Embassy/Consulate Addresses | Foreign Relations | Travel Advisories | Travel Tips | Customs/Duties



EMBASSY/CONSULATE ADDRESSES

Diplomatic Representation in US: none (territory of the UK)

US Diplomatic Representation:
Chief of mission: Grace W. Shelton

Consulate(s) General: Crown Hill, 16 Middle Road, Devonshire,
Hamilton
Mailing Address: P. O. Box HM325, Hamilton HMBX; PSC
1002, FPO AE 09727-1002
Telephone: [1] (809) 295-1342
FAX: [1] (809) 295-1592 



FOREIGN RELATIONS

U.S.-BERMUDA RELATIONS

Bermuda is a British Overseas Territory with significant autonomy. U.S. policy toward the United Kingdom is the basis of U.S.-Bermuda relations. Bermuda has executed a Tax Information Exchange Agreement in a treaty between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Bermuda. The United States and the Government of Bermuda have signed a Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, authorizing authorities in the U.S. and Bermuda to request and obtain assistance from each other in criminal investigations and prosecutions and related administrative and other proceedings. The treaty provides for cooperation between the U.S. and Bermuda in combating a wide variety of crimes, including economic crimes and money laundering, by facilitating the collection of evidence needed by authorities in one country but located within the other country. The U.S. Coast Guard provides search and rescue assistance to Bermuda as needed.

U.S. Assistance to Bermuda

The United States provides no foreign assistance to Bermuda.

Bilateral Economic Relations

The United States is Bermuda's principal trading partner. The economy is based primarily on international business and tourism. Bermuda is an important regional and global offshore financial center. It has large insurance and reinsurance sectors, with firms based in the jurisdiction writing significant volumes of business in the United States and United Kingdom. The government cooperates with the United States to prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. An estimated 8,000 registered U.S. citizens live in Bermuda, many of them employed in the international business community. There also are a large number of American businesses incorporated in Bermuda. Areas of opportunity for U.S. investment are principally in the reinsurance and financial services industries. U.S. visitors are critical to the island's tourism industry.

Bermuda's Membership in International Organizations

The United Kingdom is formally responsible for Bermuda's foreign and defense policy.

Bilateral Representation

The U.S. Consul General in Bermuda is Grace W. Shelton; other principal officials are listed in the Department's Key Officers List.

The United Kingdom's embassy in the United States is at 3100 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20008; tel: 202-588-6500.

More information about Bermuda is available from the Department of State and other sources, some of which are listed here:

Department of State Key Officers List
CIA World Factbook Bermuda Page
U.S. Consulate General: Bermuda
Human Rights Reports (see United Kingdom)
International Religious Freedom Reports (see United Kingdom)
Trafficking in Persons Reports (see United Kingdom)
Narcotics Control Reports
Investment Climate Statements
U.S. Census Bureau Foreign Trade Statistics
Travel and Business Information




TRAVEL ADVISORIES

To obtain the latest Travel Advisory Information for Bermuda check the U.S. State Department Consular Information Sheet.


TRAVEL TIPS

Driving TBA
Currency (BMD) Bermudian Dollar
Electrical 120 Volts
Telephones Country Code 1-441



Time: GMT - 4 (GMT - 3 from first Sunday in April to last Sunday in October).

Electricity: 110 volts AC, 60Hz. American (flat) two-pin plugs are standard.

Telephone: IDD is available. Country code: 1 441. Outgoing international code: 011. The internal telephone system is operated by the Bermuda Telephone Company. Bermuda numbers dialled from within Bermuda should be prefixed with the last two digits of the country code (29 or 23) but there are no conventional area codes.

Climate: Semi-tropical, with no wet season. The Gulf Stream which flows between Bermuda and the North American continent keeps the climate temperate. A change of seasons comes during mid-November to mid-December and from late March through to April. Either spring or summer weather may occur and visitors should be prepared for both. Showers may be heavy at times but occur mainly at night. Summer temperatures prevail from May to mid-November with the warmest weather in July, August and September – this period is occasionally followed by high winds.

Required clothing: Lightweight cottons and linens. Light waterproofs or umbrellas are advisable and warmer clothes for cooler months.

Food & Drink: Hotel cooking is usually international with some Bermudian specialities such as Bermuda lobster (in season, September to mid-April), mussel pie, conch stew, fish chowder laced with sherry, peppers, rum and shark. Other seafoods include rockfish, red snapper and yellowtail. Peculiar to Bermuda is the Bermuda onion; other fine home-grown products include pawpaw and strawberries in January and February, and a variety of local citrus fruit. Traditional Sunday breakfast is codfish and bananas while desserts include sweet potato pudding, bay grape jelly and a syllabub of guava jelly, cream and sherry. There is a vast variety of restaurants, cafes, bars and taverns to suit all pockets. Service will vary although generally table service can be expected.
Local drinks and cocktails have Caribbean rum as a base, and have colourful names such as Dark and Stormy and the famous Rum Swizzle. British, European and US beer is available. It is normal in bars to pay for each drink and to tip the barman. In restaurants, drinks are added to the bill.

Shopping: The best buys are imported merchandise such as French perfumes, English bone china, Swiss watches, Danish silver, American costume jewellery, German cameras, Scottish tweeds, and various spirits and liqueurs. Bermuda-made articles include handicrafts, pottery, cedar ware, fashions, records and paintings by local artists. Antique shops may have the odd good bargain and shops in the countryside offer many souvenirs. Bathing suits, sports clothes and straw hats are other good buys. There is no sales tax or VAT. Shopping hours: Mon-Sat 0900-1700, with some closing early on Thursday. Shops at the Royal Naval Dockyard are open on Sun 1000-1700.

Tipping: When not included in the bill, 15 per cent generally for most services. Hotels and guest-houses add a set amount per person in lieu of tips to the bill.

Currency: Bermuda Dollar (Bda$) = 100 cents. Notes are in denominations of Bda$100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2. Coins are in denominations of Bda$1, and 25, 10, 5 and 1 cents.

Currency exchange: US Dollars are generally accepted at parity. It is illegal to exchange money other than at authorised banks or bureaux de change.

Credit & debit cards: MasterCard, American Express and Diners Club are accepted at most large hotels, shops and restaurants. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available.

Travellers cheques: US Dollar cheques are widely accepted. There is no bureau de change at the airport. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in US Dollars.


CUSTOMS/DUTIES

Tobacco...............200 cigarettes and 50 cigars and 454 grams of tobacco

Liquor..................1.137 litres (1 quart) liquor or wine

Camera................Reasonable for personal use

Film......................Reasonable for personal use

Perfume...............Reasonable for personal use

Agricultural items/Currency/Gifts...Refer to consulate

Prohibited items: Spear guns for fishing, firearms and unprescripted drugs

All visitors should declare any prescribe drugs on arrival as regulation are strictly observed.

Clearance of merchandise and sales materials for use at trade conventions must be arranged in advance with the hotel concerned.



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