What Documents Do I Need to Travel to Vanuatu?

One of the most essential travel documents you need for Vanuatu is, of course, your passport.

Passports from all countries are accepted for visiting Vanuatu, though nationals from around 82 countries will need to apply for the Tourist Visa first. For most of us, a Tourist Visa is granted upon arrival.

Passports must be valid for at least six months after the date you intend to leave Vanuatu. In other words, the date that you state on your Passenger Arrival Card.

Do You Need a Visa?

A Tourist Visa is automatically granted upon entry for nationals of 121 countries, as long as you meet the entry requirements. For nationals from non-exempt countries, you are required to apply for a visa before arrival.

Find out more in our guide, Vanuatu Tourist Visa: Do You Need a Visa to Visit Vanuatu?

If you are arriving in Vanuatu on a permit for work, study or business, for example, you will need evidence of these types of visas.

Something that many people don't realise is that you need to have your return flights booked before even arrival in Vanuatu. As a backup, it is best to have these documents available, even if just a digital copy, to show at Border Control. Either way, the information below should help.

How to Get Your Flight Ticket Details for Your Tourist Visa for Vanuatu

Ticket/Booking Information for Your Arrival Flight to Vanuatu

After booking your flight to Vanuatu, you should have received an email detailing your booking reference, departure time, etc. This is sometimes called an "E-Ticket". Attach this and your departure flight (see below) to your tourist visa application.

Additionally, print this out and also save a digital copy so you can provide this to airport staff on check-in for your flight to Vanuatu.

After check-in at the airport, you will be provided with a Boarding Pass, listing your name, seat number, etc. Don't lose it!

Ticket/Booking Information for Your Departure Flight From Vanuatu

In the same email, if you have booked a return flight from Vanuatu, you should also have your return flight details.

If you have booked a separate flight or travel ticket departing Vanuatu, you will need to print and/or have a digital copy of this evidence, as it is a mandatory entry requirement in Vanuatu to have a valid outbound travel ticket.

See Vanuatu Tourist Visa: Do You Need a Visa to Visit Vanuatu? to learn more about entry requirements.

On or before your flight to Vanuatu, airline staff will hand out the Vanuatu Passenger Arrival Card for you to complete and give to Customs on arrival.

The travel documents already discussed in the guide, such as your passport and flight boarding pass, will provide you with all the information you need to complete the Arrival Card.

Learn more about the Arrival Card in our complete guide, Arriving in Vanuatu: Airport Customs, Biosecurity & Arrival Process LINK#TT003.

Although you may want to ensure your routine vaccinations are up to date as per the recommendations of the World Health Organisation, there are no mandatory vaccinations required to enter Vanuatu.

We keep an updated list of all the recommended and/or mandatory vaccines for a visit to Vanuatu in our article, Do You Need Vaccines to Travel to Vanuatu?

All of the documents detailed above are mandatory for travel to Vanuatu unless stated otherwise. The following travel documents and paperwork are optional or only apply to specific situations.

Travel Insurance

Travel insurance ensures financial cover in the event that travel plans need to be changed, theft or loss of personal items, or you need medical attention, etc.

Travel insurance policies cover (and don't cover) a range of circumstances where you otherwise might have significant expenses.

The most comprehensive travel protection we've found is Global Rescue, which not only offers insurance policy add-ons but actually does the repatriation work themselves.

Either way, travel insurance is a personal decision, so if you decide to go for it, make sure you have your policy paperwork and certificate.

Driver's Licence (and International Driving Permit)

If you want to hire a vehicle in Vanuatu, then you're going to need your valid overseas driver's licence.

Check out Can You Drive in Vanuatu With an Overseas Licence? to see what driver's licences are accepted in Vanuatu so that you can be issued a temporary driver's licence by your rental provider.

Medical Prescription

If you are bringing more than 30 days' worth of prescription medication, you are required to have a doctor's note describing the medication and the reason for the extended supply. For travellers from non-English speaking countries, the doctor's note must be translated into English.

Arriving in Vanuatu by Personal Boat/Yacht

Those arriving in Vanuatu on a personal sailing yacht need to provide additional paperwork for entering and departing Vanuatu. All of this is detailed in the Sailing Guide to Vanuatu: Tips for Yachting.