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Edinburgh of the Seven Seas — Tristan da Cunha

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Tristan da Cunha

Tristan da Cunha visit visa for Pakistan passport holders

VisitVisaInfo Editorial Team

Our Tristan da Cunha guide is built from official government and embassy sources.

Last updated

On this page
  1. Document requirements
  2. Fees and timeline
  3. Fees
  4. Timeline
  5. How to apply
  6. Visa ratio
  7. FAQ
  8. Official sources
  9. Related guides

Tristan da Cunha · Edinburgh of the Seven Seas · michael clarke stuff · CC BY-SA 2.0

Summary

Depends — verify

Not confirmed on the official source. The current Tristan da Cunha rule for Pakistan passport holders could not be confirmed on an official page. Check the official portal linked below before you book travel or pay any fee.

Visa type
Prior permission to land from the Administrator and Island Council (all nationalities); South African visa needed for Cape Town
Stay limit
Set when permission is granted
Entries
As authorised by the Island Council

Tristan da Cunha has no nationality-based visa list: every visitor, whatever the passport, needs prior approval from the Administrator and Island Council before booking a passage, and immigration fees are collected on arrival. The only route is by ship from Cape Town, so Pakistani travellers also need a South African visa for the outbound and return legs.

Tristan da Cunha is a volcanic island in the South Atlantic and part of the British Overseas Territory of St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha. Its single settlement, Edinburgh of the Seven Seas, has fewer than 300 residents and is often called the most isolated inhabited community in the world, about 2,437 km from St Helena.

Visits are rare and carefully managed. There is no airport, so everyone arrives by sea from Cape Town, on the research and supply ship SA Agulhas II, on fishing vessels or as a cruise passenger. Landings depend on the weather, and berths for passengers are few.

Instead of a nationality-based visa system, Tristan uses prior approval. Before booking, every visitor emails the Administrator's Secretary with the purpose of the trip, dates, nationality, age, preferred ship and accommodation, plus a copy of the passport. The Island Council must authorise the visit, and immigration fees are paid on arrival.

Conditions are strict. Visitors need a fully paid return passage, medical insurance that covers evacuation to Cape Town, enough money for the whole stay, and a police certificate for stays over two months or work with children. Filming, research and writing projects pay a £500 application fee.

For Pakistani travellers the hardest step is usually South Africa. Ships leave from Cape Town, the government recommends arriving at least two days early, and returns can be delayed, so a South African visa covering both waits is essential. South Africa's Home Affairs department lists ordinary Pakistani passports as needing a visa even when passing through.

Checklist

Document requirements

  • Email to the Administrator's Secretary giving purpose, dates, nationality, age, preferred ship and accommodation
  • Copy of a valid Pakistani passport sent with the request
  • Police clearance certificate if staying over two months or working with children (may be requested in other cases)
  • International medical insurance covering treatment and medical evacuation to Cape Town
  • Confirmed and fully paid return passage, booked through the Administrator's Office
  • Proof of sufficient funds for the whole stay
  • South African visa for the time spent in Cape Town before and after the voyage
  • Immigration fees, paid on arrival

There is no Pakistan-specific rule on Tristan da Cunha; the same prior-approval process applies to all visitors. South Africa's Department of Home Affairs requires ordinary Pakistani passport holders to hold a port-of-entry or transit visa, which covers the wait in Cape Town.

Checklist source: tristandc.com, tristandc.com

Money and time

Fees and timeline

Fees

Only where a visa or permit is required.

  • Official fee

    Fee not published

    Immigration fees are payable on arrival at the rate in force at the time; the amount is not published. Special projects (filming, research, writing) carry a non-refundable £500 application fee plus a project fee set by the Island Council. Passage and accommodation are paid separately.

    Fee source

Timeline

  • Processing and appointments

    No processing time is published. Ship berths are limited and the government advises planning, sometimes more than a year ahead; the government notes that a UK police certificate can take up to 40 days to obtain.

Official links

How to apply

You will leave VisitVisaInfo for an official government or designated VAC website.

Check another passport

Not travelling to Tristan da Cunha on a Pakistani passport? Pick other countries and the flight animation takes you to that guide.

PK
TA

Passport country first, then destination. Pages only show fees, timelines, and refusal rates that official sources have published.

Official statistics

Visa ratio

Not officially published

Tristan da Cunha does not publish figures on refused visit requests.

A percentage is shown only when an official source published one for this route. Blog tables and estimates are left out.

Quick answers

FAQ

Do Pakistanis need a visa for Tristan da Cunha?

There is no visa as such, but you cannot land without prior permission from the Administrator and Island Council. The same rule applies to every nationality.

How do I ask for permission?

Email the Secretary to the Administrator with the purpose of your visit, proposed dates, nationality and age, preferred ship and the accommodation you want. A copy of your passport goes with the request.

How do I get there?

Only by sea from Cape Town, on the SA Agulhas II, fishing vessels or cruise ships. There is no airport, and the government controls passenger berths.

Do I need a South African visa?

Yes. South Africa's Department of Home Affairs says ordinary Pakistani passport holders need a port-of-entry visa, or a transit visa when entering South Africa on the way to another country, so you need one to wait in Cape Town for the ship.

What fees are charged?

Immigration fees are paid on arrival at the current rate, which is not published. Your berth and accommodation are paid separately, with tickets settled before the ship leaves Cape Town.

When is a police certificate required?

For stays longer than two months, or if you will work with children. The Council can also ask for one in other cases, so start early; it may take weeks.

What insurance is required?

International medical cover for the whole stay, including medical evacuation to Cape Town, because the island hospital has limited facilities.

Can I film or write a book on Tristan?

Special projects by journalists, authors, scientists and film makers need written approval, a non-refundable £500 application fee and a project fee set by the Council.

Can permission be refused?

Yes. The Council may refuse anyone if a visit is not in the public interest, and visitors with serious or infectious illness, or drug dependency, can be turned down.

How far ahead should I plan?

Often more than a year. Berths are limited, landings depend on the weather, and sailings from Cape Town can change at short notice.

What should I bring in my luggage?

One suitcase and an overnight bag on most vessels. Alcohol and tobacco allowances are small, and organic material, live animals and frozen goods need permits.

What currency is used on the island?

The UK pound sterling. Visa and Mastercard are accepted, and euros, dollars and rand can be exchanged at the Treasury.

Checked against

Official sources

Last checked for Tristan da Cunha visas on 29 October 2026. Rules change without notice, so confirm on the official pages before you apply or travel.

Compare Tristan da Cunha with other countries: Visa-free, visa on arrival and eVisa countries for Pakistanis · Visa fees for Pakistani passports, country by country