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Samoa

Visa Samoa

Océanie · Polynésie

In Samoa, immigration falls to the Samoa Immigration division, within the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The pages consulted on 2026-09-17 describe four entry permits provided for by the law, including a 90-day visitor permit granted free of charge on arrival subject to conditions, and a temporary resident permit broken down according to the purpose of the stay. They announce processing of most permits within ten working days.

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.

Machine-assisted draft, reviewed by a person on 23 September 2026. Only the authority cited is authoritative.

Published on 23 September 2026 · Reviewed by vg_admin on 23 September 2026 · Sources consulted on 17 September 2026

At a glance

Authority
Samoa Immigration, division of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet
Submission channel
Offices of the service, on level 1 of the FMFMII government building at Eleele Fou (Apia) and on the ground floor of the SNPF building in Savaii; visitor permit granted at border control
Electronic visa
Not stated on the portal consulted. The pages read publish forms to download, without describing an online application
Portal language
English

Do you need a visa?

Choose a nationality to see the recorded entry rule. No answer is shown until reviewed data exists.

Documented visa types

"Visitor Permit" — visitor permit
Granted on arrival for 90 days and free of charge, according to the page, to foreign nationals who hold neither a temporary resident permit nor Samoan citizenship and who meet the conditions stated. Work is prohibited under it. Official page (new tab)
"Temporary Resident Permit" — temporary resident permit
Broken down according to the purpose: business or investment, employment, study, academic or scientific research, cultural or religious purpose, family reunification or support, and purposes approved by the minister. Official page (new tab)
"Permanent Resident Permit" — permanent resident permit
Permit named by the page, without description. Its conditions are not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)
"Ministerial Permit" — ministerial permit
Permit named by the page, without description. Its conditions are not stated on the pages consulted. Official page (new tab)

Where and how to apply

The Samoa Immigration division presents its mission as protecting Samoa and promoting economic development through the efficient provision of immigration services. It states a main office on level 1 of the FMFMII government building, at Eleele Fou (Apia), and an office in Savaii, on the ground floor of the SNPF building, as well as a telephone number, (+685) 20291.

The page devoted to border control states that a 90-day visitor permit is granted free of charge on arrival to foreign nationals who hold neither a temporary resident permit nor Samoan citizenship. It makes that issue subject to several conditions and excludes in particular persons who are the subject of a history of deportation, who present a health risk, who have been sentenced to more than one year of imprisonment or who are on an alert list.

The service publishes forms to download. The exact arrangements for filing a permit application are not stated on the pages consulted.

Steps in the procedure

  1. Determine the permit corresponding to the planned stay from the four that the page lists.
  2. For a visit: report to border control with the documents required, the 90-day visitor permit being granted on arrival and free of charge.
  3. For a temporary stay: assemble the documents specific to the purpose, in particular the employer sponsorship form (MPMC101) for employment or the confirmation of enrollment for study.
  4. For a stay of one year or more: attach a medical report from the age of 16 and a police report from the age of 18.
  5. File the application with the immigration service.

The filing arrangements and the details of the procedure are not stated on the pages consulted.

Documents mentioned by the authority

The exact list depends on the permit and on the situation; only the official page is authoritative.

Stated fees and processing times

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17, the 90-day visitor permit issued on arrival is free of charge. The service also publishes fee schedules for all of its categories, expressed in Samoan tala (SAT$); the amounts recorded range from 60 to 5,400 SAT$ depending on the step, without the breakdown by category being taken up here.

According to the same portal consulted on 2026-09-17, most permits are processed within ten working days. The immigration service of Samoa decides.

After the decision

The page states that the visitor permit does not authorize work and that it is an offense, for a person who is not a citizen, to take up employment in Samoa without their employment permit expressly authorizing it.

It also states that an employment permit is canceled when the employment ends. The other consequences of the decision are not stated on the pages consulted.

Published procedures

No reviewed and published procedure for Samoa to date. We prefer an empty page to an invented requirement.

Explore procedures

Frequently asked questions

Is a visa required to travel to Samoa?

It depends on nationality and on the purpose of travel; the rule reviewed by VisaGuideline is shown with the nationality selector on this page. Always check with the authority.

How does the visitor permit work?

According to the page consulted, a 90-day visitor permit is granted free of charge on arrival to foreign nationals who hold neither a temporary resident permit nor Samoan citizenship and who meet the conditions stated. Work is prohibited under it.

Which documents must be presented on arrival?

According to the page consulted: a return or onward ticket, a passport valid for at least six months after the planned departure date, the visa or permit of the next country, proof of accommodation and documented proof of sufficient means.

Is there an electronic visa?

Not stated on the portal consulted. The pages read publish forms to download, without describing an online application.

What are the fees and the processing times?

According to the portal consulted on 2026-09-17: the visitor permit issued on arrival is free of charge, schedules in Samoan tala exist for the other categories, and most permits are processed within ten working days.

Can one work on a visitor permit?

No. The page consulted states that work is prohibited under a visitor permit and that it is an offense to take up employment without an employment permit expressly authorizing it.

Consulted sources

Official pages read to write this guide, with the date they were read. A page may have changed since: check it before taking any step.

What this guide does not know yet

Points the official source does not specify and which this guide therefore left blank. Ask the competent authority about them before filing an application.

Prepare my case

This method is the same for every destination. It does not list any document as an official requirement: only the authority’s source is authoritative.

  1. Describe your situation

    Nationality, residence, purpose and dates. The checker tells covered routes apart from situations that are still unknown.

  2. Check at the source

    Open the destination’s official source and compare it with your situation before starting a procedure.

  3. Track what is left to do

    Your space keeps your answers and your declared checklist. A complete checklist does not announce a favorable decision.

Check my route Open my case

The information on this page helps prepare a case. Only the competent authority decides; always check the official source before filing an application.