All United States citizens must have a valid passport to enter or reenter the country by air when traveling abroad, no matter where the destination is. In the Bahamas, the local government does not require a passport, only proof of citizenship. But, to return home to the United States, a valid passport must be brought along. If traveling by sea from the Bahamas, U.S. citizens may enter the country using a passport, passport card or other Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) compliant documents. You can learn about WHTI compliant documentation through the U.S. Department of State website (travel.state.gov). You will not need a visa for short vacation visits to the Bahamas.
When you get ready to come home from the Bahamas, you will have to go through U.S. Customs at the airport prior to departure from major cities, like Freeport or Nassau. This process during pre-departure will clear you for customs when you arrive and you will not have to go through the process again on American soil.
If you purchase items in the Bahamas or receive gifts, you will need to pay customs duty on it to bring it back home to the United States. Keeping up with the value of items to determine what if any duty you owe is important. Keep receipts in a safe place for anything you plan to bring back with you. Never allow a merchant in the Bahamas to write you a false receipt in an attempt to lower the value of what you purchased.
Sometimes you may have bought something on a previous trip to the Bahamas or another place that could be mistaken for Bahamian goods and you have it with you on a return trip to the islands. If this is the case, carry proof that you already paid customs duty on it to prevent having to pay it again. Also, if you are carrying any expensive items with you on the trip, make a list of the items and have a U.S. Customs' official stamp it prior to departure so you are not asked to pay again later.
