How Long Can You Stay in Fiji on a Visitor Visa?

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How Long Can You Stay in Fiji on a Visitor Visa?

How long can you visit Fiji? The following duration of stay applies:

• On a standard Visitors Permit that is granted upon arrival into Fiji, you can stay up to four months from the date you arrive in Fiji,
• Or, on the Extension of the Visitors Permit, you can stay up to six months from the date you arrive in Fiji.

To be more specific, citizens from a visa-waiver country (see more below) can stay for up to four months in a 12-month period, which is known as a Multi-Entry Visa (MEV).

Citizens from other countries must choose on their Visitor Permit application form whether they want to stay for up to four months all at one time, known as a Single-Entry Visa (SEV), or get a Multi-Entry Visa.

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How to Stay in Fiji for Longer

There are several ways to legally stay in Fiji for longer. For the purpose of visiting Fiji for longer, in other words, staying for recreation and holiday, there are visitor visa extensions available. Otherwise, seeking a work permit or residency are other ways to stay for longer – see “Other Visas to Stay Longer in Fiji” section below.

Fiji Visitor Permit Extension

If you wish to stay longer than four months in Fiji, you will need to apply for a Visa Permit Extension. Applications can be made online via the Fiji Immigration website, or you can pick up an application form at an immigration office. Immigration offices are located in Suva, Nadi, Lautoka, Savusavu and Labasa. You can also apply through the nearest Fiji High Commission and Embassy offices stationed abroad.

A Visitor Permit Extension allows the holder to stay in Fiji for an additional two months, making it a total of six months from the date they arrived in Fiji.

What Do You Need in Order to Apply for a Visitor Permit Extension?

First, you will need the “The Application for the Extension of Visitor’s Permit”. The application then asks to provide the following:

• Arrival Card Number
• Valid passport
• Return travel ticket
• Proof of funds
• The date you entered Fiji
• The date your present Visitor Permit expires
• The date you plan to leave Fiji
• Reasons for the extension
• Some personal details such as your date of birth, nationality, profession, etc.
• To pay a fee of FJ$95.10.

How Long Does it Take for a Visitor Extension to Process?

Processing of Visitors Permit Extension takes three to five working days when submitted over the counter at Suva. However, processing takes longer if further assessment or documents are needed or submitted via applications made online. In our experience, online applications with Fiji Immigration have taken twice as long as the suggested timeframe, so we highly recommend that you start the application process as soon as you can, or even before you arrive in Fiji.

What are the Conditions for a Visitor Extension for Fiji?

There are some conditions you’ll need to meet in order to be granted a visitor visa extension for Fiji. First, you must meet the definition of a “Visitor”. According to Fiji Immigration, a visitor to Fiji is a non-citizen who wants to visit Fiji:

• A return travel ticket to their country of residence/citizenship/domicile
• A visa to any country they are transiting in
• A passport that is valid for no less than six months after the intended departure date
• Sufficient funds to sustain their duration of stay.

For more details about Visitor Permit requirements, check out Fiji Visa Guide: Do You Need a Visa to Visit Fiji?

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Other Visas to Stay in Fiji for Longer

Visitors already in Fiji cannot apply for another visa apart from the Visa Permit Extension. To stay longer in Fiji, you will need to hold another type of Visa or Permit, which must be applied for from overseas. Other ways to stay in Fiji for longer is by obtaining a student or work permit.

Student Visa

For those entering Fiji to study at a Fiji institution, work as an intern while enrolled as a student, or conduct research, you will need an approved Permit to Study/Research from the Department of Immigration in Fiji. To apply for the Permit to Study/Research, you need to have the following evidence:

• An acceptance letter from a Fiji institution or, for research, have a copy of your CV, support letters from Fiji institutions, sponsor’s funds and approval evidence, and the approval letter of places where research will be conducted
• A police report if attending a tertiary institution
• A medical report if staying in Fiji for more than six months.

For more information on the Permit to Study/Research, see the Fiji Immigration website.

Work Visa

Non-citizens of Fiji can work in Fiji with an approved Permit to Work from the Department of Immigration in Fiji. Those who will require a Work Visa include those doing skilled contract work, working on a short-term basis, investing, working or studying while on a Visitor Visa, working as a member of Her Majesty’s Forces, working as diplomatic or consular personnel or as their official staff, or working as a civil servant in Fiji.

To apply for the Permit to Work, you will need to have the following evidence:

• A signed contract of employment, copy of Foreign Investment Certificate (FIC) if investing, and a training plan programme
• Evidence of knowledge of the English language
• A police report
• A medical report if staying in Fiji for more than six months.

For more information on the Permit to Work, see the Fiji Immigration website.