Papua New Guinea permanent residence

Applicants must fit one of these descriptions: chief executive of a company with at least 250 employees and annual turnover of PGK 10 million or more, operating in PNG for over five years; majority owner of a resident business for at least five years with net assets and turnover above PGK 2 million, or a property investment of at least PGK 10 million; a medical doctor, specialist or educationist with tertiary qualifications and five years' work in PNG; a missionary or religious worker with five years in PNG and income of at least PGK 25,000 a year or church support; a retired person over 55 with income of at least PGK 50,000 a year who has worked in PNG for five years; the legally married spouse of a PNG citizen after five years of marriage; or a citizen's child over 19 doing voluntary community work.

All applicants must have resided lawfully in PNG for more than five years, apply with a valid passport and a current photo, hold a current PNG entry permit, have a working knowledge of English or a PNG language, certify all documentary evidence as true and correct, and pay the prescribed fee.

Resident (long term) other than a missionary: USD 1,700. Resident (long term) missionary: nil. Dependants (long term): nil, as they are covered by the principal applicant.

ICA states that citizenship and dual citizenship pathways are open to foreign nationals who have lived in PNG for more than eight years, including business people, residents, investors and sportspeople. PNG currently accepts dual citizenship with Australia, New Zealand, Vanuatu, Fiji, Samoa, the United Kingdom, Germany and the United States.

Permanent residents are the one group exempt from ICA's rule that entry permit holders must not be away from PNG for more than six months. Applicants who may later seek citizenship should note that PNG currently accepts dual citizenship only with eight countries.