Do you need a Visa to come to Fiji?

A visa is a pre-entry authority issued to a non-citizen passport holder from non-visa-exempted countries that authorizes the passport holder, to travel from his/her country or any destination country outside of Fiji to Fiji’s borders. (Immigration of Fiji, 2022)

Visa may be granted for the following reasons

All Visa applications are considered on merit and on a case-by-case basis – 

• visiting friends/families,
• for holiday,
• business purposes,
• transit purposes for more than three hours, or for joining a vessel as crew or passenger.
• Representative of a foreign government and his/her relative.

What Countries Are Visa Excepted?

The current list of visa-exempted countries is listed below (2023) and can also be found on the Fiji Immigration Department website. (DO NOT NEED TO APPLY)

Antigua & Barbuda, Argentina, Australia, Austria, The Bahamas, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belgium, Belize, Bermuda, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Cook Islands [NZ passport holder], Croatia, Cyprus, Cuba, Czech Republic, Denmark, Commonwealth Dominica, Estonia, The federal Republic of Germany, The federated States of Micronesia, Finland, France, The Gambia, Georgia, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guyana, Holy See (Vatican), Hong Kong [SAR], Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Kiribati, Latvia, Lesotho, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Macau, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Malta, Mauritius, Mexico, Moldova, Monaco, Nauru, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Nigeria, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Paraguay, Peru, The Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Ireland, Republic of the Marshall Islands, Romania, Russia, Samoa, Serbia, Slovak Republic, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Swaziland, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Thailand, Tonga, Trinidad & Tobago, Tunisia, Turkey, Tuvalu, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, United States of America, Uruguay, Vanuatu, Venezuela, Zambia, Zimbabwe

How to lodge my Application?

The visa applications can be directly lodged at any Fijian Immigration Department office located in Suva, Nadi, Lautoka, Savusavu, Levuka, Labasa, and Rotuma or through the nearest Fiji High Commission and Embassy offices stationed abroad, each listed below.

Below we have listed the Fijian Embassies and High Commissions, located overseas, with links to the Embassies and Commissions that have created an official website, the others use Facebook and other social media platforms for the main online presence and distribution of information, although this is not ideal, social media platforms do provide an ability to instantly respond to certain queries. So give yourself plenty of time as it may take several attempts to reach the appropriate person or department.

Australia – Canberra, Belgium – Brussels, China – Beijing, India – New Delhi, Indonesia – Jakarta, Japan – Tokyo, Malaysia – Kuala Lumpur, New Zealand – Wellington, United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi, United Kingdom – London, United States – Washington, D.C.

Types of Visa Available

There are two types of Visa available, each self-evident by their individual titles – 

1. Single Entry Visa (SEV) – valid for 3 months and can be used for a single journey to Fiji only.
2. Multiple Entry Visa (MEV) – valid for multiple entries to Fiji for a period of 12 months from the date of issue. The duration of stay for each entry should not exceed 4 months.

Visa Application Requirements

We have included below the list of Visa requirements for holidaying in Fiji, with a separate link underneath to direct you to the official website for other Visas. The information is self-explanatory, so please follow it carefully.

A few years back I was applying for a US Work Visa and had a few passport-sized photos stashed away from the time I was renewing my passport, over 2 years prior, to save a few dollars I submitted them, along with the back page of my passport. The trained eye noticed the date on the passport. and the uncanny resemblance of the image embedded in this official legal document to the two submitted RECENT photos. The looks across the counter of annoyance and displeasure from the official still haunt me today, I remained shtum, collected my documents thanked her, and proceeded to check and double-check everything.

The lesson learned was this was not a game, I was asking to be allowed entrance into their country, and I was not taking it seriously disrespecting the process, and ultimately wasting my time and more importantly theirs.

HOLIDAY PURPOSE (FAMILY/FRIENDS/HOTEL)

• Visitors Visa Application form
• Certified Copy of the Passport (Bio data page)
• Two (02) recent passport-size photos
• Confirmation of pre-booked hotel (If accommodated at hotel
• Local Sponsor letter (if accommodated with family/friends)
• A copy of the travel itinerary/ticket
• Proof of funds to sustain the duration of stay (e.g. recent Bank Statement/visa Cards)
• Copy of Sponsor Valid I.D/Passport/ Permit
• Proof of approved visa and onward ticket[if the applicant is travelling to another country needing visa)
• Consent letter from the spouse (if travelling alone)
• Consent letter from parents (for 18 years and under) and travelling alone
• Leave letter is approved

If you are applying for Transitting, Business (Training/Workshop) or Fishing Agencies (Crew/Seaman) Visa you can find the visa application requirements here 

Processing Time

This is generally a very fast process if you follow the step-by-step guide outlined by the Immigration Department of Fiji, you must provide all the required items listed above for the visa you are applying for, it takes roughly 3 working days to process a visa application from the date of receipt by the Visa Officer. Any delays normally are caused by the inability to process the accompanying documents that could be incomplete, additional documentation required, clarification, or further verification needed. Place yourself in his/her shoes as you go through your application, dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s on the forms, making sure the writing is clear and legible to the officer, with ALL the required documents provided that verify all the information they need to approve your visa.

Notification of Visa Approval or Refusal

The visas are endorsed on the passport or in cases where the passport is not submitted, a visa approval letter is sent to the successful applicant notifying the approval of the visa, the validity of the visa, and the duration of the stay in Fiji. If the visa application is unsuccessful, the applicant is notified in writing of the refusal of the visa application and justified reasons for refusal.

THE OFFICIAL WEBSITE FOR FIJI IMMIGRATION – As information is continuously being updated, please always refer to this official government source, and follow the instructions given by the respected Officer. The website has a database with all the applications and required footnotes making this process as painless as possible.

One final note please allow plenty of time (4 – 6 weeks in advance is our suggestion)