TREATIES AND OTHER INTERNATIONAL ACTS SERIES 05-408 

________________________________________________________________________ 

EMPLOYMENT 

 Agreement between the 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 

and THE BAHAMAS 

Effected by Exchange of Notes at 

Nassau April 7 and 8, 2005 

 
 NOTE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

 Pursuant to Public Law 89—497, approved July 8, 1966 

(80 Stat. 271; 1 U.S.C. 113)—

“. . .the Treaties and Other International Acts Series issued 

under the authority of the Secretary of State shall be competent 

 evidence . . . of the treaties, international agreements other than 

treaties, and proclamations by the President of such treaties and 

international agreements other than treaties, as the case may be, 

therein contained, in all the courts of law and equity and of maritime 

jurisdiction, and in all the tribunals and public offices of the 

United States, and of the several States, without any further proof 

or authentication thereof.” 
THE BAHAMAS 

Employment 

Agreement effected by exchange of notes at 

 Nassau April 7 and 8, 2005; 

 Entered into force April 8, 2005. 

 
No. 98

The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry of

Foreign Affairs and the Public Service of the Government of The Commonwealth of The

Bahamas and has the honor to propose that our governments conclude a bilateral work agreement

for dependents of officials serving in our respective countries. The Embassy of the United States

of America proposes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that, on a reciprocal basis, dependents of

employees of the United States Government accredited as members of diplomatic missions,

consular offices, and missions to international organizations in the Commonwealth of The

Bahamas, and dependents of employees of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas accredited as

members of diplomatic missions, consular offices, miscellaneous government offices and

missions to international organizations in the United States be authorized to be employed in the

receiving state. The maximum number of dependents authorized to benefit from the provisions of

this agreement shall not exceed twenty-five (25) for each party, subject to a contingency of up to

four (4) additional dependents, nnless modified by mutual consent.

For the purpose of this agreement, "dependents" shall mean:

• Spouse;

• Unmarried dependent children under 21 years of age;

• Unmarried children under 23 years of age who are in full-time attendance at a post

secondary educational institution; and

• Unmarried children who are physically or mentally disabled.

DIPLOMATIC NOTE
In general, for dependents who seek employment in the United States, an official request

must be made by the Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in Washington to the

Office of Protocol in the Department of State. For dependents of employees of the Bahamian

Mission to the United Nations seeking employment, the Bahamian Mission must make an official

request to the United Nations to the United States Mission to the United Nations. Upon

verification that the person is a dependent of an employee of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas

assigned to official duty in the United States and processing of the official request, the Embassy

to the United States or the Mission to the United Nations will be informed by the Government of

the United States that the dependent may accept employment.

In the case of dependents of employees of the United States personnel assigned as

members of the U.S. diplomatic mission, consular office, or mission to an international

organization and accredited by the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas who seek

employment in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, the request shall be made by the U.S.

Embassy in Nassau to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which after verification, shall then inform

the U.S. Embassy that the dependent may accept employment.

Bearing in mind the purpose of this agreement is to allow employment of dependents,

both Parties, however, agree that in their implementation of the Agreement, account will be taken

of the need to preserve the dignity and integrity of the respective Foreign Service, the diplomatic

agent, consular officer or administrative and technical staff and the preservation of national

security.
The United States Government and the Government of the Commonwealth of The

Bahamas confirm their understanding that dependents who obtain employment under this

agreement and who have immunity from jurisdiction of the receiving country in accordance with

Article 31 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations or any other applicable

international agreement, enjoy no immunity from civil and administrative jurisdiction with

respect to matters arising out of such employment. Such dependents are also responsible for

payment of income and social security taxes on any remuneration received as a result of

employment in the receiving state. Dependents continue to enjoy all other privileges and

immunities to which they are entitled.

The Embassy of the United States further proposes that, if these provisions are acceptable

to the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, this note and the Government of the

Commonwealth of The Bahamas' reply thereto shall constitute an agreement between our two

governments which shall enter into force on that date of the reply note. This agreement shall

remain in force until ninety days after the date of written notification from either government to

the other of the intention to terminate Upon entry into force, this agreement supersedes the

agreement of March 8 and August 10, 2004.

