Border services

We aim to keep Samoa's borders secure and safe. Here's what to expect when you arrive in or leave Samoa.

At the airport or port

Immigration officers meet every aircraft and vessel arriving at or leaving a regulated port to check travel documents. Queues are first come, first served, and signs above the Immigration counters show you where to go.

Priority help

An officer is available to assist passengers. We give priority to:

elderly passengers
mothers with babies
passengers with medical needs or disabilities
members of diplomatic missions
special ministerial cases

Arrival and declaration cards are handed out by your airline or shipping agent, or by Immigration officers at the arrival booths.

Entry requirements for visitors

Foreign nationals without a valid Temporary Resident Permit or Samoan citizenship get a free 90-day Visitor Permit on arrival, as long as they meet our entry requirements. You must:

have a return or onward ticket
have a passport valid for at least 6 months after the date you plan to leave Samoa
have a valid visa or permit for the country you're travelling to next
tell us where you're staying: a hotel or resort, or with family or friends (give the village and family name)
have documents showing enough money to support yourself, usually a copy of a bank statement
have no record of deportation from another country
have no health problems that would put Samoa at risk
have no criminal history resulting in a sentence of one year or more
not be on any alert or warning list

Coming to work, study or live in Samoa? Your permit must be granted before you travel.

Ship and aircraft operators

The operator of every ship and aircraft arriving in Samoa from another country must give the officer on duty at the port or airport a list of everyone on board before arrival. The Minister may require details including each person's:

full name
date of birth
nationality
passport or other travel document number

Compliance and inspections

To deal with overstaying and illegal entry, officers carry out inspections and investigations at homes and boarding houses to update our records and follow up compliance. Officers must be authorised in writing by the Minister, and will show their identification.