Your first 90 days in Bermuda: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
Cost of living and the car rule are the two things people underestimate — Bermuda is consistently among the most expensive places on earth, and the one-car-per-household law applies to the house, not the person. Budget and transport plans built on mainland assumptions do not survive the first month.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Register the Work from Bermuda certificate, work permit, or residential certificate with the Department of Immigration
Work from Bermuda certificates are approved before travel and run 12 months; work permits must be held before you start employment, not after
Bermuda's work-permit regime protects the local labour market aggressively — an employer must advertise and justify hiring you. The Work from Bermuda certificate sidesteps that entirely because you are not working for a Bermudian employer, which is why it is the realistic route for remote workers.
Get your Social insurance number, plus payroll-tax registration for employers
Bermuda levies no personal income tax; the burden is a payroll tax split between employer and employee, and social insurance contributions.
Social insurance is registered through the Department of Social Insurance when you take up local employment; Work from Bermuda certificate holders working for foreign employers are outside the payroll-tax system.
Open a bank account
Butterfield, HSBC Bermuda and Clarien open accounts for permit holders, and onboarding is thorough — Bermuda is a major reinsurance centre and its compliance culture reflects that. Bermuda dollars are pegged 1:1 with US dollars and US notes circulate freely, which removes most day-to-day currency friction.
Enrol in healthcare
There is no free public health service: health insurance is legally mandatory and the standard HIP/FutureCare or employer plans are expensive by any measure. King Edward VII Memorial Hospital is the only acute hospital, and complex cases go to Boston or Baltimore under arrangements your insurer must actually cover.
Sort your driver's license
This is the surprise: non-residents and most permit holders cannot own or drive a car in Bermuda at all. Households are limited to one vehicle, tied to the property, and newcomers get around on scooters, buses, ferries and taxis. A foreign licence lets you rent a scooter, not a car.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
Moving to Bermuda?
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Bermuda: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Bermuda?
Register the Work from Bermuda certificate, work permit, or residential certificate with the Department of Immigration — Work from Bermuda certificates are approved before travel and run 12 months; work permits must be held before you start employment, not after. Bermuda's work-permit regime protects the local labour market aggressively — an employer must advertise and justify hiring you. The Work from Bermuda certificate sidesteps that entirely because you are not working for a Bermudian employer, which is why it is the realistic route for remote workers. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the Social insurance number, plus payroll-tax registration for employers and do I need one?
Social insurance number, plus payroll-tax registration for employers is Bermuda's personal tax/ID number. Bermuda levies no personal income tax; the burden is a payroll tax split between employer and employee, and social insurance contributions. Social insurance is registered through the Department of Social Insurance when you take up local employment; Work from Bermuda certificate holders working for foreign employers are outside the payroll-tax system.
Can I drive in Bermuda on a US license?
This is the surprise: non-residents and most permit holders cannot own or drive a car in Bermuda at all. Households are limited to one vehicle, tied to the property, and newcomers get around on scooters, buses, ferries and taxis. A foreign licence lets you rent a scooter, not a car. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Bermuda?
There is no free public health service: health insurance is legally mandatory and the standard HIP/FutureCare or employer plans are expensive by any measure. King Edward VII Memorial Hospital is the only acute hospital, and complex cases go to Boston or Baltimore under arrangements your insurer must actually cover. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Bermuda's system treats foreign residents.