Samoa visa and entry requirements

Samoa Immigration says visitors to Samoa can apply for a 90-day Visitor Permit on arrival using the arrival card, and must have a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended stay, confirmed onward tickets, visas for the next country of destination, sufficient funds to support themselves and a confirmed residential contact address. Its border page says foreign nationals who do not hold a valid Temporary Resident Permit or Samoan citizenship will be issued with a free 90-day Visitors Permit upon arrival.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Sep 26, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

Business Visitor Permit

Fee
Free
Processing
—

The UK government says border officials will issue a free visitor permit or business visitor permit using your arrival card.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Entry requirements

Passport validity

Samoa Immigration says the passenger must possess a passport valid for a minimum of 6 months after the intended date of departure from Samoa.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · mpmc.gov.wsCompare every country

Vaccinations

Conditional
  • Yellow fever (International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis) — The UK government says you must have a certificate to prove you have had a yellow fever vaccination if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk. WHO's country list gives Samoa's requirement as proof of vaccination for travellers aged 1 year or over arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, and for travellers who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport of such a country.
  • Measles (MMR) — Samoa's Ministry of Health says it has no active travel advisories or health-related travel restrictions in place at this time. No official source we could read states a measles vaccination requirement for visitors.
Verified Oct 8, 2026 · gov.ukCompare every country

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states a travel-insurance requirement for Samoa. The UK government says that if you have a medical emergency, evacuation to Australia, New Zealand or Hawaii is likely to be the only option for treatment, and to make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.

Verified Oct 4, 2026 · gov.uk

Onward or return ticket

Required

Samoa Immigration says the grant of a Visitors permit is subject to its entry requirements, including that the passenger must have a return or onward ticket, a passport valid for a minimum of 6 months after the intended date of departure from Samoa, and a valid visa or permit for entry into the country they will travel to from Samoa.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · mpmc.gov.ws

Proof of funds

Required

Samoa Immigration says the passenger must have documented evidence of sufficient funds for self-support (typically a copy of a bank statement) and state their accommodation arrangements. No official source we could read states an amount.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · mpmc.gov.ws

Arrival cards & declarations

Required
  • Samoa arrival card and customs/biosecurity declaration — Samoa Immigration says arrival and declaration cards are provided by the airline or shipping agent, or by immigration officers at the arrival booths. The UK government says you must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty. (cards are provided by the airline or shipping agent, or by immigration officers at the arrival booths)
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · mpmc.gov.wsCompare every country

Customs & currency

The UK government says to declare cash or travellers cheques if the value is 20,000 tala or more, and that you will get a certified declaration to show you brought it with you.

  • The UK government's travel advice says there are strict regulations on importing firearms, plant and animal products, pets and recreational drugs, and that you must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Yellow fever certificate

The UK government says you must have a certificate to prove you have had a yellow fever vaccination if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk. WHO's country list gives Samoa's requirement as proof of vaccination for travellers aged 1 year or over arriving from countries with risk of yellow fever transmission, and for travellers who have transited for more than 12 hours through an airport of such a country.

The 42 countries WHO lists as a yellow fever risk

Requirements normally count any country you have been in shortly before arrival, not only where you boarded.

  • Angola
  • Argentina — Misiones and Corrientes Provinces
  • Benin
  • Bolivia
  • Brazil
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cameroon
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Colombia
  • Côte d'Ivoire
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Ecuador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Ethiopia
  • French Guiana
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Ghana
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Kenya
  • Liberia
  • Mali
  • Mauritania
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Panama
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Republic of the Congo
  • Senegal
  • Sierra Leone
  • South Sudan
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Togo
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Uganda
  • Venezuela
Compiled Aug 26, 2026 · cdn.who.int · International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36

International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Samoan tālā (WST, $)
Safety — Generally safe
The UK government says the level of serious crime is low and incidents of petty theft are uncommon and opportunistic. It says Samoa's tides can produce powerful currents in ocean lagoons and many waves break directly onto reefs, advises taking local advice before swimming or surfing, and says stray dogs are common in Apia and in many villages.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk · archived copy
Power plugs
I · 230V 50Hz
Emergency numbers
General emergencies: 911
Languages
Samoan
Time zone
UTC+13
Driving side
left
International Driving Permit

The Samoa Tourism Authority says all international drivers must get an endorsement on their full driver’s licence before they are allowed to drive in Samoa, that temporary drivers’ permits are available from most rental vehicle companies, the Samoa Tourism Information Center, Samoa Post or the Land Transport Authority in Apia, and that a permit costs WST$21 for one month. It says an endorsed international driver’s licence can be used for at most 90 days in any one year, and that a longer period requires a Samoan driver’s licence. No official source we could read states whether an International Driving Permit is required.

Verified Oct 10, 2026 · samoa.travel Compare every country
Tap water
not for drinking. Use bottled

Best time to visit

The UK government's travel advice says the tropical cyclone season normally runs from November to the end of April, with most rain falling from December to March.

