Immigration

St Helena is a remote Island in the South Atlantic Ocean which welcomes both long and short-term visitors.

The Immigration Section is committed to providing effective border controls ensuring that the Island is a safe and secure place for residents and visitors.

The Immigration Policy establishes the framework in which SHG will provide a high quality, customer orientated immigration service that facilitates and supports SHG’s principles of economic growth through tourism development and investment in the local economy. 

The Objectives of the Immigration Policy are:

  • Attracting persons with St Helenian status to return to St Helena to live and work;
  • Protecting borders to ensure that the Island is safe and secure;
  • Attracting investors and residents who would contribute positively to the Island’s future development;
  • Addressing local labour market shortages;
  • Ensuring that the process promotes fair, consistent and transparent decision making;
  • Simplifying and clarifying existing processes in order to make them more user friendly.

Important note: Visitors must ensure that they have the necessary visa or permits to cover all destinations they intend to travel to, including return trips through the UK, Ascension Island and/or South Africa. St Helena has no foreign embassy representation on-Island so adequate visas must be obtained in advance.

The St Helena E-visa application website can be found at: https://evisa.sainthelena.gov.sh/

For details of the immigration requirements of Ascension Island, please visit the Ascension Island Government website.


Want to enter St Helena Island?

This section covers an individual’s right to enter St Helena.  Some will have the automatic right of entry to St Helena (see below) whilst others will require an entry permit.  Persons seeking entry to St Helena will fall into the following categories:

  • Those with automatic right of entry to St Helena (includes all persons holding St Helenian Status whether automatically or by grant);
  • Exemption – A dependent of a person with St Helenian status, A person in the service of/or providing services to the Crown and their dependants
  • Those who, unless otherwise exempted, will need authorisation to enter or remain in St Helena by either of the below:

Immigration Forms


Immigration Legislation


Further Information