Bermuda Arrival Card: How to Fill It Out, What to Expect & Tips

If you are a Canadian, planning to go to Bermuda for a vacation, there is one important thing you need to do before you leave, filling out the Bermuda Arrival Card. This article will tell you what this card is, its legitimacy, how you can fill it out, and also some extra travel tips for your Bermuda trip.

Bermuda Arrival Card: Overview, Legitimacy & Cost

What Is the Bermuda Arrival Card?

Simply put, the Bermuda Arrival Card is a required online form for every single foreign tourist who enters Bermuda, including us Canadian travelers. It is a new digital immigration and customs form that replaced the old paper card that people used many years ago. The main use of this card is to make the airport entry process faster and not so slow for incoming visitors.

This arrival card is managed by two official Bermuda government organizations. They are the Bermuda Tourism Authority and the Bermuda Department of Immigration. The form is only for non-resident visitors, and local Bermuda residents do not need to fill it out at all. Travelers can submit this form in advance online, or they can also fill it out after arrival, even use paper versions at the airport if they need to. It is mandatory for all foreign air passengers entering Bermuda.

Official Legitimacy & Scam Warnings

A lot of Canadian people ask me this question: is the Bermuda Arrival Card real or just a random fake form online? I can tell you very surely that it is 100% official and required by the Bermuda local government. The official website for form submission is bermudaarrivalcard.com, which is the only government-approved platform to finish your arrival card.

I really want to remind all Canadian travelers not to use any third-party websites. There are many unknown websites on the internet that say they can help you submit the arrival card. These websites will ask you to pay money, but they have no official connection with Bermuda’s government at all. They just trick travelers into paying money for a service that is actually free, so you must stay away from those sites.

Official Cost of the Arrival Card

The official Bermuda Arrival Card has no cost at all. There are zero hidden fees, no processing fees, no service charges and no extra taxes when you fill it on the official government website. All the official functions of this arrival card are completely free for all foreign visitors, no matter which country you come from.

I want to repeat this point again to avoid misunderstanding. Any website that charges you 30 or 50 Canadian dollars to submit your arrival card is definitely a scam. You do not need to pay any person or any website to finish this simple form. The money you save can be used for eating, shopping and playing in Bermuda during your trip.

Who Must Fill Out the Bermuda Arrival Card?

The rule for the Bermuda Arrival Card is very simple and clear. Only foreign air passengers need to complete this form. One big mistake many travelers make is thinking cruise tourists need it too, but official rules clearly exempt all cruise ship passengers from this requirement.

For all Canadian travelers flying into Bermuda, this rule works for everyone. It does not matter if you are a Canadian citizen or a Canadian permanent resident, you still have to fill out the arrival card. This form is exclusively for non-resident visitors; returning Bermuda residents have no need to submit this declaration form.

No matter how many days you plan to stay in Bermuda, even if you only stay for two or three days, you still need to complete this arrival declaration form if you arrive by plane. You can finish it online before your trip, or fill it out when you arrive at the airport.

Key Details You Need to Fill the Form

Before you start filling out the arrival card, it is better for you to prepare all your documents and information first. Below is all the stuff you need as a Canadian traveler:

• Personal legal details: Your full legal name (must totally match your passport name), your date of birth, and your nationality which is Canadian.
• Passport information: Your Canadian passport number, passport issue date, and the expiry date of your passport.
• Contact details: Your home living address in Canada, your usable email address, and your personal phone number.
• Travel itinerary: Your exact flight number, your arrival time in Bermuda, and your departure date from the island.
• Accommodation proof: The full name and full address of your hotel, vacation rental or any place you will stay during your Bermuda trip.
• Custom declaration details: Simple information about the personal items you bring into Bermuda, and you need to make sure you do not carry any prohibited goods.

Filling Out Forms for Kids & Family Members

If you travel together with your family or small children, you are allowed to fill out the arrival card for them. The official rule says parents or legal guardians can submit forms for all children who are under 18 years old.

Every single foreign traveler needs their own independent arrival card, even little babies and infants. The system does not have family group forms, so you have to fill one separate form for each of your kids. You must use their real passport information when you fill the forms out.

Children who are 18 years old or older have to fill their own arrival forms by themselves. But it is still better for parents to check their answers to avoid any careless mistakes.

Step-by-Step Guide to Completing the Bermuda Arrival Card

Filling out the Bermuda Arrival Card is not very difficult. It is actually super fast, and the official website says it only takes under 2 minutes to finish all the steps. I wrote this simple guide specially for Canadian travelers, so you can follow it easily and not make mistakes.

• Step 1: Access the official portal
  You need to open the official website bermudaarrivalcard.com directly on your phone or computer. Do not click the first few ads on Google search resultsss, because those ad links are almost always third-party scam websites.
• Step 2: Locate the arrival card portal
  On the homepage of the official website, you can find the Bermuda Arrival Card section easily. This section is built only for foreign travelers to submit their pre-arrival personal information.
• Step 3: Select your traveller category
  If you are a Canadian tourist on vacation, you need to choose the visitor option. Since this form is only for non-residents, you will not see a resident option here. You should double check your choice to prevent wrong selection.
• Step 4: Fill in all required fields
  You need to type your passport information, your flight details, and the accommodation address where you will live in Bermuda. Try your best to fill all blank fields and do not leave any required place empty.
• Step 5: Review all information carefully
  After you finish typing everything, you need to read all the words again slowly. Many people get small errors like wrong flight numbers or wrong name spelling, which will cause trouble at the Bermuda airport immigration.
• Step 6: Submit your declaration
  Once you confirm all information is correct, you can click the submit button. The system will process your form immediately and send a confirmation email to your email address.
• Step 7: Save your confirmation
  You need to save the QR code and reference number from the email. You can take a screenshot or download the file, because immigration officers will check it when you arrive.

