Tuvalu

TUV

Tuvalu is one of the world's smallest and most remote nations, a chain of nine low-lying atolls and reef islands in the central Pacific with a mean elevation under two metres above sea level. Its most distinctive economic asset is the .tv country-code top-level domain, which generates several million dollars annually in licensing fees paid by television broadcasters and streaming platforms worldwide.

Tuvalu is among the countries most acutely threatened by climate change and rising sea levels, with some outer islands already experiencing regular inundation. In 2023 Tuvalu signed the Falepili Union treaty with Australia, granting Tuvaluans a special mobility pathway to live and work in Australia in exchange for Australian security and climate-response commitments. No formal residency or investment immigration programme exists for foreigners.

Naturalisation: 10 years
Tax system: No Income Tax
Currency: AUD
Dual citizenship: Not allowed
Capital: Funafuti
Region: oceania
Population: 11,000
Cost-of-living: 80 /100

→ If you hold a Tuvalu passport, see the Tuvalu nationality guide

Passport Rank

#72

Visa-Free

111

destinations

Visa-free travel

A Tuvalu passport has visa-free access to 111 destinations. See the full Tuvalu passport breakdown →

Passports that enter Tuvalu without a prior visa (194)

Visa-free, visa on arrival, or on an eTA.

Belize+176 more

Community-sourced (passport-index, synced 2026-08-18) — verify with the embassy before travel.

Immigrating to Canada from Tuvalu

Current IRCC processing times for Tuvalu nationals, by application type.

Visitor visa (outside Canada)	No processing time available
Super visa	No processing time available
Study permit	No processing time available
Work permit	No processing time available
Sponsor a dependent child	No processing time available
Adopted child (citizenship)	Not enough data
Government-assisted refugees	Not enough data
Privately sponsored refugees	sponsor: Not enough data / refugee: Not enough data

Your application may take longer than the times shown here. They’re not a maximum or a guarantee.

As of 2026-09-22 (IRCC). See all Canada processing times →

Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada — “Check processing times”. This is a copy of the version available at https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/application/check-processing-times.html. Reproduced under the Government of Canada’s non-commercial reproduction terms; not endorsed by or affiliated with IRCC.

Sources & last verified

Government of Canada — non-commercial reproduction (canada.ca Terms and conditions)

Official source

Country Details

Capital: Funafuti
Currency: AUD
Languages: Tuvaluan, English
Population: 11,000
Tax System: No Income Tax
Dual Citizenship: Not allowed
Naturalisation: 10 years
Schengen / EU: No
Climate: Tropical oceanic with high humidity year-round and a wetter season from November to March
GDP per capita: $6,041
Life expectancy: 67.26 yrs
Population growth: -1.61%/yr

GDP per capita, life expectancy, and population growth: World Bank (2025).

Indices

Cost of Living

Safety

Healthcare

Quality of Life

Tax Summary

Tax System: No Income Tax
Territorial Taxation: No — worldwide income taxed for residents
Naturalisation: 10 years of legal residency
Dual Citizenship: Not allowed

Cost of Living by City

← scroll the table →

Monthly cost of living per major city in USD: rent, groceries, utilities, transit pass
City	Rent 1BR centre	Rent outside	Groceries	Utilities	Transit pass
Funafuti	—	—	—	—	—
Vaitupu	—	—	—	—	—
Nukufetau	—	—	—	—	—

Monthly USD figures. Typical central 1-bedroom rent, grocery basket for one, household utilities, monthly transit pass.

Climate

Funafuti

29°J

29°F

29°M

29°A

28°M

28°J

27°J

27°A

28°S

28°O

29°N

29°D

Rainfall range: 150–350 mm/month · Daylight 11.7h (winter) to 12.5h (summer)

Visa Categories & Immigration Authority

Major Visa Categories

Visitor
Work Permit
Family
Student
Falepili Union (Australia)

Authority: Department of Foreign Affairs - Immigration
Official Portal: www.tuvalu.tv

Naturalisation Details

Residence Years
Language Test: No
Civic Test: No
Oath Required: No
Dual Allowed: No
Fee: —
Processing: —

Safety

GPI Rank

—

Global Peace Index ranking (lower is safer)

Regulators & official sources

Bodies that regulate immigration advice in Tuvalu, and the official sources indexed for it by Visa Atlas. Descriptions are verbatim; each links to its source.

Tuvalu Legislation

Legislation

Official legislation index for Tuvalu source material, including the Immigration Act, Immigration Regulations, Foreign Direct Investment Act, Citizenship Act and Passports Act.

Tuvalu Legislation

Tuvalu Immigration Act

Immigration Act

Official legal basis for Tuvalu immigration control, permits, visitors, prohibited immigrants and related authority powers.

Tuvalu Immigration Act

Tuvalu Immigration Regulations

Immigration Regulations

Official regulations covering visitor permits, permits to enter and reside, employment and business requirements, sponsorship, medical and police evidence, forms, fees and arrival or departure cards.

Tuvalu Immigration Regulations

Sources & last verified

Index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-20.

Official source

Related Guides

Zero and low-tax residencies: the real list

Countries with zero personal income tax, territorial-only taxation, or special expatriate regimes — and what each one actually requires from you to qualify as a resident.

Exit tax: countries that charge you to leave

Country-by-country reference of departure taxes, deemed-disposition rules, and wealth-locking regimes that trigger when tax residency ends.

Related on The Citizenship Desk

Life logistics

Reference tables

Visa routes

Official visa and residence routes for Tuvalu, indexed from Visa Atlas. Each links to its government source. This is a licensed external index, distinct from our own curated visa guides.

Residence

Permit to Enter and Reside

Residence

Tuvalu permit to enter and reside route for non-visitor stays, with health, character, outward-ticket or bond, and extension controls.

Permit validity is set by the authority; extensions use the prescribed extension form and are limited by the regulations.

Tuvalu Legislation · reviewed 2026-06-30

Short-term / business

Visitor Permit

Short-term / business

Tuvalu visitor permit route for short visitors, based on the Immigration Act and Immigration Regulations.

Visitor stay for an intended period not exceeding 4 months, subject to the permit or exemption actually granted.

Tuvalu Legislation · reviewed 2026-06-30

Work (sponsored)

Employment Permit to Enter and Reside

Work (sponsored)

Tuvalu employment-based permit to enter and reside, requiring employer sponsorship under the Immigration Regulations.

Sponsor requiredPermit validity is set by the authority and tied to the approved employment basis.

Tuvalu Legislation · reviewed 2026-06-30

Investor

Foreign Investment Certificate

Investor

Tuvalu foreign-investment approval and investment-certificate route under the Foreign Direct Investment Act.

Investment-certificate duration and conditions are set under the Foreign Direct Investment Act and any approval issued.

Tuvalu Legislation · reviewed 2026-06-30

Entrepreneur

Business Permit to Enter and Reside

Entrepreneur

Tuvalu business-purpose permit to enter and reside, requiring business description and financial-resources evidence.

Permit validity is set by the authority and tied to the approved business basis.

Tuvalu Legislation · reviewed 2026-06-30

Citizenship by descent

Citizenship Registration or Naturalisation

Citizenship by descent

Tuvalu citizenship route covering registration and naturalisation under the Citizenship Act.

Citizenship decision timing is authority-dependent; confirm current filing and committee practice before applying.

Tuvalu Legislation · reviewed 2026-06-30

Sources & last verified

Route index from Visa Atlas (CC BY 4.0), as of 2026-09-12. Each route links to its official government source.

Official source

Sources & last verified

Last verified 2026-06-15