Bahrain
BHRBahrain is a small Gulf island state with no personal income tax, an English-friendly business environment, and a substantial expatriate workforce (~50% of residents are non-citizens). Long-stay residency is via employer-sponsored work permits, the Golden Residency Visa (10-year for high-earners, retirees with proof of savings, exceptional talent), or property purchase ($530k+). Bahrain does not generally permit naturalisation by residence — citizenship is rarely granted to non-Arabs and even Arab applicants typically need 25 years' residence and Royal decree.
- Naturalisation
- 25 years
- Tax system
- No Income Tax
- Currency
- Bahraini dinar (BHD)
- Dual citizenship
- Not allowed
- Capital
- Manama
- Region
- middle east
- Population
- 1,490,000
- Cost-of-living
- 60 /100
Passport Rank
#56
Visa-Free
84
destinations
Visa-free travel
A Bahrain passport has visa-free access to 84 destinations. See the full Bahrain passport breakdown →
Passports that enter Bahrain without a prior visa (69)
Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.
Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.
Immigrating to Canada from Bahrain
Current IRCC processing times for Bahrain nationals, by application type.
| Visitor visa (outside Canada) | 59 days |
| Super visa | No processing time available |
| Study permit | No processing time available |
| Work permit | No processing time available |
| Sponsor a dependent child | No processing time available |
| Adopted child (citizenship) | Not enough data |
| Government-assisted refugees | Not enough data |
| Privately sponsored refugees | sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data |
Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.
As of 2026-09-22 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →
Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.
Sources & last verified
Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)
Country Details
- Capital
- Manama
- Currency
- Bahraini dinar (BHD)
- Languages
- Arabic, English
- Population
- 1,490,000
- Tax System
- No Income Tax
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
- Naturalisation
- 25 years
- Schengen / EU
- No
- Climate
- Hot desert
- English Proficiency Rank
- #50
- GDP per capita
- $30,597
- Life expectancy
- 81.42 yrs
- Population growth
- 0.73%/yr
GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).
Indices
Cost of Living
60
Safety
73
Healthcare
65
Quality of Life
152
Tax Summary
- Tax System
- No Income Tax
- Territorial Taxation
- No — worldwide income taxed for residents
- Naturalisation
- 25 years of legal residency
- Dual Citizenship
- Not allowed
Cost of Living by City
← scroll the table →
| City | Rent 1BR centre | Rent outside | Groceries | Utilities | Transit pass |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manama | $730 | $530 | $320 | $130 | $27 |
Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.
Visa Categories & Immigration Authority
Major Visa Categories
- Tourist eVisa
- GCC Resident Visa
- Investor Visa
- Work Visa
- Golden Residency Permit
- Family Residence Permit
- Property Owner Visa
- Student Visa
- Authority
- Nationality, Passports & Residence Affairs (NPRA)
- Official Portal
- www.npra.gov.bh
- Phone
- +973-17-506060
- info@npra.gov.bh
Naturalisation Details
- Residence Years
- 25
- Language Test
- Yes (Arabic)
- Civic Test
- Yes
- Oath Required
- Yes
- Dual Allowed
- No
- Fee
- $800
- Processing
- ~36 months
International Schools
← scroll the table →
| School | City | Curriculum | Tuition (USD/yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| British School of Bahrain | Hamala | British / IGCSE | $10,000–$20,000 |
Daily Life Logistics
Internet
110 Mbps median
95% fibre coverage
eSIM: Batelco, stc Bahrain, Zain Bahrain
LGBTQ+ Legal Status
- Same-Sex Marriage
- Not legal
- Civil Partnerships
- Not recognised
- Anti-Discrimination Law
- No
- ILGA Rank
- —
Religious Life
- Halal Food
- Widely available
- Kosher Food
- Limited
- Prayer Facilities
- Common
Regulators & official sources
Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Bahrain, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.
Ministry of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Awqaf (Bahrain)
MOJSupervises the legal profession in Bahrain. There is no dedicated immigration-adviser regulator; work permits are regulated by the LMRA and residence by NPRA.
Related Guides
Zero and low-tax residencies: the real list
Countries with zero personal income tax, territorial-only taxation, or special expatriate regimes — and what each one actually requires from you to qualify as a resident.
Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave
Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.
Related on The Citizenship Desk
Visa routes
Official visa and residence routes for Bahrain, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.
Residence
Golden Residency
ResidenceBahrain long-term renewable residence for property owners, retirees, talented individuals and long-term residents, issued by the NPRA. It is renewable residence, not permanent residence or citizenship.
Work (sponsored)
LMRA Work Permit (employer-sponsored)
Work (sponsored)The standard employer-sponsored work permit for expatriates in Bahrain. A Bahraini employer applies through the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and the permit carries the associated residence.
Family
Family / Dependant Residence Permit
FamilyResidence permit allowing an expatriate resident in Bahrain to sponsor a spouse, children and certain dependants, issued through the NPRA / LMRA residence services.
Study
Student Residence Permit
StudyResidence permit for foreign students enrolled at a licensed educational institution in Bahrain, issued by the NPRA. Holders may not work.
Work (unsponsored)
Self-Sponsorship / Registered Worker Permit
Work (unsponsored)A self-sponsorship work permit that lets eligible workers in Bahrain work without being tied to a single employer, administered by the LMRA through its Labour Registration Program.
Sources & last verified
Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-12. Each route links to its official government source.
Sources & last verified
- Last verified