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Independent State of Samoa · citizenship by descent · Leads to settlement

Citizenship by Descent, Permanent Residence or Marriage

By · Last reviewed:

Source check: all 10 official citations reconfirmed 13 September 2026

Samoa citizenship routes by descent, permanent residence or marriage under the official Citizenship Services page.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residencyCitizenship status after registration or recognition; processing depends on the citizenship route and decision.
Processing time
File the relevant citizenship application with Samoa Immigration or a Samoan Government Mission and confirm current timing.
Government fees
Official citizenship fees include SAT$150 for citizenship by descent, SAT$5,400 for citizenship by marriage, SAT$150 for citizenship certification, and other listed citizenship service fees.
Typical duration
Citizenship status after registration or recognition; processing depends on the citizenship route and decision.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
Yes
Reviewed Samoa Immigration, Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet ↗

In short

As of 18 August 2026, the Citizenship by Descent, Permanent Residence or Marriage for Independent State of Samoa is an unsponsored Samoa immigration route. Sources: official Independent State of Samoa government pages, reviewed 18 August 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/samoa/citizenship-by-descent-permanent-residence-or-marriage#answer

What is the Citizenship by Descent, Permanent Residence or Marriage in Independent State of Samoa?

Citizenship by Descent, Permanent Residence or Marriage is an unsponsored Samoa route. Indicative government fees are Official citizenship fees include SAT$150 for citizenship by descent, SAT$5,400 for citizenship by marriage, SAT$150 for citizenship certification, and other listed citizenship service fees; indicative processing time is File the relevant citizenship application with Samoa Immigration or a Samoan Government Mission and confirm current timing; typical duration is Citizenship status after registration or recognition; processing depends on the citizenship route and decision. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against Samoa Immigration, Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet on 30 June 2026.

Overview

Samoa coverage is based on the official Samoa Immigration pages under the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The reviewed pages publish visitor-entry conditions, permit categories, temporary-residence purposes, employment restrictions, medical and police-report triggers, citizenship routes, official forms and fee tables. Applicants should still confirm the current form, fee, filing place and supporting evidence with Samoa Immigration before travelling, working, studying, investing or relying on long-stay status. Samoa Immigration says citizenship can be acquired by birth, descent, permanent residence and marriage under the Citizenship Act 2004. It says citizenship by descent can apply where at least one parent was a Samoan citizen at birth, citizenship by permanent residence can apply after holding a valid Samoan permanent residence permit for 5 years, and citizenship by marriage can apply after being married to and residing with a Samoan spouse for 5 years. Applications are lodged with fees at a Samoan Government Mission overseas or the Immigration Division in Apia.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Check the route fit

    Choose the correct citizenship basis: descent, permanent residence or marriage.

  2. Build the evidence pack

    Download or obtain the relevant citizenship form from Samoa Immigration.

  3. Submit through the official channel

    Prepare civil-status, parent, residence, marriage, health, character and supporting evidence.

  4. After approval

    Lodge the application with fees at a Samoan Government Mission or the Immigration Division in Apia.

After a successful citizenship decision

For Citizenship by Descent, Permanent Residence or Marriage, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Check whether an oath, registration, certificate or passport application remains outstanding. Do not assume that approval of citizenship is itself a travel document.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Check passport-use obligations and the effect on any other nationality before renouncing or using another passport.
Official Citizenship by Descent, Permanent Residence or Marriage instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to Samoa

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Read Samoa citizenship services ↗

    Use this official Samoa source to confirm the current requirements, fee, filing channel and supporting evidence before filing. Samoa coverage is based on the official Samoa Immigration pages under the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The reviewed pages publish visitor-entry conditions, permit categories, temporary-residence purposes, employment restrictions, medical and police-report triggers, citizenship routes, official forms and fee tables. Applicants should still confirm the current form, fee, filing place and supporting evidence with Samoa Immigration before travelling, working, studying, investing or relying on long-stay status.

    Samoa Immigration, Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet · verified

  2. ChecklistApplicant
    Open Samoa Immigration forms ↗

    Use this official Samoa source to confirm the current requirements, fee, filing channel and supporting evidence before filing. Samoa coverage is based on the official Samoa Immigration pages under the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. The reviewed pages publish visitor-entry conditions, permit categories, temporary-residence purposes, employment restrictions, medical and police-report triggers, citizenship routes, official forms and fee tables. Applicants should still confirm the current form, fee, filing place and supporting evidence with Samoa Immigration before travelling, working, studying, investing or relying on long-stay status.

    Samoa Immigration, Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet · verified

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Frequently asked questions

What citizenship routes does Samoa list?+

Samoa Immigration says citizenship can be acquired by birth, descent, permanent residence and marriage.

How long must a permanent resident hold PR before citizenship?+

The official page says an alien who has held a valid Samoan permanent residence permit for 5 years may apply to be registered as a Samoan citizen.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

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How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: Samoa Immigration, Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet

Last checked: 30 June 2026

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