TuvaluWork

Tuvalu work permit: permit to enter and reside for employment

Permit to Enter and Reside for employment (Immigration Act, section 8)

In short

Foreigners taking a job in Tuvalu need a permit to enter and reside for employment, granted by the Principal Immigration Officer for up to one year and extendable. The application on Form 3 must include an employer sponsorship form, and costs 600 dollars when lodged outside Tuvalu or 1,200 dollars inside, plus a fee for each dependant.

checked 24 October 2026

Key facts

Maximum stay: Up to one year per permit
Validity: One year, extendable; no more than three extensions in five years without ministerial certification
Fee: A$600Principal applicant lodging outside Tuvalu; 1,200 if lodged in Tuvalu; dependants 150 or 300
Work: Yes, for the employment covered by the permit; changing or ending the job can lead to cancellation
Family: Dependants can be included for 150 dollars each from abroad or 300 dollars in Tuvalu
Where to apply: Abroad or in Tuvalu, lodged with an immigration officer

Purposes covered

Regulation 3 lets the Principal Immigration Officer issue a permit to enter and reside for business, employment, study, research, cultural or religious purposes, family reunion or support, accompanying another permit holder, or a purpose approved by the Minister. Employment permits can carry conditions on the occupation and the employer, and section 8 of the Act allows the officer to vary them.

Grounds for approval

The permit is granted only to an applicant who shows good health and character, meets all requirements of the Immigration Act, and holds a valid outward ticket or has paid a repatriation bond set by the Principal Immigration Officer.

Application requirements

Apply on Form 3, in English or Tuvaluan, signed by the applicant, and hand it to an immigration officer with the passport, two passport-size photographs, the fee, evidence that you fit the purpose, and either evidence of financial capacity or a sponsorship form from a resident sponsor. For employment, also attach the employer sponsorship form (Form 5). If you will stay more than a year, add a medical examination, a radiological examination and police reports from every jurisdiction where you lived for more than a year in the past five years.

Required documents

Identity

Two passport-size head and shoulders photographs

Travel

Passport or certificate of identity
Valid outward ticket or a repatriation bond

Money

Evidence of financial capacity or a resident sponsor's sponsorship form (Form 6), and the fee

Work

Employer sponsorship form (Form 5)

Other

Form 3, application for a permit to enter and reside, signed

Supporting documents (where they apply)

Other

Medical (Form 7) and radiological (Form 8) examinations and police reports, for stays over one year

Fees

For employment the fee is 600 dollars for the principal applicant and 150 dollars per dependant when the application is lodged outside Tuvalu, and 1,200 dollars and 300 dollars per dependant when lodged inside Tuvalu. The same amounts apply to permits to conduct business. Extensions are charged at the same rates.

Extensions and cancellation

Extensions are requested on Form 4. A permit to enter and reside cannot be extended more than three times in any five-year period unless the Minister, on the advice of the Citizenship Committee, certifies it is in the national interest. The Minister may cancel an employment permit if the job ends or the holder changes employer, or for unauthorised employment, false information or breach of conditions.

Appeal

A person aggrieved by an immigration officer's decision can ask in writing for the matter to be referred to the Minister within 14 days, or 28 days if living outside Tuvalu. The Principal Immigration Officer may grant an interim permit to the appellant and family while the appeal is pending.

How to apply, step by step

Secure a job offer and have the employer complete the sponsorship form (Form 5).
Complete Form 3 in English or Tuvaluan and gather the passport, photos and financial evidence.
For stays over a year, obtain the medical and radiological examinations and police reports.
Lodge the application and fee with an immigration officer, from abroad or in Tuvalu.
Before the permit ends, apply on Form 4 to extend it.

Frequently asked questions

Is it cheaper to apply from outside Tuvalu?

Yes. For employment the principal fee is 600 dollars when lodged outside Tuvalu and 1,200 dollars when lodged inside.

Can I change employer?

A change of employment or end of the job is a ground for the Minister to cancel the permit, so a new permit is needed.

How many times can I extend?

No more than three times in five years, unless the Minister certifies a further extension is in the national interest.

Do I need a medical check?

Only if you intend to reside in Tuvalu for more than one year; then medical and radiological examinations and police reports are required.

Official sources

Immigration Regulations, Cap. 24.15.1, 2022 Revised Edition – Tuvalu Legislation Online · checked 24 October 2026
Immigration Act, Cap. 24.15, 2022 Revised Edition – Tuvalu Legislation Online · checked 24 October 2026

Summarised from the official sources above. Rules, fees and processing times change: confirm with the embassy or the official portal before you apply.