I have a small suggestion for you. Try to finish this form 24 to 48 hours before arriving in Bermuda if you can. But if you forget, you can still fill it out online or use a paper form after you land, it will not cause big entry problems.

Bermuda Entry Requirements for Canadian Travellers

Filling out the arrival card is super important for air travelers, but it is not the only entry rule for Canadian visitors. You also need to satisfy these basic requirements to get entry approval from Bermuda immigration.

• Valid Canadian passport: Your passport only needs to stay valid for the full duration of your Bermuda stay. The 6-month validity rule is not required for Canadian visitors, following official Canadian government travel guidance.
• Onward or return ticket: You need to have a confirmed ticket to fly back to Canada or fly to another country. Bermuda does not allow visitors who have no exit travel plans.
• Proof of accommodation: You need to prepare your hotel or vacation rental booking record, and the address must match the one you wrote on your arrival card.
• Sufficient funds: You should prepare enough money to cover your food, housing and all kinds of activities during your Bermuda stay.
• No visa required: This is good news for all Canadians! We do not need a tourist visa for short-term Bermuda trips, so the arrival card is our main entry document for air travel.
• Health insurance: It is strongly suggested to buy travel health insurance before your trip. The medical cost in Bermuda is very expensive for foreign tourists.

Pro Tips to Avoid Form Errors & Entry Delays

Lots of Canadian travelers make very simple mistakes on the arrival card every year, and those small mistakes make them stuck at the immigration counter. I summed up several easy tips to help you not make those common errors.

• Match all names to your passport: Do not use nicknames or short names on the form. The name you write must be exactly the same as your passport name, otherwise immigration officers may stop you for checking.
• Verify flight numbers twice: Many people type wrong flight numbers carelessly. You need to check your travel number two times before you click submit.
• Use a valid, active email: Make sure your email address is working normally. The confirmation QR code will be sent to your email, and you cannot pass immigration without this proof.
• Save multiple copies of your confirmation: Screenshot your QR code and save the whole confirmation email. Sometimes the airport has bad cell service and you cannot open online files.
• Do not panic for late submission: If you forget to fill the form before departure, you can still complete it online upon arrival or fill out a paper form at the airport, no big penalty will happen.

Bermuda Arrival Card Post-Submission Process & Arrival Verification

What Happens After You Submit the Form

After you successfully submit your Bermuda Arrival Card online, the official system will send you a confirmation email very quickly. Inside this email, there is a unique QR code and a reference number to prove you have finished your travel declaration.

When you finally arrive in Bermuda by airplane, you need to show this QR code to the immigration officers. They will scan your code to pull out all your travel information fast. You do not have to print a paper copy, digital file is enough for most situations.

This online system really speeds up the whole entry process. Officers will check your passport, confirm your hotel booking and return flight ticket, then let you enter in a short while.

Airport vs. Cruise Terminal Arrival Procedures

The immigration checking process is a little bit different for air and cruise arrivals, and cruise visitors have much simpler rules.

Air Arrival (L.F. Wade International Airport)

This is the main entry airport for Canadian tourists flying into Bermuda. After you get off the plane, you just walk straight to the immigration counter. Officers will scan your QR code, check your passport details, and confirm your return ticket and accommodation info. If your form has no mistakes, the checking process will be very fast.

Cruise Terminal Arrival (Heritage Wharf / King's Wharf)

Cruise travellers do not need to complete the Bermuda Arrival Card. They only need to follow the standard cruise immigration pre-check process arranged by the cruise company, which is way more simple and saves a lot of time.

For air arrival visitors, officers mainly check whether your information is consistent and whether you have valid travel documents. Cruise visitors skip this arrival card check entirely.

Bermuda Travel Planning Guide for Canadians

Best Time to Visit Bermuda

I have travelled to Bermuda several times before, so I roughly know which season is the best choice for Canadian travelers. Different seasons have different weather conditions, different travel prices and different numbers of tourists.

Practical Travel Tips for a Smooth Trip

Except for the entry rules and form requirements, there are some small travel tips that can help your Bermuda trip become more smooth and easy for Canadian visitors.

• Getting around the island: Bermuda is a very small island and it is easy to travel around. Tourists are still not allowed to rent regular private cars here, but there are more travel choices now. Most visitors rent electric scooters, and tourists can also rent mini electric vehicles and microcars for convenient island travel. Besides these, you can also take public buses or taxis to travel around the whole island.
• Accommodation options: Bermuda has many different kinds of accommodation choices, including luxury beach resorts, small boutique hotels, and cheap vacation rentals. If you travel in peak tourist season, you need to book your room early or you may have no place to live.
• Travel ease for Canadians: Bermuda is very friendly and convenient for Canadian travelers. We do not need a visa, the arrival card is totally free for air travelers, and there are direct flights from Canada to Bermuda. As long as you follow all the entry rules carefully, your whole trip will be very relaxing and smooth.