Tahiti - Visa

Entry Requirements

Foreigners wishing to visit French Polynesia must have a valid passport, which, depending on the nationality of the visitor, contains a valid visa. Such visitors must also have an airline ticket back to their resident country or to at least two more continuing destinations. Visitors must also have a sufficient amount of funds to cover their planned stay in the territory.

Visa Formalities

1. Visitors Eligible for Three-Month Stays.

Citizens of certain countries are exempt from all visa requirements for stays of three months or less. They are citizens of European Union Countries: Germany, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. They are citizens of the following other countries: Andorra, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland, the Vatican, and Australia*.

2. Visitors Eligible for One-Month Stays.

Citizens of the following countries are exempt from all consular visa requirements for stays of one month or less: Argentina, Bolivia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus*, Czech Republic, El Salvador*, Equador, Estonia, Guatemala, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Japan*, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Malta, Mexico*, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Poland, Singapore*, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, the United States of America**, and Uruguay.

3. When Visas are Obligatory

Citizens from all other countries are obliged to have a consular-issued visa for French Polynesia issued by a French consulate office in the country where the citizen lives. The visa must include the following wording: "Valable pour la Polynesie Francaise" (valid for French Polynesia).

4. Other Situations

A foreigner with a residence card for the United States is not exempt from having a visa for visiting French Polynesia. This person should contact French consular officials based in the United States of America. The entry formalities from French Polynesia are subject to modification without notice. Foreigners planning to visit French Polynesia are, therefore, urged to contact their nearest French Consulate or an airline serving Tahiti.

As visa requirements may change, click here for visa information posted by the Consulat Général de France.

*Except for paid activities in French Polynesia.
**Just like in France, short-stay visas are required for American citizens in the following cases: holders of diplomatic and official passports on assignment, students enrolled in courses in French Polynesia, journalists on assignment, crew members, as well as those who will have paid activities in French Polynesia (including scientists and artists).

Custom Regulations

In addition to personal effects, the following are allowed into Tahiti duty-free: 200 cigarettes or 100 cigarillos or 50 cigars or 250 grams of smoking tobacco, 50 grams of perfume, 500 grams of coffee, 100 grams of tea and 2 liters of spirits.

To import plants and flowers, special permission is necessary from the Service of Rural Economy, P.O. Box 100, Papeete, Tahiti, Tel. 42.97. 80 (Fare Ute - Papeete)/ 82.49.99 (Faa'a airport). All passengers importing plants, flowers, fruits or vegetables, must be in possession of an international certificate.

Importation of live animals is prohibited. Contact the above mentioned service if you have questions. Open daily from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., and from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Non-prohibited items should be re-exported in a maximum deadline of six months.

Certain types of animal life and flora are protected by customs regulations:

• by the Washington agreement (requires a CITES certificate issued by the Nature Protection Service)

• by territorial regulations (certain shells, etc. ...)