# Samoa — Residency & Citizenship Conditions

> Source: https://residencyradar.org/conditions/samoa.html | Last checked: 2026-10-12 | Last updated: 2026-10-11

## Quick answer

- Investment: Citizenship Investment Act 2015 (investor PR): Investor route to PR; small annual PR quota (3 yr to citizenship) [source: https://www.ag.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Citizenship-Act-2004.pdf]
- Founders: Business/Investment PR: Business of benefit to Samoa (Indefinite)
- Retirees: Permanent Resident Permit (discretionary): Quota-based; age/funds assessed (Indefinite) [source: https://mpmc.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Permanent-Residence-application-MPMC105.pdf]
- Citizenship by naturalisation: 5 years of legal residence

## Overview
Samoa is a small, stable parliamentary democracy in the central South Pacific. It has no visa requirement for most visitors (90-day Visitor's Permit on arrival; 60 days for Russians). Citizenship is acquired mainly by descent or by registration after holding a Permanent Resident Permit for 5 years; the Citizenship Investment Act 2015 shortens this to 3 years for qualifying investors. There is no active direct citizenship-by-investment program. ^[https://www.ag.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Citizenship-Act-2004.pdf]

## Residency Programs

| Type | Official Program | Key Conditions | Duration | Detail |
|------|-----------------|----------------|----------|--------|
| investment_residency | Citizenship Investment Act 2015 (investor PR) | Investor route to PR; small annual PR quota | 3 yr to citizenship | [[#investment-residency]] |
| passive_income_residency | Not available | — | — | — |
| digital_nomad_visa | Not available | — | — | — |
| highly_skilled_employment | Not available | — | — | — |
| startup_entrepreneur | Business/Investment PR | Business of benefit to Samoa | Indefinite | [[#investment-residency]] |
| employment_residency | Work Permit | Employer-sponsored | Contract term | — |
| student_residency | Student Permit | Enrolment in Samoan institution | Course duration | — |
| family_reunification | Family/Samoan-connection PR | Family ties; contribution to Samoa | Indefinite | — |
| retired_residency | Permanent Resident Permit (discretionary) | Quota-based; age/funds assessed | Indefinite | [[#retired-residency]] |
| citizenship_by_investment | Not available (investor naturalisation only) | — | — | — |

## Per-Program Detail

### investment_residency
- **Official name**: Citizenship Investment Act 2015 — investor permanent residence
- **Conditions**: Permanent Resident Permit granted on investment/business benefit to Samoa; assessment covers age, qualifications, funds, Samoan language, planned activity, and character. A small annual quota applies. ^[https://mpmc.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Permanent-Residence-application-MPMC105.pdf]
- **Duration / renewal**: Permanent once granted; conditional on continued benefit to Samoa.
- **Path to citizenship**: 3 years holding the PR permit under the Citizenship Investment Act 2015 (vs 5 years standard). ^[https://www.ag.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Citizenship-Act-2004.pdf]
- **Official source**: https://www.ag.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Citizenship-Act-2004.pdf
- **Community verdict**: Mixed (small quota, high discretion, low uptake).

### retired_residency
- **Official name**: Permanent Resident Permit (discretionary, non-investment)
- **Conditions**: Assessed on age, health, character, funds, and benefit to Samoa; principal residence required (>50% of year in Samoa). Absence >12 months may cancel the permit. ^[https://mpmc.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Permanent-Residence-application-MPMC105.pdf]
- **Duration / renewal**: Indefinite, subject to continued residence and good standing.
- **Path to citizenship**: 5 years holding PR → citizenship by permanent residence.
- **Official source**: https://mpmc.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Permanent-Residence-application-MPMC105.pdf
- **Community verdict**: Mixed (quota pool up to 3 years; high discretion).

### citizenship_by_investment
Not available as direct citizenship. Only the 3-year investor naturalisation route under the Citizenship Investment Act 2015. See [[citizenship-by-investment]].

## Citizenship
- **Residence requirement**: 5 years continuous Permanent Resident Permit (standard); 3 years for investors under the Citizenship Investment Act 2015. ^[https://www.ag.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Citizenship-Act-2004.pdf]
- **Language**: Samoan language skills are part of the PR assessment.
- **Dual citizenship**: Generally not permitted for naturalised citizens (renunciation expected).
- **By marriage**: 5 years marriage to a Samoan citizen (residing together).

