GoTuvalu Visa Requirements

Visa Entry

Tuvalu implements port visas for tourism and business personnel. Tourists can apply for a 30 day tourist visa for free upon arrival in Tuvalu with a valid passport and return ticket. Business personnel can apply for a 30 day business visa upon arrival in Tuvalu with a valid passport and return ticket, at a cost of AUD 50.

Foreign citizens who come to work in Tuvalu can apply for a one-year work visa at the Tuvaluan embassy, consulate, and immigration office with a valid passport, certificate of no criminal record, health certificate, bank deposit certificate, and invitation letter from a Tuvaluan domestic unit.

Customs epidemic prevention and control

Each adult passenger may bring the following limited goods into the country duty-free, but must declare at the time of entry: 200 cigarettes or 225 grams of tobacco or cigars, 1 liter of wine or spirits, and 1 bottle of perfume.

Prohibited from bringing firearms, ammunition, chemicals, drugs, animals and plants into the country

Except for pets such as cats and dogs that arrive from Australia, Fiji, New Zealand, and the UK, all other animals must have a "quarantine certificate" issued by the importing country and an import permit issued by Tuvalu.

The government of Tuvalu has no regulations on the Tuvaluan dollar and Australian dollar.

Residency and Naturalization

Tuvalu does not accept naturalization applications from foreigners.

The risk level of Tuvalu is blue (low risk)

public security

Tuvaluan people are simple and have good public security.

natural disaster

November to February is the rainy season, and hurricanes often occur.

The entire territory of Tuvalu is composed of coral reefs, and the rising sea level is increasingly posing a serious threat to the lives and property safety of the people of Tuvalu. Many potholes on the island have been flooded by seawater, and the living area is getting smaller and smaller. Some residents have migrated to countries such as the United States and New Zealand.

FDA

Most of Tuvalu's goods rely on imports. Vegetables have become an extremely precious food in the local area, and the locals have long relied on meat as their staple food. The quality of the food is still acceptable.

Special reminder: Please pay attention to the shelf life of food.

Urgent Help

Local emergency hotline: 111 or 20749.

air traffic

There are only international flights between Tuvalu and Fiji. Twice a week, traveling back and forth to Fiji on Mondays and Tuesdays.

There are no domestic flights available.

Tuvalu Airport is the only airport in the country that can only provide small aircraft takeoff and landing services due to limited conditions.

land transport

There are 4.9 kilometers of asphalt and sand roads within the territory. When there are no aircraft taking off or landing, the airport runway is used as a road, and local vehicles drive on the left. Inland transportation is mainly dominated by automobiles. Public buses are operated by the government and require parking.

water communication

1、 Sightseeing boat

You can rent it at Kaupule City Hall for AUD 200 per ship per day, with same day round trips. If you want to spend the night on other small islands within the atoll, the round-trip fee is 250 Australian dollars per ship.

2、 Transportation Ship

There are transportation boats running back and forth between Funafuti Island, where the capital is located, and the other eight islands. The boat schedules are adjusted every three months. Centered around Funafuti Island, the route is divided into three types:

North Island: Nanumea, Niutao, and Nanumanga

Nakajima: Nui, Vaitupu, and Nukufetao

South Island: Nukalaelae and Niulakita

Each route repeats approximately every 2 to 3 weeks, and there are different ticket prices for Class A, Second Class, and First Class.

The ticket purchase point is on the south side of the first floor of the Tuvalu Government Building. A-board tickets and second-class tickets can be purchased on board the ship before departure; First class tickets must be purchased in advance at the government building.

3、 International ships

There is a ship bound for Fiji every three months, arriving in Fiji in three days.

Urban transportation

1、 Bicycle

Bicycle rental services are available on Funafuti Island, with a daily rent of AUD 8-10.

2、 Motorcycle

The daily rental fee for a motorcycle is 10 Australian dollars (excluding fuel).

3、 Taxi

There are 7 taxi companies on Funafuti Island, and the rental prices need to be negotiated with the drivers themselves.

4、 Public bus

There are two public buses on Funafuti Island, carrying passengers from north to south of the island from 7am to 7pm daily. They wave to stop and charge 50 Australian dollars for adults and 20 Australian dollars for children.

major city

Funafuti is the capital of the island nation of Tuvalu in the central southern Pacific Ocean. Funafuti Island is slightly funnel-shaped and consists of more than 30 atolls. Most of the eastern reefs are connected in a string, while many isolated reefs exist in the west. The island height does not exceed 5 meters above sea level. In 1892, it became a British "protected area" and was established as a US military base in 1943.

Commodity prices

The main products include coconuts, bananas, taro, etc. The fishery resources are abundant and it is one of the main shark fin production areas in the world. Most daily necessities in Tuvalu rely on imports and are expensive.

Tuvalu has two banks, the National Bank of Tuvalu and the Development Bank of Tuvalu. The National Bank mainly provides personal consumer loans, while the Development Bank of Tuvalu mainly provides loans to small and medium-sized enterprises.

National Bank of Tuvalu operating hours:

Funafuti Head Office: Monday to Thursday: 10:00am to 2:00pm; Friday: 9:00am -1:00pm.

Outer Island Branch: Monday to Friday mornings 9: 00 AM to 12:00 AM.

Insurance Medical

Tuvalu implements a free healthcare system, but the medical conditions and facilities are poor. There is only one hospital in the country (Hospital of Princess Margaret) with 36 beds.

Common diseases and treatments

Due to long-term consumption of meat as a staple food, local people generally suffer from diseases such as fatty liver, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, or heart disease in their thirties and forties. The average lifespan is 50 years.

Customs taboos

Holiday introduction: New Year's Day (January 1), Commonwealth Day (March 12), Easter (April 13-16), Queen's Birthday (June 10), Children's Day (August 4), Tuvalu Day (Independence Day, October 1-2), Prince of Wales Birthday (November 14), Christmas (December 25).

Food, clothing, funeral and other major customs and habits: Traditional Tuvaluan dining still retains the primitive hand grabbing method, without using utensils such as knives, forks and spoons, and guests sit on the ground. Food is placed on a long table and consumed in a way similar to a Western buffet, with guests taking it themselves. Traditionally in Tuvalu, men are superior to women and respect the elderly. During a gathering, after the host delivers a speech, guests take a tray made of coconut leaves to eat, usually taken by the man first.

In terms of clothing, islanders wear traditional salon dresses (Sulu) for both men and women. Women's salon dresses are brightly colored and have side knots; For men, the color is dark and colorless, with knots on the middle side.

Tuvalu adopts earth burial, and relatives are often buried in their front and back yards after death. Tuvaluans treat the deceased as if they were relatives, and children or adults can often be seen lying on graves or playing games in graves with a salon dress on.

Main taboos: Christians in Tuvalu strongly avoid the numbers "3" and "13" as they consider them unlucky.

Communications Power

Telephone and international/domestic dialing methods and charges:

Mobile phones are available on Funafuti Island, operated by an Australian company, with calls to China costing approximately AUD 2 per minute.

Internet situation: Except for Niulakita Island, which is the southernmost island, there are satellite networks available on each island. At 20 Australian dollars per minute, there are 6 Internet cafes in China.

Power interface type: Three flat head. Standard voltage: 240V

contact information