Samoa Emigration and Immigration

Pacific Samoa

Samoa Immigration aims to protect Samoa and its people through:


 * The effective management of Samoa's borders
 * Ensuring compliance with entry permit regulations
 * The creation of high integrity travel documentation
 * Continuous assessment and improvement of Immigration services.

In meeting these objectives, Samoa Immigration offers several key services to Samoan and foreign citizens. These are broadly categorised as:

Citizenship Services : The issuing of travel documents to Samoan citizens and the processing of citizenship applications by foreign citizens.

Permit Services : The processing and issuing of entry permits to foreign citizens, particularly temporary residence permits for a range of purposes including study, business investment and employment.

Visitor Services : The issuing of visitor permits for foreign citizens travelling to Samoa for less than sixty (60) days.

Samoa Immigration is based in Apia, Samoa, but works closely with Samoa's overseas Missions to provide its services to Samoan and foreign citizens abroad. The authority for their work is mandated by several key legislative Acts and public service regulations. They work closely with other areas of government and overseas counterparts in meeting national, regional, and global objectives.

The Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) has duplicate records of all naturalizations that occurred after September 26, 1906. Requests for information must be made through a Freedom of Information Act and Privacy Act request, sent to:

INS FOIA/PA 2nd Floor, ULLB 425 I Street NW Washington, D.C. 20536

Historical Reference Library 425 I Street NW Washington, D.C. 20536 Telephone: 202-514-2837

Information is provided about the INS Historical Reference Library collection and services, and documents concerning the history of the Service (as well as of immigration law, procedure, and immigration stations, and instructions for historical and genealogical research using INS records).


 * Historical Research Tools
 * Immigrant Arrival Records
 * Ports of Entry and Records

Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) U.S. Department of Justice INS Historical Reference Library and Reading Room Section Chester Arthur Building, 425 I Street, NW Room 1100A Washington, D.C. 20536 Telephone: 202-514-2837

Immigration and Naturalization Service (BKK) District Office, Bangkok, Thailand c/o American Embassy APO San Francisco, CA 96346

Immigration and Naturalization Service (RIT) District Office, Rome, Italy c/o American Embassy (Via V. Veneto 119) APO New York, NY 09794

Persons visiting Samoa are met by immigration officials at the airport who stamp their passports with an entry permit, allowing them to stay until the date of their flight out of the country. There is no problem extending a stay for up to 30 days. Extensions longer than 30 days are possible but not automatic. An easy way to obtain an extension is to take a quick trip to American Samoa before returning to Western Samoa.

Gaining residency is not that easy and the government decides how many permanent resident permits will be granted in any year. Successful applicants for immigration need to show that they will make a significant contribution to the social and economic prosperity of Samoa.