Visa & Legal Information about Visiting the Pitcairn Islands

The information provided below is also available on the Pitcairn Islands Government Web Site

Applying for a Visa for Pitcairn

Do I need a visa to visit Pitcairn?

If your visit is for 14 days or less and you intend to arrive and depart on the same vessel, there is no need for prior entry clearance.  But you must ensure you can adequately maintain and accommodate yourself without recourse to public funds and meet the other criteria in Part III Para 6 of the Immigration Ordinance 2006.

If your visit is for longer than 14 days but less than 6 months you must complete an entry clearance application form well in advance of your visit (at least 3 months is recommended). A NZ$150.00 non-refundable fee is required.  The application form should be submitted electronically to the Pitcairn Islands Office on admin@pitcairn.gov.pn  If you do not get an acknowledgement within 2 weeks, telephone on (649) 366 0186 to confirm your application has been received.

If your visit is for professional or business reasons, you should follow the same visa application procedure but the conditions for any visit to the island will be as described in Part III Para 8 of the Immigration Ordinance 2006.

Do I need a visa to work on Pitcairn?

Yes, if you have not been granted a settlement visa and are not a permanent resident of Pitcairn you need to obtain written permission from the Island Council before taking up paid employment or entering business on Pitcairn. More info at Para 16 of Immigration Ordinance 2006.

Do I need a visa to live on Pitcairn?

Yes, if you are the spouse or dependent child of a Pitcairn resident or you wish to join other family members settled or residing there you might qualify for settlement.  If you do not have any family ties but you have skills which will be beneficial to the Pitcairn community you may also apply.  The criteria for settlement are at Part V Para 12(3) of Immigration Ordinance 2006.

If you wish to apply you should complete a settlement application form well in advance of your intended travel and submit it electronically to the Pitcairn Islands Office on  admin@pitcairn.gov.pn  If you do not get a response within 2 weeks telephone on (649) 366 0186 to confirm your application has been received.

 

Other Things You Need To Know

  • TRAVEL INSURANCE is also strongly advised. Bad weather and sea conditions can unexpectedly lengthen travelling time and there are generally only two flights per week from Mangareva (in the Gambier Islands, French Polynesia) to Tahiti.

  • BEING PHYSICALLY FIT & AWARE OF YOUR LIMITATIONS is important when considering Pitcairn as a travel destination. If you have recently experienced injury or illness please ensure your doctor has given you medical clearance before you make your travel plans.

  • IF YOU TAKE REGULAR MEDICATION, we strongly advise that you seek extra supplies from your doctor prior to travelling.

  • If you are prone to SEA SICKNESS please ensure you travel with appropriate medication.

  • As with most Islands throughout the Pacific, MOSQUITO REPELLANT is strongly advised.

  • Pitcairn’s night skies are incredibly beautiful. Remember to BRING A TORCH if you enjoy an evening walk and a bit of star gazing.

 

Government of the Pitcairn Islands

Relevant documents:

Important Legal Information about Traveling to and Staying on Pitcairn Island

The remoteness of Pitcairn Island, as well as its unique history and dramatic landscape, is part of the Island’s attraction as an adventure destination. But these features also present certain risks. Please read the following information carefully.

Pitcairn is one of the most isolated Islands in the world. When you travel on board the Pitcairn Government’s dedicated Passenger/Shipping vessel, ‘MV Silver Supporter’, you will be at sea for at least two nights before arriving at Pitcairn Island. There is no airport on the Island. When on the Island you will be at least two days sail from the nearest airport, in the Gambier Islands, where you will have boarded the Silver Supporter.

Although the Island has a functioning Medical Centre and qualified resident doctor, medical assistance is necessarily limited by the Island’s isolation. The Island itself is steep and rugged in parts.

All visitors to Pitcairn Island must therefore be aware of the following:

MEDICAL INSURANCE IS MANDATORY

Medical insurance, inclusive of medical evacuation cover, is mandatory for Pitcairn bound travelers.  All travelers must provide evidence of Medical Insurance coverage, including medical evacuation cover, when finalizing travel arrangements.

TRAVEL TO PITCAIRN IS AT YOUR OWN RISK

Visitors who intend traveling on the Pitcairn Islands Government’s Passenger/Shipping Vessel, the ‘Silver Supporter’, can view the Terms and Conditions of Travel at: www.pitcairn.pn or contact admin@pitcairn.gov.pn. Passengers traveling on other vessels are advised to check the Travel Terms & Conditions of their carrier.

STAYING ON PITCAIRN IS AT YOUR OWN RISK

• By s 22 of the Immigration Ordinance (Laws of Pitcairn, ch 12), liability on the part of the United Kingdom Crown, the Pitcairn Islands Government and officials (and other persons performing statutory functions) is excluded for personal injury or death. Section 22 reads as follows:

PART X—GENERAL PROVISIONS

Exclusion of Official Liability

• 22.—(1) Where any person visiting the Islands, whether pursuant to any permit or clearance issued under this ordinance or not, sustains any damage to or loss of property or suffers personal injury or death by accident, there shall be no liability in law for compensation or damages arising directly or indirectly out of such damage, loss, injury or death, notwithstanding any rule of law or any enactment to the contrary, on the part of the Crown, the Governor, the Island Council or any member or members  thereof, or any person by virtue of any statutory function or duty, or any other person acting in any function or capacity as servant, employee, agent or delegate of the Crown, the Governor or the Island Council.

• (2) Without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1), the act of visiting the Islands shall be deemed to commence, if landing by means of a Pitcairn boat, at the moment of boarding it from another vessel or, if landing by other means, at the moment of stepping ashore; and to end, if departing by means of a Pitcairn boat, at the moment of leaving it to board another vessel or, if departing by other means, at the moment of leaving the shore.

 

Terms and Conditions of Carriage - Silver Supporter Government Charters

Last Update, October 2018

IMPORTANT

The Passenger’s ticket (the “Ticket”) and the terms and conditions (the “Terms and Conditions”) evidence the contract of carriage (the “Contract”) between [the Governor of the Pitcairn Islands] and the Passenger. By accepting the Ticket, the Passenger agrees to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. The Passenger’s attention is particularly drawn to the exemptions and limitations on liability contained at paragraphs 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11 and 13.1 of these Terms and Conditions.

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