The new electronic visa system for the Solomon Islands has officially entered its operational phase.
In a government statement published on September 7, 2026, authorities announced that they had “officially implemented a new border management system and visa regime to strengthen border security and make travel to Solomon Islands easier and more efficient.”
The reforms are administered by the Solomon Islands Immigration Division, under the Ministry of Commerce, Industry, Labour and Immigration. They are built around the Solomon Islands Border Management System (BMS), which has been progressively rolled out at the country’s border control points in recent months.
Visa applications can now be processed entirely online
Under Section 92(1) of the Immigration Act 2012, authorities approved an authorized electronic system for filing and processing visa applications.
The government says the new Electronic Visa System allows applicants to submit their applications online, while immigration authorities can process, approve and electronically record decisions through the same platform. A decision made through the system is legally recognized as a decision made by an authorized immigration officer.
Tourists and other travelers who require a visa must now use the online portal before traveling, according to the ministry.
The Immigration Division currently states that online applications and payments are operational and lists several visa classes available electronically, including visitor and business visas, as well as certain special exemption and special purpose categories.
Online visa payments have been available since August 22, 2026
The September 6 government announcement formalizes a system whose final components had already begun going live several weeks earlier.
On August 22, 2026, the Solomon Islands Immigration Division announced that its online visa payment gateway was operational. At that point, authorities said applicants could submit their applications and pay visa fees online, while noting that only Visitor Visa classes were initially available through the platform. Other visa categories were expected to be added progressively.
The launch followed several months of testing. In early July, the government said it had successfully completed testing of the payment gateway developed with ANZ Banking Group, although the service was not yet fully available to applicants at that stage.
The latest ministerial statement now confirms that the electronic payment gateway is operational for visa payments.
New visa regime includes 34 categories
The reform also restructures the Solomon Islands’ immigration framework. According to the government, the new system includes 34 visa categories across 11 visa subclasses, covering visitors, business travelers, workers, students and applicants under special arrangements.
The restructuring is accompanied by a new fee schedule.
The Immigration (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, published in the Official Gazette, provide that applications and fee payments should primarily be made electronically. Immigration authorities may still accept manual applications in exceptional circumstances, including system outages or difficulties accessing digital services.
For the Tourist Visa, the fee schedule lists a $50 administrative fee and a $50 service fee, for a total of $100, as well as a $100 fee for an extension. The same amounts are displayed in the application area of the electronic visa portal.
Tourist stays may reach up to 180 days
The government statement says eligible travelers initially receive 30 days of pre-entry authorization, while those wishing to stay longer may apply for a visa or an extension. The tourist category may allow a total stay of up to 180 days, subject to the requirements of Solomon Islands immigration law.
However, the information currently displayed across the government’s various official platforms requires some clarification.
In the logged-in application portal reviewed by VisasNews, the “Tourist Visa” page lists a single entry, total fees of $100 and a 90-day stay, with one extension of up to an additional 90 days.
The public Tourist Visa page currently presents the duration differently, referring to a 30-day pre-entry authorization, an extended stay of 60 days and an overall maximum of up to 180 days.
The ministerial announcement likewise refers to an initial 30-day period and a tourist stay of up to 180 days. The authorities therefore do not yet appear to have fully harmonized the way these stay periods are presented across their digital platforms.
US, Canadian, UK and EU travelers are not required to obtain an e-Visa before travel
The launch of the electronic system does not mean that every traveler must apply for an e-Visa before visiting the Solomon Islands.
US, Canadian and UK nationals, along with citizens of European Union countries, are among the travelers covered by existing visa-free or concessional entry arrangements for short stays. The Solomon Islands Government’s current guidance states that US citizens and nationals of most Commonwealth and European Union countries do not need to obtain a visa before travel for a standard visit.
Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom are specifically included in the official list of “Concessional Entry Arrangement Countries” published in the Solomon Islands Gazette in June 2025.
EU citizens are covered separately by the visa waiver agreement between the European Union and the Solomon Islands, which allows eligible passport holders to stay visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, provided they are not traveling for paid employment.
For American, Canadian, British and EU travelers making an ordinary short tourist visit, the launch of the new e-Visa portal therefore does not create a new mandatory online visa application before departure. All travelers nevertheless remain subject to immigration clearance on arrival and must meet the applicable entry requirements.
“Facilitate legitimate travel and tourism”
For Christopher Akosawa, Director of Immigration for the Solomon Islands, the modernization is intended to combine stronger border controls with easier international travel.
“These reforms balance the need to protect our borders with the need to facilitate legitimate travel and tourism. The new system makes it easier to visit Solomon Islands while strengthening our security and immigration processes,” Mr. Akosawa said.
The Immigration Director also said digitization should help reduce processing times and make visa services more accessible to applicants both in the Solomon Islands and overseas.
An electronic visa approval — or eligibility for a visa exemption — does not automatically guarantee admission. All travelers remain subject to immigration clearance upon arrival and must comply with the conditions attached to their immigration status.
VisasNews Take
The September 6, 2026 announcement formally confirms a service that had already been rolling out for several weeks. The online payment gateway went live on August 22, initially for Visitor Visa classes, and the government has now confirmed that the electronic application, processing and payment system is operational. The portal is therefore now the main application channel for travelers who require a visa. The change does not affect existing short-stay visa exemptions, including those available to European Union citizens.
