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Before you travel

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

• ²õ±ð±ðÌýgeneral advice for women travellers
• read our guide on disability and travel abroad
• ²õ±ð±ðÌýgeneral 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.

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This information is for people travelling on a full ‘British citizen� passport from the UK. It is based on the UK government’s understanding of Pitcairn Island’s current rules for the most common types of travel.

The authorities on Pitcairn Island set and enforce entry rules. This includes all visitors and potential new settlers to have comprehensive travel insurance, including medical evacuation cover. If you’re not sure how these requirements apply to you, visit the website.

Passport validity requirements

Your passport must be valid for the duration of your stay on Pitcairn Island and have blank pages for stamps.

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.

Visa requirements

You can visit Pitcairn Island for up to 14 days without a visa if you plan to arrive and depart on the same ship. Visits of more than 14 days require a Long-Term Visit Visa, see .

You must fill in a landing card on arrival.

Applying for a visa

To stay on Pitcairn Island for more than 14 days, you must for entry clearance before making any travel plans.

See on the official Pitcairn Island tourism website.

Travelling with children

If you want to visit Pitcairn Island for more than 14 days with children aged 15 and under, you must contact before making any travel plans. You must complete an entry clearance application for any child wishing to visit the island.

FCDO does not allow its staff or contracted staff based on Pitcairn to be accompanied by their children due to limited medical facilities.

Vaccine requirements

To enter Pitcairn Island, you must have a certificate to prove you’ve had a yellow fever vaccination if you’re coming from a .

For full details about medical entry requirements and recommended vaccinations, see .

Customs rules

There are strict rules about . You must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty.

It is illegal to import:

• alcohol without a licence
• honey, or used products related to honey production

There are strict controls on plant and animal product imports. Travellers with pets should get advice before travelling.

For more information .

Terrorism

There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. Stay aware of your surroundings at all times.    

UK Counter Terrorism Policing has information and advice on and what to do in the event of a terrorist attack. Find out how to reduce your risk from terrorism while abroad.

Terrorism on Pitcairn Island

Although there’s no recent history of terrorism on Pitcairn Island, attacks cannot be ruled out.

Crime

Crime against visitors is uncommon.

Laws and cultural differences

Pitcairn Island is a British Overseas Territory and has its own laws. 

Alcohol laws

It is illegal to import or sell alcohol without a licence.

It is also illegal to drink alcohol in a number of public places, including but not limited to all roads, the Landing, the Public Square and the Western Harbour.

Religion

The main religion on Pitcairn is Seventh Day Adventism, and the Sabbath is observed on Saturday. All religions are welcome in the church.

Grocery store

There is one grocery store on Pitcairn Island, which is open for 2 hours on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Accommodation

There are no hotels but self-catering and homestay accommodation with local families is available. You must in order to travel to Pitcairn.

Mobile network and internet

There is no mobile phone network on Pitcairn. VoIP calls are possible but only from people’s houses.   

Internet facilities are available to the public at the Landing and outside the grocery store, and at most homes on the island through Starlink. Homestay guests will normally have access to local wifi facilities, possibly at additional cost.

LGBT+ travellers

Same-sex marriage has been legal on Pitcairn Island since 2015.

Read more advice for LGBT+ travellers.

Outdoor activities and adventure tourism      

Pitcairn Island has walking trails with varying degrees of difficulty. Trails to Down Rope, Tautama and Christian’s Cave are narrow, slippery and not well marked � you should only go on these trails if an islander comes with you.

Cliffs on Pitcairn are unstable and may crumble. 

See from the Royal Life Saving Society.

It can take days and possibly weeks to get medical treatment if you’re seriously injured during outdoor activities. Serious cases require medical evacuation by boat to Mangareva and then flight to Tahiti, or boat/flight to New Zealand, due to limited medical facilities on Pitcairn.

Transport risks

Road travel

There are a limited number of concrete roads on Pitcairn, mostly in Adamstown. Other roads are dirt tracks.

People walk or use quad bikes to get around. Most visitors walk because all quad bikes are privately owned. Longer-term visitors who want to use a quad bike must pass a short driving test, set by the Police Officer, to get a licence.

Air travel

You cannot travel to Pitcairn by air. Pitcairn is visited around 20 times a year by a supply ship, the Silver Supporter, travelling from the island of Mangareva in French Polynesia. See the website for shipping service information, including sailing dates and passenger fares.

Transferring by longboat

There is no harbour or jetty on Pitcairn. Visitors transfer from the Silver Supporter supply ship to Pitcairn in a longboat. This can be difficult in poor weather, particularly for people with limited mobility. Crew provide life jackets, full instructions and help during the transfer.

Visitors coming ashore from cruise liners normally use the vessels� own tenders. 

Extreme weather and natural disasters

Find out what you can do to prepare for and respond to extreme weather and natural hazards.

There is a risk of landslides or rockfalls on Pitcairn following heavy rain.

Cyclones do not normally affect Pitcairn.

Before you travel check that:

• your destination can provide the healthcare you may need
• you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation

This is particularly important if you have a health condition or are pregnant.

Emergency medical number

There is no mobile network on Pitcairn Island. In an emergency, outside clinic hours, the doctor can be called on 984 0132 using an islander’s VoIP line or by asking them to make a call out on VHF radio.  See Healthcare (below) for clinic opening hours.

Contact your insurance company quickly if you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment.

Vaccine recommendations and health risks

At least 8 weeks before your trip:

• check the latest
• see where to get vaccines and whether you have to pay on the

Biting insects including mosquitoes are prevalent day and night on Pitcairn, visitors are recommended to bring effective insect repellents and to take precautions to avoid being bitten.

See .

Medication

The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or bought in the UK can be different in other countries.

Read .

Healthcare on Pitcairn Island

The island’s clinic is open from 9am and midday Sundays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays. No appointment is necessary. Visitors must pay for any medical assistance they receive before leaving Pitcairn. It is staffed by a GP and a nurse, and has a limited supply of prescription medication. In cases of serious illness or injury the nearest hospital facilities are at least 2 days away by ship, in Tahiti or New Zealand.

There is no airport on Pitcairn, and the speed of evacuation in a medical emergency will be dependent on the availability of the supply ship or other passing vessels. Make sure you have adequate travel health insurance and accessible funds to cover the cost of any medical treatment abroad and repatriation.

Travel and mental health

Read FCDO guidance on travel and mental health. There is also .

The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) cannot provide tailored advice for individual trips. Read this travel advice and carry out your own research before deciding whether to travel.

Emergency services on Pitcairn Island  

There is a Pitcairn police officer, but there are no other emergency services on Pitcairn Island.

If you spot a fire, tell the nearest islander who will use VHF radio to raise the alarm. Follow islanders� instructions if there is a fire.

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 the Pitcairn Islands government

If you’re on Pitcairn Island and you need emergency help, ask your host or an islander to put a call out on VHF radio or contact the Police Officer on telephone 984 0141 or Administrator on 984 0131.