Permit Services

All foreign citizens who wish to travel to Samoa for non-tourist purposes must obtain the entry permit most appropriate to their reason for entering Samoa. Samoa Immigration's permit section is responsible for the assessment of permit applications and subsequent issuing of all such permits. There are different permits for different travel purposes and each permit type has unique requirements and different application processing fees. Therefore it is important that all applicants understand which permit type is right for them and the concomitant requirements and applicable fees.

Visitors to Samoa (ie. tourists) are not required to obtain an entry permit prior to travel, as a sixty (60) day permit is issued upon arrival, provided they meet these criteria:

  • possess passports (or other acceptable travel documents) valid for a minimum of six (6) months after the intended date of departure from Samoa;
  • have confirmed return or onward travel tickets;
  • possess right of entry into the next port of entry or to their normal country of residence; and
  • have sufficient funds for their stay in Samoa.

For more information please see the Visitors Services section of our website. US Nationals ordinarily resident in American Samoa visiting Samoa have seperate requirements. Please see the information below.

Permit Types

Temporary Resident Permits

Samoa Immigration issues permits for individuals and their dependents who wish to temporarily reside in Samoa for business, academic or scientific research, study, cultural or religious purposes, employment and family reunion and support purposes. For detailed information on each permit type and the associated requirements and fees please select from the following list:

Permanent Resident Permit

Samoa Immigration is also responsible for handling all Permanent Resident Permit applications by foreign citizens. The criteria, conditions and application process for a Permanent Resident Permit are quite detailed. For all the facts on applying for permanent residency, please read our Permanent Residency information page.

Requirements for US Nationals

US Nationals ordinarily resident in American Samoa who wish to visit Samoa must obtain a 30 day single entry permit or a multiple entry permit. No other permit type is valid for visits to Samoa. US Nationals wishing to reside in Samoa for the purposes covered by the available Temporary Resident permits, should apply for those permits as necessary. For more information see our Visitors Services section.

Applying for a permit

Applications for an entry permit can be submitted to the Samoa Immigration main office in Apia, Samoa or any of Samoa's overseas Missions. Please be aware that all applications carry a processing fee, irrespective of whether an application is successful or otherwise. Information about the fees can be found under the detailed information for each permit type. Office and Mission locations and postal addresses can be found under our About Us section.

Extending a permit

All Temporary Resident Permit holders can apply to extend their permits beyond the original expiry date. In all cases there must be a genuine reason for requesting the extension and the applicant must have sufficient funds for themselves and any dependents for the duration of the extended stay. Extension applications do carry a fee, dependent upon the type of permit that the applicant wishes to extend. Anyone interested in extending their permit is encouraged to read this page containing the full list of fees and further information about the application process.