Immigration law in Solomon Islands

The Immigration Act 2012 and Immigration Regulations 2013 provide the main legal framework. A non-citizen must generally hold a visa under section 10 of the Act unless an exemption under section 11 applies. Entry normally takes place through a designated airport or port, followed by personal presentation to an Immigration Officer. Officials may require a passport usually valid for at least six months, a return or onward ticket, sufficient funds, a genuine purpose of travel and evidence of accommodation or an invitation. The online Solomon Islands Border Management System and eVisa service have been available since September 2026. A visa does not itself guarantee admission; missing entry requirements can lead to refusal, cancellation or removal. Visitor and tourist visas normally allow a 90-day single entry and may reach a maximum stay of 180 days. The listed fee is USD 50 plus a USD 50 online fee, and the visa does not permit work. An extension should be requested before expiry. A visiting-relatives visa normally allows 90 days with multiple entry and may be extended up to one year when the required sponsor letter is provided. Nationals of Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Vanuatu can generally enter visa-free for 60 days on a single entry, subject to the applicable conditions and any extension process. A short-term business visa costs USD 450 and can allow up to 180 days, but it does not authorise employment. Special exemptions cover categories such as diplomats, foreign officials and certain ministerial or NGO activities. Special-purpose permissions can cover volunteering, research, sport, religious work, entertainment or emergency employment. Maritime transit permission normally covers seven days and may reach 14 days with a new or substantive visa. Work permission has two separate parts: a work permit and an employment visa. The Labour Division and Commissioner of Labour assess the work permit, while Immigration issues the related immigration permission. The usual work-permit file includes Form 1, a photograph, passport, employment contract, CV, qualifications, references, an organisation chart, a localisation or training plan and evidence that the position was advertised locally. The employer generally needs to show that no qualified and available Solomon Islander can fill the position. An applicant normally applies from outside Solomon Islands, although renewals, spouses and exempt transfers can follow different rules. Approval in principle is followed by immigration endorsement. A rejected work-permit application can be appealed to the Minister responsible for Labour; official guidance gives at least 14 days for that appeal. A long-term employment visa normally requires an approved sponsor and work permit, costs USD 450, allows multiple entry for two years and can be extended. A short-term employment visa normally costs USD 300, lasts six months and requires Labour support. Changing employer or sponsor requires new sponsorship and a new work permit. A dependant cannot work without separate work authorisation. A student visa or dependant visa normally costs USD 150, lasts two years and can be extended. The application requires confirmation from the educational institution, and the stay remains linked to the course, usually covering the course period plus less than one month. Study permission alone does not authorise employment. Family permissions include dependant status for the spouse or child of a foreign national, dependant status linked to a resident and a Family Relationship Visa for a dependant of a Solomon Islands citizen. The Family Relationship Visa normally costs USD 300, lasts two years and can be extended, but it does not automatically give a right to work. Sponsorship duties and the validity of the sponsor's status affect dependant permissions, and false documents can lead to refusal or cancellation. Long-term visas can cover business, investment, employment, study, research, exchange and religious work. They normally last no more than two years. An extension application should generally be filed at least two months before expiry through the Permit Unit. Permanent Resident status normally requires five years of lawful continuous prior stay, costs USD 1,500, lasts five years and can be extended. It does not automatically create a work right, and dependants remain linked to the sponsor and may be reassessed. Permanent residence does not automatically become citizenship. The Citizenship Act 2018 covers citizenship by birth or constitutional status, adoption and application. An adult applicant generally needs to be at least 18, ordinarily resident, have five years of residence within the preceding ten years, have no unlawful non-citizen status during that ten-year period, show likely continued residence or a close continuing relationship, demonstrate good character, speak conversational English, Pijin or a vernacular language, respect Solomon Islands culture and way of life, and understand citizenship rights and duties. A spouse of a citizen by birth normally needs at least five years of continuous marriage. Separate ancestry provisions can apply through a parent, grandparent or great-grandparent who is a citizen by birth. Children under 18 may be included. The Citizenship Commission can decide an application within 120 days and must generally give written notice within 30 days. Approval is followed by an oath or affirmation and citizenship pledge. Eligibility does not prevent refusal on public-policy or national-interest grounds. Listed fees include SBD 10,000 for an adult non-birth application, SBD 2,000 for resumption or ancestry, SBD 1,000 for a child under 18, SBD 2,000 for renunciation and SBD 1,000 for a certificate. Protection arrangements are fragmented. Solomon Islands is party to the 1951 Refugee Convention and the 1967 Protocol. Current categories include an Asylum Seeker visa, Refugee visa and protection for human trafficking and smuggling cases. The first two categories are free; an Asylum Seeker visa may last for the period connected with ministerial submission, investigation, court proceedings or the asylum matter and is not extendable, and it does not allow work. The Refugee visa is also non-extendable. The available evidence does not establish a clear, current, enacted national refugee-status determination procedure, so formal visa channels, ministerial practice and international support may operate together. UNHCR Canberra provides regional support and referrals. Visa conditions must be followed. Breach, unmet entry requirements, character concerns, serious health concerns, fraud or false documents can lead to cancellation. An unlawful non-citizen generally has a duty to depart and may face a daily fine. That fine can be removed when departure occurs by the end of the 21st day after unlawful status, except where cancellation caused the status. The Director may impose a bond, reporting duties, residence conditions or requirements concerning travel documents. The Minister can make a deportation order, and immigration authorities have detention and removal powers. A visa refusal or cancellation should arrive with written reasons and review information. Many officer and Director decisions can be reviewed, although exclusions include an external visa without an approved sponsor, onshore visitor or business cases, refugee protection visas and the national-interest exclusion under section 88. An officer decision is generally reviewed by the Director, while a Director decision is generally reviewed by the Minister. The prescribed review fee is USD or SBD 500, the application period is 14 days and a review decision is generally due within 14 days, with written reasons normally issued within two days. Citizenship refusal, renunciation or revocation follows a separate review process before the Citizenship Review Board, generally within 30 days of notice. High Court judicial review is expressly relevant in the section 28 context. Immigration fees and online charges can change, so the current published version should be checked before filing.