Effective 6 July 2025, New Zealand implemented a policy change granting multi-entry Visitor Visas to citizens of all Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) countries –including Samoa, Tonga, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru, Niue, Cook Islands, Palau, FSM, and others– with eligibility to re-enter within 24 months, up to six months at a time and nine months in any 18-month window.
This shift signals a deliberate effort to ease travel for tourism, business meetings, family visits, and SME trade linkages. Immigration New Zealand officials describe it as a major step to “strengthen regional ties and facilitate easier travel for Pacific nationals”.
For island economies, the business impact is significant: increased multi-entry access lowers travel friction for small traders exporting crafts, fresh produce, and creative services. It supports digitally enabled businesses—like Solomon Islands’ newly activated e‑commerce SMEs—to meet partners and access markets in Auckland and Wellington.
Importantly, the policy coincides with regional woman‑leader and SME summits scheduled in New Zealand and Australia. Governments across the Pacific anticipate increased business‑tourism traffic, including for women‑led enterprises promoted at forums in Suva and Port Vila.
Early July anecdotal data—local travel agencies report a spike in Pacific‑origin travellers planning frequent multi-stop visits. Business councils in Samoa and Tonga suggest this visa reform could increase remittance tourism and small-scale trade by up to 15% over 18 months.
While long‑term data remains pending, the policy is already being hailed as low-cost infrastructure for regional business integration, facilitating recurring engagements between Pacific SMEs and New Zealand partners.
