Saint Helena · Relocation guide
Moving to Saint Helena: permission, arrival and practical setup
Saint Helena controls landing, short-term and long-term entry separately from work permission. A job offer, visitor landing permission or air ticket is not enough to live and work on the island; obtain the relevant entry and employment approvals first.
Content updated 12 September 2026. Individual source-check dates are listed below.
Separate entry, residence and work permission
Saint Helena controls landing, short-term and long-term entry separately from work permission. A job offer, visitor landing permission or air ticket is not enough to live and work on the island; obtain the relevant entry and employment approvals first.
A visa waiver, visitor visa or business-visitor permission is not an open right to take employment or provide local services. Remote work also needs an immigration, labour and tax analysis unless the authority publishes a route that expressly covers it.
| Plan | VisaAtlas route | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Long-term entry permit | Long-term Entry Permit | Obtain the permit for residence beyond a short visit. |
| Work permit | Work Permit | Employment needs permission before starting. |
| Immigrant Employment Certificate | Immigrant Employment Certificate | Confirm whether this employer route applies. |
Complete the arrival record
Carry the approval and the medical, accommodation and onward or return evidence Immigration requests. Check the landing endorsement and complete work-permit collection before starting the job.
Inspect names, passport number, sponsor or purpose, permitted activity and expiry on every issued record. Keep the approval, receipt and a copy of the entry stamp outside the passport.
Make housing support the move
Island housing, freight, utilities, healthcare capacity and transport are constrained. Confirm employer accommodation, shipment lead times and a backup if the property or cargo is delayed.
Verify landlord authority, lease language, deposit, inventory, utilities, internet and early-exit terms. Keep the real address and payment trail for immigration, banking and employer files.
Set up banking, payroll and tax evidence
Ask the local bank what identity, immigration, address and tax records it accepts and keep an overseas payment method. Budget for freight and off-island medical travel without inventing a standard household figure.
Ask the bank and tax authority for their live identity, permit, address, tax-number and source-of-funds requirements. Immigration status alone does not determine tax residence: retain travel days, payslips, foreign income and business invoices.
Plan each family member and essential service
Secure permission, housing, school capacity and medical plans for each dependant before booking. An accompanying adult should obtain their own work authority.
A dependant, student or family residence document should not be treated as an adult work permit without confirmation. Carry legalised civil records, prescriptions, vaccination records and prior-school reports.
Control renewal, changes and current risk
Track entry and work permissions independently and clear employer changes before work. Confirm flight schedules, medical evacuation cover and departure documentation well ahead of expiry.
Read current official travel advice for Saint Helena, the exact region and any overland route before travel. Confirm that insurance covers the location and planned work.
Your moving checklist
Tick off the tasks that apply to you. The timing is a planning order, not a substitute for the deadlines on your permission or an official instruction.
0 of 13 tasks completed
Sources and checks
The linked authorities set the rules. VisaAtlas explains how the steps fit together; planning suggestions are not a decision on your immigration status, tax residence or entitlement to services.
- Saint Helena Government: ImmigrationSource checked 12 September 2026
- UK government: Saint Helena travel adviceSource checked 12 September 2026