Tuvalu

• Indian ordinary passport holders require immigration permission to enter Tuvalu as visitors.

• For a short tourism visit, the appropriate permission is Tuvalu's Visitor Permit.

• Tuvalu's Immigration Regulations permit the Principal Immigration Officer to issue a Visitor Permit for a maximum stay of 30 days.

• India is not included in Tuvalu's Schedule 1 list of nationalities exempt from paying the Visitor Permit fee.

• Indian visitors therefore have to pay the applicable AUD 100 Visitor Permit fee unless the fee is specifically waived by the competent Tuvalu authority.

• The Visitor Permit is obtained through Tuvalu Immigration rather than through an online eVisa portal.

• Tuvalu does not currently publish an official tourist eVisa system for Indian passport holders.

• An Indian tourist should not be instructed to apply through VFS or another visa application centre.

• The traveller must possess a valid passport.

• Tuvalu's current Immigration Act and Immigration Regulations require a passport for international entry but do not publish a specific general minimum remaining passport-validity period such as 6 months for an ordinary short-term visitor.

• Tripex should therefore state: 

"Passport must be valid for travel. As Tuvalu does not publish a specific minimum residual passport validity for ordinary visitors in its current Immigration Regulations, travellers should reconfirm passport-validity requirements with the airline and Tuvalu Immigration before travel."

• A valid outward/onward ticket is an important statutory requirement.

• The Immigration Act states that a visitor permit can be issued where the Principal Immigration Officer is satisfied that the traveller has a valid ticket or another means of travelling from Tuvalu to a country that the traveller is able to enter.

• Therefore, a confirmed return or onward ticket should be treated as required.

• The traveller should ensure that they meet the immigration requirements of the country to which they will travel after Tuvalu.

• Every person arriving in Tuvalu by air or sea, other than specified crew, must complete an Arrival Card.

• The traveller must be able to support themselves and any dependants while in Tuvalu.

• Tuvalu's Immigration Act allows admission to be refused where a traveller cannot demonstrate means of supporting themselves and their family/dependants.

• Bank statements are not specifically prescribed as a mandatory Visitor Permit document, but Immigration may request evidence of funds.

• Recommended financial evidence includes: 

Recent bank statement 

International debit/credit card 

Cash or other evidence of accessible travel funds

• Hotel booking is not specifically listed as a statutory mandatory Visitor Permit document in the Immigration Regulations.

• However, tourists should carry confirmed accommodation details and the address where they will stay in Tuvalu.

• An invitation letter is not required for a normal tourist staying in commercial accommodation.

• Where staying with relatives or a private host, the traveller should carry the host's name, address, telephone number and supporting invitation details if available.

• Travel insurance is not listed as a mandatory Visitor Permit requirement under the current Immigration Regulations.

• Comprehensive international medical and travel insurance is nevertheless strongly recommended because medical facilities and evacuation options in Tuvalu are limited.

• No universal vaccination certificate is listed in the current Immigration Regulations as a standard tourist Visitor Permit document.

• Health-entry conditions may change, so travellers should verify current public-health requirements before departure.

• Employment is not permitted under an ordinary Visitor Permit.

• Conducting business activities is not permitted under a normal Visitor Permit unless the permit receives the appropriate special endorsement.

• Study is not permitted under an ordinary Visitor Permit.

• Proselytising is not permitted under an ordinary Visitor Permit.

• An Immigration Officer can require the traveller to provide information and supporting documents relevant to entry.

• An Immigration Officer may also require a medical examination where permitted under Tuvalu immigration law.

• The Visitor Permit is discretionary.

• Holding travel bookings does not guarantee that the permit will be issued.

• Final permission to enter Tuvalu remains with Tuvalu Immigration.