Tarawa

Passport validity requirements

To enter Kiribati, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive and have at least 2 blank pages.

Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.

You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.

Dual nationals

When returning to the UK, British citizens must carry a valid British passport or certificate of entitlement. See Dual citizenship.

Visa requirements

You can visit Kiribati without a visa for up to one month.

You must hold a ticket for return or onward travel and enough funds for your stay.

The authorities will normally grant you a one-month stay on arrival. You can apply for one-month extensions, up to a maximum of 3 extra months, from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration in Bairiki. Your passport must remain valid to extend your stay.

Departure tax

You must pay a 20 Australian dollar departure tax at the airport.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Kiribati. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

There is a strict quarantine regime for importing food, plant and animal (including fish) products to Kiribati. For further information, contact:

Biosecurity Services
SPC-Plant Protection Service
Private Mail Bag
Suva, Fiji Islands

Phone: (679) 3370 733
Fax: (679) 3370 021
Email: pps@spc.int

Taking Kiribati handicrafts to Australia or New Zealand

Strict Australian or New Zealand import regulations may apply to some Kiribati handicrafts, including straw products and shells. Check Australia travel advice and New Zealand travel advice for details. You can get a phyto-sanitary certificate in Kiribati, but the customs authorities may still confiscate items.

Customs rules

There are strict rules about goods you can take into or out of Kiribati. You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

There is a strict quarantine regime for importing food, plant and animal (including fish) products to Kiribati. For further information, contact:

Biosecurity Services
SPC-Plant Protection Service
Private Mail Bag
Suva, Fiji Islands

Phone: (679) 3370 733
Fax: (679) 3370 021
Email: pps@spc.int

Taking Kiribati handicrafts to Australia or New Zealand

Strict Australian or New Zealand import regulations may apply to some Kiribati handicrafts, including straw products and shells. Check Australia travel advice and New Zealand travel advice for details. You can get a phyto-sanitary certificate in Kiribati, but the customs authorities may still confiscate items.

Emergency services in Kiribati

Telephone 999 (ambulance, fire, police) or local numbers:

Ambulance: 994

Fire: 993

Police: 992    

Contact your travel provider and insurer

Contact your travel provider and your insurer if you are involved in a serious incident or emergency abroad. They will tell you if they can help and what you need to do.

Refunds and changes to travel

For refunds or changes to travel, contact your travel provider. You may also be able to make a claim through insurance. However, insurers usually require you to talk to your travel provider first.

Find out more about changing or cancelling travel plans, including:

• where to get advice if you are in a dispute with a provider
• how to access previous versions of travel advice to support a claim

Support from FCDO

FCDO has guidance on staying safe and what to do if you need help or support abroad, including:

• getting help if you’re a victim of crime
• what to do if you’re in hospital
• if you’re affected by a crisis, such as a terrorist attack

Contacting FCDO

Help abroad  

See how to get help from the UK government abroad including in an emergency. 

Help in the UK  

You can call FCDO in London if you need urgent help because something has happened to a friend or relative abroad.  

Telephone: 020 7008 5000 (24 hours)  

Find out about call charges

Get travel advice updates  

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated.  

Follow FCDO: 

• travel advice on X

• travel advice on Facebook

Global travel impacts due to escalation in the Middle East

Escalation in the Middle East has caused widespread travel disruption, including airspace closures, delayed and cancelled flights. 

Your travel plans may be affected, even if your destination is not in the Middle East. Before you travel:

• check travel advice for any countries or territories you are transiting through
• check for the latest updates from your airline or tour operator
• review your travel insurance policy for coverage
• monitor local and international media for the latest information and sign up for travel advice email alerts

Before you travel

No travel can be guaranteed safe. Read all the advice in this guide. You may also find it helpful to: 

• see general advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• see general advice for LGBT+ travellers
• read about safety for solo and independent travel
• see advice on volunteering and adventure travel abroad

Travel insurance

If you choose to travel, research your destinations and get appropriate travel insurance. Insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency.

About FCDO travel advice

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) provides advice about risks of travel to help you make informed decisions. Find out more about FCDO travel advice.

Get travel advice updates

Sign up to get email notifications when this travel advice is updated. 

Follow FCDO:   

• travel advice on X

• travel advice on Facebook

• Travel Aware on Instagram

Laws and cultural differences

Personal ID

You must always be able to show an official form of ID such as your passport. The police will usually accept a printed copy.

Illegal drugs and prison sentences

Possession or trafficking of drugs is a serious offence in Kiribati, and prison sentences may be heavy.

Public nudity

You should respect local customs about dress, including swimming costumes. Local laws ban public nudity and revealing swimming costumes.

LGBT+ travellers

Same-sex sexual acts are illegal. If found guilty, the penalty could be up to 14 years imprisonment.   

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.

Internet and phone services

Internet and mobile phone services are available in some parts of Kiribati. Not all of the outer islands are connected. Services can be unreliable and expensive because of the country’s remote location.

Stray dogs

Stray dogs have bitten visitors. Be cautious, particularly on the beach. If a dog approaches you, do not run. Reaching down as if to pick up something off the ground can be enough to scare dogs away. If a dog bites you, seek medical attention immediately.

Money

Very few places accept credit cards in Kiribati. There are ATMs at branches of the Bank of Kiribati and ANZ in Betio, Bairiki and Bikenibeu on Tarawa atoll.