Samoa Travel Guide
Visa summary
247 passport nationalities researched for entry into Samoa.
Official government links
View official visa and immigration links for SamoaTravel news
No travel news yet for Samoa.
Guide
Samoa issues a free 90 day Visitor's Permit on arrival to most travelers, though the length varies by bilateral agreement, some nationalities get 60 days and others 30, so it is worth confirming your own figure rather than assuming the most generous one applies. Beyond the passport itself, valid for at least six months, Samoa's entry checklist is fuller than many neighboring islands: a return or onward ticket, a copy of a bank statement, no record of deportation from another country, no health condition that would pose a risk locally, and no history of criminal charges.
Samoa's departure costs jumped substantially from 1 March 2026. The departure tax for travelers 12 and older rose from 65 to 80 dollars, and a new Aerodrome Facility Charge of 100 dollars per passenger was added on top, bringing the total to 180 dollars for anyone departing Samoa over the age of 12, a real jump from what an older guide might quote.
Border crossings
- Faleolo International Airport
Samoa's main international gateway, about 35 kilometers west of the capital Apia on the island of Upolu, where the Visitor's Permit is issued and the new departure charges apply on the way out.
Transit routes
- Extend at the Immigration Office in Apia, once, for 60 more days
The permit can be stretched a single time for a modest additional fee, worth doing before the original period runs out rather than after.
- Bring a bank statement copy, not just cash
It is a specifically listed requirement here, more paperwork focused than some neighboring Pacific entry processes.
Entry point notes
- Budget 180 dollars for departure since March 2026
The combined departure tax and new facility charge applies to every traveler 12 and older leaving the country, a cost worth planning for well before you get to the airport.
- Confirm your specific visitor permit length
Ninety, sixty, or thirty days all exist depending on the bilateral agreement covering your nationality.