying where necessary) a copy of a document:

(a) in typescript or made by photographic or photostatic process outside the consular premises, for over 100 words .......................... 20.00

(b) made by photographic or photostatic process, if the copy is made in the consular premises, for each page (with a minimum charge of $5.00) ... 2.00

(c) made by photographic or photostatic process, copies of treaty texts, for each page (with a minimum charge of $2.50). ............................. 1.00

6. Uniting documents and sealing the fastening. ........... 10.00 7. Obtaining a legalization or other certification from

another authority upon any document in addition to costs, if any................................................................ 10.00

8. Supplying certified copies of documents forming part of the records of the courts of The Bahamas, for every page with a minimum charge of $5.00............. 6.00

9. Preparing any certificate, declaration or document not otherwise provided for:

(a) in standard form, per copy............................... 16.00 (b) not in standard form, per 100 words or less — (i) in English............................................. 16.00 (ii) in any other language plus cost if any.. 30.00 10. Preparing or signing, or both, a declaration of

existence except in connection with pay or pensions payable by a department of the Government of The Bahamas .................................................................... 20.00

PART II Passports, Visas, and Kindred Matters

11. (a) Issuing a Children’s Passport .......................... 15.00 (b) Issuing a Regular Passport .............................. 30.00 (c) Issuing a Frequent Traveller’s Passport........... 60.00 12. (a) Issuing an additional Children’s Passport of

restricted validity............................................. 15.00 (b) Issuing an additional Regular Passport of

restricted validity............................................. 30.00

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(c) Issuing an additional Frequent Traveller’s

Passport of restricted validity.......................... 60.00 13. Issuing a Bahamian Visa Card for visiting The

Bahamas..................................................................... 20.00 14. Renewing a Children’s Passport for a further single

period of five years .................................................... 15.00 15. Renewing a Children’s Passport for a period less

than five years, for each year or part thereof ............. 3.00 16. Extending for the first time the validity of an

additional passport ..................................................... 15.00 17. Extending for the first time the validity of an

additional passport for a period less than five years, for each year or part thereof....................................... 3.00

18. Amending an existing passport by amending the holder’s description except where the holder is under 16 years............................................................ 10.00

19. Issuing and, where required, preparing an Emergency Passport or other document not otherwise provided for in lieu of a passport, or accepting a Declaration of Identity on which a visa is to be granted and issuing a certificate on such declaration describing the applicant 15.00

20. Granting a Visa: (a) For a multiple entry visa ................................. 50.00 (b) For a single entry visa ..................................... 40.00 (c) For a transit visa.............................................. 20.00 (d) For a Diplomatic Visa..................................... NIL or for any visa such sum, being the equivalent of fees

charged by the authority of any State for granting a visa to a citizen of The Bahamas as the appropriate agency directs to be taken for grant of a visa.

21. Issuing a travel document of any kind for the time being suppliable according to law, where neither provision in this Schedule for, nor exception therein from, any other charge is applicable to so doing ....... 20.00

22. Making or forwarding or both, a request or communication to any authority of a foreign state or Commonwealth country, Commonwealth Colony Protectorate, Protected State or Trust Territory for the issue or renewal of a passport or other travel document or document of identity or for the grant of a visa or entry permit in addition to costs, if any ......... 10.00

S.I. 32/2003.

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PART III Searches

23. Having a search made for, or obtaining copies of, or both, entries in the local registers of records not kept by a Consular Officer —

(a) for an entry in a local register of births, deaths, or marriages ........................................ 20.00

(b) for any other documents in addition to costs exceeding $1.00 .............................................. 20.00

24. Making a search in — (a) the consular registers (if kept) of births, deaths

or marriages..................................................... 6.00 (b) any other records or archives of The Bahamas

Government in addition to any other fee applic- able...................................................................... 16.00

PART IV Estates

25. Administering in full or in part, safeguarding or arranging the transmission of all or part of the personal effects and other estate of a deceased person or proceeds thereof, other than the wages and personal effects of seamen, in addition to costs .......................... 250.00

26. Intervening to protect interests claimed by absent citizens of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in an estate being administered or probated by a local executor or administrator, in addition to costs ........... 250.00

PART V Attendances

27. Attending (except in connection with commercial enquiries) for each hour or lesser period, including the time taken in proceeding from a reasonable point of departure and in returning to a reasonable point —

(a) during customary business hours but elsewhere than at the consular premises ............................. 20.00

(b) outside customary business hours at the consular premises ............................................................... 25.00

(c) elsewhere......................................................... 40.00 with (a) a maximum in any period of 24 hours............. 150.00

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(b) an increase of one-half where the Consular

Officer is accompanied away from the consular premises or residence by another Consular Officer or a consular employee with a maximum in this event of ...................................................... 250.00

PART VI Matters relating to Legal Proceedings

28. Presiding at the taking of evidence under a commission or order from a court, including any matter or thing done by the Consular Officer as examiner —

(a) for the first two hours or less on the first day 100.00 (b) for the first two hours or less on each subsequent

day............................................................................ 50.00 (c) for each additional hour in excess of two on any

day............................................................................ 20.00 29. Causing or endeavouring to cause a document to be

served and issuing a certificate or affidavit of service or attempted service of the document —

(a) in case of such service being effected or attempted upon a first or single visit or other occasion.............................................................. 20.00

(b) with an additional charge for each subsequent visit or other occasion, if any, upon which such service (having been previously attempted) if effected or attempted, of ................................................... 10.00