Tips & warnings

Canada's travel advice says the sale of alcohol is prohibited on Sundays. The UK's says drinking alcohol in public is illegal except at bars or restaurants, and that the legal drinking age is 21.

The UK government's travel advice says local communities expect you to dress modestly when visiting towns and villages, and that swimwear is acceptable on the beach or by streams and waterfalls but anywhere else is likely to receive negative attention. Canada's advises not taking photos of individuals without explicit permission, and requesting permission before entering a lagoon, as certain villages may hold customary rights over them.

Canada's travel advice says traffic drives on the left. The UK government tells British drivers they must buy a temporary driving permit, which requires a UK driving licence; car rental companies will help with this, and the permit can be used for up to 90 days a year. It says the speed limit is 40 km/h in towns and villages and 56 km/h outside, and that any accident must be reported to the police within 24 hours.

Canada's travel advice says ATMs are mostly located in and around Apia, with one on Savai'i, and that they remain unavailable throughout the rest of the islands.

The UK government's travel advice says the tropical cyclone season normally runs from November to the end of April, and that higher rainfall inland can cause flooding.

Visa requirements by nationality

PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistanVisa-free90 days
AlbaniaVisa-free90 days
AlgeriaVisa-free90 days
AndorraVisa-free90 days
AngolaVisa-free90 days
Antigua and BarbudaVisa-free90 days
ArgentinaVisa-free90 days
ArmeniaVisa-free90 days
AustraliaVisa-free90 days
AustriaVisa-free90 days
AzerbaijanVisa-free90 days
BahamasVisa-free90 days
BahrainVisa-free90 days
BangladeshVisa-free90 days
BarbadosVisa-free90 days
BelarusVisa-free90 days
BelgiumVisa-free90 days
BelizeVisa-free90 days
BeninVisa-free90 days
BhutanVisa-free90 days
BoliviaVisa-free90 days
Bosnia and HerzegovinaVisa-free90 days
BotswanaVisa-free90 days
BrazilVisa-free90 days
BruneiVisa-free90 days
BulgariaVisa-free90 days
Burkina FasoVisa-free90 days
BurundiVisa-free90 days
Cabo VerdeVisa-free90 days
CambodiaVisa-free90 days
CameroonVisa-free90 days
CanadaVisa-free90 days
Central African RepublicVisa-free90 days
ChadVisa-free90 days
ChileVisa-free90 days
ChinaVisa-free90 days
ColombiaVisa-free90 days
ComorosVisa-free90 days
Costa RicaVisa-free90 days
Côte d'IvoireVisa-free90 days
CroatiaVisa-free90 days
CubaVisa-free90 days
CyprusVisa-free90 days
CzechiaVisa-free90 days
Democratic Republic of the CongoVisa-free90 days
DenmarkVisa-free90 days
DjiboutiVisa-free90 days
DominicaVisa-free90 days
Dominican RepublicVisa-free90 days
EcuadorVisa-free90 days
EgyptVisa-free90 days
El SalvadorVisa-free90 days
Equatorial GuineaVisa-free90 days
EritreaVisa-free90 days
EstoniaVisa-free90 days
EswatiniVisa-free90 days
EthiopiaVisa-free90 days
FijiVisa-free90 days
FinlandVisa-free90 days
FranceVisa-free90 days
GabonVisa-free90 days
GambiaVisa-free90 days
GeorgiaVisa-free90 days
GermanyVisa-free90 days
GhanaVisa-free90 days
GreeceVisa-free90 days
GrenadaVisa-free90 days
GuatemalaVisa-free90 days
GuineaVisa-free90 days
Guinea-BissauVisa-free90 days
GuyanaVisa-free90 days
HaitiVisa-free90 days
HondurasVisa-free90 days
Hong KongVisa-free90 days
HungaryVisa-free90 days
IcelandVisa-free90 days
IndiaVisa-free90 days
IndonesiaVisa-free90 days
IranVisa-free90 days
IraqVisa-free90 days
IrelandVisa-free90 days
IsraelVisa-free90 days
ItalyVisa-free90 days
JamaicaVisa-free90 days
JapanVisa-free90 days
JordanVisa-free90 days
KazakhstanVisa-free90 days
KenyaVisa-free90 days
KiribatiVisa-free90 days
KosovoVisa-free90 days
KuwaitVisa-free90 days
KyrgyzstanVisa-free90 days
LaosVisa-free90 days
LatviaVisa-free90 days
LebanonVisa-free90 days
LesothoVisa-free90 days
LiberiaVisa-free90 days
LibyaVisa-free90 days
LiechtensteinVisa-free90 days
LithuaniaVisa-free90 days
LuxembourgVisa-free90 days
MacauVisa-free90 days
MadagascarVisa-free90 days
MalawiVisa-free90 days
MalaysiaVisa-free90 days
MaldivesVisa-free90 days
MaliVisa-free90 days
MaltaVisa-free90 days
Marshall IslandsVisa-free90 days
MauritaniaVisa-free90 days
MauritiusVisa-free90 days
MexicoVisa-free90 days
MicronesiaVisa-free90 days
MoldovaVisa-free90 days
MonacoVisa-free90 days
MongoliaVisa-free90 days
MontenegroVisa-free90 days
MoroccoVisa-free90 days
MozambiqueVisa-free90 days
MyanmarVisa-free90 days
NamibiaVisa-free90 days
NauruVisa-free90 days
NepalVisa-free90 days
NetherlandsVisa-free90 days
New ZealandVisa-free90 days
NicaraguaVisa-free90 days
NigerVisa-free90 days
NigeriaVisa-free90 days
North KoreaVisa-free90 days
North MacedoniaVisa-free90 days
NorwayVisa-free90 days
OmanVisa-free90 days
PakistanVisa-free90 days
PalauVisa-free90 days
PalestineVisa-free90 days
PanamaVisa-free90 days
Papua New GuineaVisa-free90 days
ParaguayVisa-free90 days
PeruVisa-free90 days
PhilippinesVisa-free90 days
PolandVisa-free90 days
PortugalVisa-free90 days
QatarVisa-free90 days
Republic of the CongoVisa-free90 days
RomaniaVisa-free90 days
RussiaVisa-free90 days
RwandaVisa-free90 days
Saint Kitts and NevisVisa-free90 days
Saint LuciaVisa-free90 days
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVisa-free90 days
SamoaFree movement—
San MarinoVisa-free90 days
São Tomé and PríncipeVisa-free90 days
Saudi ArabiaVisa-free90 days
SenegalVisa-free90 days
SerbiaVisa-free90 days
SeychellesVisa-free90 days
Sierra LeoneVisa-free90 days
SingaporeVisa-free90 days
SlovakiaVisa-free90 days
SloveniaVisa-free90 days
Solomon IslandsVisa-free90 days
SomaliaVisa-free90 days
South AfricaVisa-free90 days
South KoreaVisa-free90 days
South SudanVisa-free90 days
SpainVisa-free90 days
Sri LankaVisa-free90 days
SudanVisa-free90 days
SurinameVisa-free90 days
SwedenVisa-free90 days
SwitzerlandVisa-free90 days
SyriaVisa-free90 days
TaiwanVisa-free90 days
TajikistanVisa-free90 days
TanzaniaVisa-free90 days
ThailandVisa-free90 days
Timor-LesteVisa-free90 days
TogoVisa-free90 days
TongaVisa-free90 days
Trinidad and TobagoVisa-free90 days
TunisiaVisa-free90 days
TurkeyVisa-free90 days
TurkmenistanVisa-free90 days
TuvaluVisa-free90 days
UgandaVisa-free90 days
UkraineVisa-free90 days
United Arab EmiratesVisa-free90 days
United KingdomVisa-free90 days
United StatesVisa-free90 days
UruguayVisa-free90 days
UzbekistanVisa-free90 days
VanuatuVisa-free90 days
Vatican CityVisa-free90 days
VenezuelaVisa-free90 days
VietnamVisa-free90 days
YemenVisa-free90 days
ZambiaVisa-free90 days
ZimbabweVisa-free90 days