## Tax
Samoa operates a territorial taxation system for residents; foreign-source income is generally not taxed. Personal income tax is low; consult the Samoa Ministry of Revenue for current rates. ^[https://www.ag.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Citizenship-Act-2004.pdf]

## IT / Digital Nomad
No dedicated digital-nomad visa. A free 90-day Visitor's Permit covers short stays; longer remote work requires a work or permanent-residence permit.

## Yacht / Maritime
Samoa (Apia harbour) is a stop on South Pacific sailing routes; a national shipping registry exists. No special yacht-residency program.

## Notes for RU Citizens
Russian citizens receive a 60-day visa-exempt entry (bilateral agreement, 2017). Longer residence requires a work or PR permit. No dedicated restrictions. ^[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Samoa]

## Community Pulse
Very low expat volume; no significant backlog or rejection reporting. The PR quota system (pool up to 3 years) and high ministerial discretion are the main practical obstacles. [[fiji]] is a more mainstream Pacific retiree alternative.

## Country Snapshot

| Field | Value | Source / Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Population | ~222,400 | [Freedom House](https://freedomhouse.org/country/samoa/freedom-world/2025) — hard/official |
| Main religion | Christianity (Congregationalist majority) | [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoa#Religion) — hard/official |
| Main language | Samoan, English | [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samoa) — hard/official |
| Main city (capital or largest) | Apia | [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apia) — hard/official |
| On the coast? | Yes (island nation) | Geographical fact [soft/estimate] |
| Tourism impact in season | Medium — growing tourism sector | [RBA](https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2023/jun/economic-developments-in-the-south-pacific.html) [soft/estimate] |
| GDP per capita (PPP) | ~$6,080 (2021) | [RBA / World Bank](https://www.rba.gov.au/publications/bulletin/2023/jun/economic-developments-in-the-south-pacific.html) — hard/official |
| Median net monthly salary | No reliable data | confidence low |
| Cost of living index | No reliable data | confidence low |
| Monthly rent, 1-bedroom apartment | No reliable data | confidence low |
| Effective personal tax rate for remote workers | Territorial system; foreign income generally untaxed | confidence medium |
| Remote-work / self-employment residence available? | No dedicated DN visa | See [[#overview]] |
| Years to citizenship | 5 (3 for investors) | [Citizenship Act 2004](https://www.ag.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Citizenship-Act-2004.pdf) |
| Maximum permitted absence during residence | >12 months risks PR cancellation | [MPMC](https://mpmc.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Permanent-Residence-application-MPMC105.pdf) |
| Passport strength after citizenship | 128 visa-free destinations (Henley Jan 2026, rank 38) | [Henley & Partners](https://cde.news/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Henley-Passport-Index-2026-January-Global-Ranking.pdf) — hard/official |
| Rule of Law Index | No reliable data (not WJP-indexed) | confidence low |
| Freedom House score | 84/100 Free (2025) | [Freedom House](https://freedomhouse.org/country/samoa/freedom-world/2025) — hard/official |
| Average annual sunshine hours | No reliable data | confidence low |
| Average annual temperature | ~27–28 °C (tropical) | confidence low |

## Country Card

### General description
Samoa is a small, politically stable Pacific island state with a Christian heritage and strong communal culture. Its residency system centres on a discretionary, quota-based Permanent Resident Permit and a 3-year investor naturalisation fast-track, but uptake is low and there is no direct citizenship-by-investment product.

### Well-known strong points
- Stable democracy (Freedom House 84/100 Free)
- 3-year investor naturalisation fast-track (shortest in the region)
- Visa-free entry for many nationalities (90 days; 60 for Russians)
- Territorial taxation (foreign income generally untaxed)

### Well-known problems
- Small annual PR quota with multi-year pooling and high discretion
- No digital-nomad visa or direct citizenship-by-investment
- Dual citizenship generally not permitted for naturalised citizens
- Very small economy and thin expat infrastructure

## Status
- **Last monitored**: 2026-10-12
- **Recent changes**: No known 2025–2026 program changes.
- **Watch items**: PR quota availability; any revival of a direct Samoa CIP.

## Official and primary sources
- https://www.ag.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/Citizenship-Act-2004.pdf
- https://mpmc.gov.ws/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Permanent-Residence-application-MPMC105.pdf
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Samoa