30. Providing the services of a Consular Officer or consular employee to assist the Consular Officer in the taking of evidence under a commission or order from a court, for each such person —

(a) for each sitting of two hours or less ................ 20.00 (b) for each additional hour at each sitting ........... 10.00 31. Forwarding a request to a local authority for the

taking of evidence or the service of a document........ 20.00

PART VII Repatriation and Financial Assistance

32. Arranging the repatriation of a person or a group of persons of the same family and travelling together ... 25.00

33. Advancing currency to a traveller on payment of a Bahamian Dollar cheque in addition to costs, if any, and in addition to fee 27 where applicable ................ 5.00

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STATUTE LAW OF THE BAHAMAS [Original Service 2001]

PART VIII Shipping, Seamen and Kindred Matters

34. Receiving or recording a declaration under Part II of the Merchant Shipping Act, 1976, with a view to the registry, transfer and transmission of ships, interests in ships, or mortgages of ships..................... 40.00

35. Endorsing a memorandum of change of master upon the certificate of registry and initialling, where required, the new master’s signature on the agreement with the crew ............................................ 20.00

36. Granting a provisional certificate of registry in addition to fee 34 where applicable ........................... 200.00

37. Recording a mortgage of a ship or of shares in a ship 100.00

38. Recording the transfer of a mortgage of a ship or of shares in a ship........................................................... 100.00

39. Recording the discharge of a mortgage of a ship or of shares in a ship....................................................... 100.00

40. Making an interposition in the sale of a ship or of shares in a ship........................................................... 100.00

41. Receiving a return of the birth or death of any person on board a ship and endorsing the agreement with the crew accordingly .......................................... 10.00

42. Certifying a form of claim for wages and other matters, if any, of a deceased seaman or apprentice .. 20.00

43. Examining or arranging for the examination of provisions or water, payable by the party who proves to be in default in addition to the cost, if any, of survey 50.00

44. Noting a marine protest and furnishing one certified copy if required for every further copy ...................... 40.00

for every further copy ................................................ 20.00 45. Extending a marine protest, filing the original and

furnishing one certified copy if required — for any number of words up to 200, excluding the

declaratory clause....................................................... 50.00 for every subsequent 100 words or less ..................... 20.00 in addition to fees 1 and 9 where applicable 46. Filing a request for survey and issuing an order of

survey......................................................................... 50.00

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47. Receiving a report of a survey, filing the original,

and furnishing one certified copy, if required, of the request, order and report of survey —

for any number of words up to 200, excluding the words in the consular certificate................................. 100.00

for every subsequent 100 words or less...................... 20.00 48. Issuing a bill of health ................................................ 40.00 49. Addressing at the request of the master an application

to local authorities for the arrest, imprisonment or release of seamen or apprentices —

for each seaman or apprentice .................................... 20.00 50. Granting such certificates as to the number of the

crew and other matters as may be required by local authorities for the clearance inwards and outwards of a ship —

in addition to fee 54 or 61 where applicable .............. 30.00 51. Drawing up, in the form and language required by

local authorities, a muster-roll or detailed list giving names and other details of each member of the crew in addition to fee 50 unless a certificate in the form of a muster-roll or list is required for the clearance of the vessel............................................................. 20.00

52. Signing and, if required, sealing the original of a ship’s manifest and signing any copies on the same occasion 20.00

53. Signing and, if required, sealing any entry in the official logbook of a ship where such entry is not required under the Merchant Shipping Act, 1976 ...... 20.00

54. Inspecting a ship’s papers when required to enable a Consular Officer to do any matter or thing in respect of a ship except where —

(a) the papers are already in the custody of the Consular Officer and fee 61 has been taken; or

(b) the master opens a new agreement at the consular premises............................................ 20.00

55. Inspecting the marking of a ship, irrespective of the number of visits —

in addition to fee 27.................................................... 20.00 56. Making a request for survey and arranging for the

issue of a certificate in accordance with the Interna- tional Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1960 20.00

57. Sanctioning the engagement of seamen — on request for each seaman with — (a) a maximum where a crew or part of a crew

transfer from one Bahamian ship to another; or.... 6.00

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(b) a maximum in respect of each ship where crews or

parts of crews transfer between Bahamian ships of 200.00 in addition to fee 54 or 62 where applicable 58. Attesting alterations in the agreement with the crew — on request ................................................................... 6.00 for each alteration in respect of each seaman concerned

with a maximum on each separate occasion of 200.00 59. Sanctioning the discharge of seamen or leaving

behind of seamen and apprentices — 6.00 For each seaman or apprentice ................................... (a) a maximum where a crew or part of a crew

transfer from one Bahamian ship to another; or (b) a maximum in respect of each ship where crews or

parts of crews transfer between Bahamian ships of 200.00 except where an apprentice — (a) is transferred whilst overseas from one ship to

another, or (b) having come to the end of his indentures, signs

on as a seaman in addition to fee 54 where applicable 60. Certifying desertions of seamen and apprentices — 6.00 for each seaman or apprentice .................................... 61. Taking custody of a ship’s papers, making any

necessary endorsements thereon, and giving the certificate required by the Merchant Shipping Act, 1976............................................................................ 20.00

62. Preparing a fresh agreement with the crew on request when a new agreement is opened at a foreign port and furnishing the copy which must be made accessible to the crew for each seaman ...................... 6.00

with a minimum of ..................................................... 100.00 and a maximum of ...................................................... 100.00 in addition to fee 57.