What Documents Do I Need to Travel to Samoa? 📝 [2024]

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Passport for Entering Samoa

One of the most essential travel documents you need for Samoa is, of course, your passport.

Passports from all countries are accepted for visiting Samoa. Passports must be valid for at least six months after the date you intend to leave Samoa. In other words, the date that you state on your Passenger Arrival Card.

If your passport is valid for less than six months beyond the intended period of stay, then you need to seek authority to enter Samoa by applying for a Waiver Letter through your local Samoa High Commission or Samoa Consulate-General and bring that paperwork with you too!

Do You Need a Visa?

Note that you do not need a visa for visiting Samoa, as a tourist permit is automatically granted upon entry as long as you meet the entry requirements. Find out more in our guide, Samoa Tourist Visa: Do You Need a Visa to Visit Samoa?

If you are arriving in Samoa on a permit for work, study or for business, for example, you will need evidence of these types of visas.

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Arrival and Departure Flight Tickets/Booking Information

Another important travel document for Samoa is the paperwork for your flights to and from Samoa.

Ticket/Booking Information for Your Arrival Flight to Samoa

After booking your flight to Samoa, you should have received an email detailing your booking reference, departure time, etc. This is sometimes called an “E-Ticket”. Print this out and also save a digital copy so you can provide this to airport staff on check-in for your flight to Samoa.

After check-in at the airport, you will be provided with a Boarding Pass, listing your name, seat number, etc. Don’t lose it!

Ticket/Booking Information for Your Departure Flight From Samoa

In the same email, if you have booked a return flight from Samoa, you should also have your return flight details. If you have booked a separate flight or travel ticket departing Samoa, you will need to print and/or have a digital copy of this evidence, as it is a mandatory entry requirement in Samoa to have a valid outbound travel ticket.

See Samoa Tourist Visa: Do You Need a Visa to Visit Samoa? to learn more about entry requirements.

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Passenger Arrival Card + Accommodation Details

On your flight to Samoa, airline staff will hand out the Samoa Passenger Arrival Card for you to complete and give to Customs on arrival. The travel documents already discussed in the guide, such as your passport and flight boarding pass, will provide you with all the information you need to complete the Passenger Arrival Card. One additional piece of information that you need to provide on the card is the details of your accommodation in Samoa.

The Passenger Arrival Card requires you to at least know the name of your accommodation if staying at a commercial accommodation. If you’re not staying in commercial accommodation, provide the address of your accommodation, the name of your host and their phone number. Make sure you have this information readily available to complete the Passenger Arrival Card.

For more advice on completing the Passenger Arrival Card, head to What You Need to Know About the Samoa Passenger Arrival Card.

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Vaccination Certificates

Although you may want to ensure your routine vaccinations are up to date as per the recommendations of the World Health Organisation, there are no mandatory vaccinations required to enter Samoa with the exception of a yellow fever vaccination if you are arriving from or transiting through an area infected with yellow fever within six days of arrival in Samoa.

We keep an updated list of all the recommended and/or mandatory vaccines for a visit to Samoa in our article, Do You Need Vaccines to Travel to Samoa?

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Other Travel Documents You May Need for Samoa

All of the documents detailed above are mandatory for travel to Samoa unless stated otherwise. The following travel documents and paperwork are optional or only apply to specific situations.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance ensures financial cover in the event that travel plans need to be changed, theft or loss of personal items, you need medical attention, etc. Travel insurance policies cover (and don’t cover) a range of circumstances where you otherwise might have significant expenses. It is a personal decision to purchase travel insurance, so if you decide to go for it, make sure you have your policy paperwork and certificate.

Driver’s License (and International Driving Permit)

If you want to hire a vehicle in Samoa, then you’re going to need your valid overseas driver’s license. Check out Can You Drive in Samoa With an Overseas License? to see what driver’s licenses are accepted in Samoa so that you can be issued a temporary driver’s license by your rental provider.

Medical Prescription

If you’re bringing prescribed medication to Samoa, be sure that you have evidence that the medication is prescribed to you. Usually, the original packaging for the medication with your name and doctor’s name is sufficient. But if you don’t have this available, a copy of your prescription or a doctor’s letter will suffice.

Arriving in Samoa by Personal Boat/Yacht

Those arriving in Samoa on a personal sailing yacht need to provide additional paperwork for entering and departing Samoa. All of this is detailed in the Sailing Guide to Samoa: Tips for Yachting.