The Embassy of the United States of America avails itself of the opportunity to renew to

the Ministry the assurance of its highest consideration.

Embassy of the United States of America

Nassau, April 7, 2005
Ministry of Foreign Affairs

P.O. Box N-3746

East Hill Street

Nassau, The Bahamas

8 April 2005

Note No. MFA/LAD/90

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas presents its compliments to

the Embassy of the United States of America in Nassau and has the honour to refer to the Embassy's Note

-No. 98 of 7 April 2005.

The Note under reference reads as follows:

The Embassy of the United States of America presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign

Affairs of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas and has the honour to propose that our governments

conclude a bilateral work agreement for dependents of officials serving in our respective countries.

The Embassy of the United States of America proposes to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that, on a

reciprocal basis, dependents of employees of the United States Government accredited as members of

diplomatic missions, consular offices, and missions to international organizations in the Commonwealth of

The Bahamas, and dependents of employees of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas accredited as

members of diplomatic missions, consular offices, miscellaneous government offices and missions to

international organizations in the United States be authorized by the receiving state. The maximum number

of dependents authorized to benefit from the provisions of this agreement shall not exceed twenty-five (25)

for each party, subject to a contingency of up to four (4) additional dependents, unless modified by mutual

consent.

For the purpose of this agreement, "dependents" shall mean:

• Spouses;

• Unmarried dependent children under 21 years of age;

• Unmarried children under 23 years of age who are in full-time attendance at a post

secondary educational institution; and

• Unmarried children who are physically or mentally disabled.
In general, for dependents who seek employment in the United States, an official request must be

made by the Embassy of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in Washington to the Office of Protocol in the

Department of State. For dependents of employees of the Bahamian Mission to the United Nations seeking

employment, an official request must be made by the Bahamian Mission to the United Nations to the United

States Mission to the United Nations. Upon verification that the person is a dependent of an employee of

the Commonwealth of The Bahamas assigned to official duty in the United States and processing of the

official request, the embassy to the United States or the Mission to the United Nations will be informed by

the Government of the United States that the dependent may accept employment.

In the case of dependents of employees of the United States personnel assigned as members of

the U.S. diplomatic mission, consular office, or mission to an international organization and accredited by

the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas who seek employment in the Commonwealth of

The Bahamas, the request shall be made by the U.S. Embassy in Nassau to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,

which after verification, shall then inform the U.S. Embassy that the dependent may accept employment.

Bearing in mind the purpose of this agreement is to allow employment of dependents, both Parties,

however, agree that in their implementation of the Agreement, account will be taken of the need to preserve

the dignity and integrity of the respective Foreign Service, the diplomatic agent, consular officer or

administrative and technical staff and the preservation of national security.

The United States Government and the Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas

confirm their understanding that dependents who obtain employment under this agreement and who have

immunity from jurisdiction of the receiving country in accordance with Article 31 of the Vienna Convention

on Diplomatic Relations or any other applicable international agreement, enjoy no immunity from civil and

administrative jurisdiction with respect to matters arising out of such employment. Such dependents are

also responsible for payment of income and social security taxes on any remuneration received as a result

of employment in the receiving state. Dependents continue to enjoy all other privileges and immunities to

which they are entitled.

The Embassy of the United States further proposes that if these provisions are acceptable to the

Government of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, this note and the Government of the Commonwealth

of The Bahamas' reply thereto shall constitute an agreement between our two governments which shall

enter into force until ninety days after the date of written notification from either government to the other of
the intention to terminate. Upon entry into force, this agreement supersedes the agreement of March 8 and

August 10, 2004.

The Embassy of the United States of America avails itself of the opportunity to renew to the Ministry

the assurance of its highest consideration.

Embassy of the United States of America

Nassau, April 7, 2005

The Ministry has the honour to inform the Embassy that the Government of the Commonwealth of

The Bahamas accepts the proposal contained in the aforesaid Note, which supersedes the proposals of 8

March and 10 August 2004.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of The Bahamas avails itself of this

opportunity to renew to the Embassy of the United States of America in Nassau the assurances of its

highest consideration.

Embassy of the United States

of America

Mosmar Building

Queen Street

Nassau, The Bahamas