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

Fiji112 of 199 passports visa-free · 87 eVisa/ETATonga28 of 199 passports visa-freeVanuatu114 of 199 passports visa-free · 85 eVisa/ETANew Zealand2 of 199 passports visa-free · 197 eVisa/ETASolomon Islands1 of 199 passports visa-free · 198 eVisa/ETA

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Samoa?

Samoa Immigration says foreign nationals who do not hold a valid Temporary Resident Permit or Samoan citizenship will be issued with a free 90-day Visitors Permit upon arrival, applied for using the arrival card. Travellers must have a passport valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended stay, confirmed onward tickets, visas for the next country of destination, sufficient funds to support themselves and a confirmed residential contact address.

How long can I stay in Samoa?

Samoa Immigration says visitors can apply for a 90-day Visitor Permit on arrival. Visitors in Samoa who wish to stay longer as a visitor use the temporary residence form (MPMC100), with a photocopy of an onward ticket out of Samoa, evidence of sufficient funds to support the extended stay and details of their accommodation arrangements.

Do I need a return ticket to enter Samoa?

Yes. Samoa Immigration says the grant of a Visitors permit is subject to its entry requirements, including that the passenger must have a return or onward ticket and state their accommodation arrangements, be it holiday accommodation such as a hotel or resort, or with family or friends (specifically the village and family name).

What vaccinations do I need for Samoa?

The UK government says you must have a certificate to prove you have had a yellow fever vaccination if you are coming from a country listed as a transmission risk. Samoa's Ministry of Health says it has no active travel advisories or health-related travel restrictions in place at this time. The UK government lists Zika virus and dengue among the health risks and says to take precautions against being bitten by mosquitoes.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source