The Established Investor Visa (Class 7) is a long-term visa under the Solomon Islands Immigration Act 2012 that allows foreign nationals with a registered foreign investment to reside in the country and operate their approved business activities. It is the second stage of the investor immigration pathway, following the Provisional Investor Visa which permits entry for investment exploration only. The visa is administered by the Immigration Division of the Ministry of Commerce, Industries, Labour and Immigration.
Before applying for the visa, applicants must register their foreign investment through the Solomon Islands Business Registry (solomonbusinessregistry.gov.sb). The 10-step process includes providing general details and entity type, adding investor details with passport and resume, selecting business activities with a business plan, listing operating locations, providing employment figures, submitting confidential investment information, completing declarations, and making payment. The Registrar of Investment has 5 working days to make a decision.
There is no statutory minimum investment amount under the Foreign Investment Act 2005. Instead, the Act restricts foreign investors from engaging in reserved activities (sectors where local businesses are already well-established) and prohibited activities.
The visa is granted for a maximum of 2 years and may be extended by applying to the Director of Immigration at least 2 months before expiry. Holders must maintain a valid Certificate of Registration and comply with all terms of their approved investment.
Permanent residency (Resident — Long-Term) requires at least 5 consecutive years of prior lawful residence in the Solomon Islands. The Permanent Resident Visa carries a USD 1,500 immigration service fee (plus a USD 50 online processing fee), is valid for 5 years, and is renewable.
Spouses and children under 18 may apply for a Foreign National Dependant Visa using Form 9. The dependant visa duration matches the sponsor's visa. A separate application and fee apply for each dependant.
Foreign investors are subject to Solomon Islands taxation laws, including income tax on locally sourced income. Investors must comply with all applicable tax obligations, labour laws, immigration regulations, and any required licences for their specific business activities.
Applications may be submitted in person at the Immigration Services Office in Honiara or through the Immigration Division's Online Visa Application Portal (eVisa), which now supports online application and payment. Under the Immigration (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, fees are denominated in US dollars: a standard USD 50 administration fee applies to all applications, alongside any applicable immigration service fees. The application must be approved before entering the country.
The Solomon Islands is developing a Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programme, but the CBI Bill remains a first draft under review by the Attorney General's Chambers and has not been tabled in Parliament or enacted; government officials have stated the frameworks are "still a long way to go" and that reports of an operational CBI programme are "false and fraudulent." New immigration fees took effect through the Immigration (Fees) (Amendment) Regulations 2025, with all fees now denominated in US dollars. The Immigration Division's website (immigration.gov.sb) hosts Form 7 in the Division Resources section.