The Solomon Islands Immigration Division has briefed diplomats in Honiara on how the country's new Border Management System (BMS) and e-Visa regime work, the division said on 8 October. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade (MFAET) supported the briefing, which was attended by Heads of Mission and other diplomatic representatives.

The Director of Immigration, Chris Akosawa, told the meeting that Solomon Islands is moving to an all-electronic set-up covering border management, visas and payments. He said the change would tighten border security and safeguard the country's territorial sovereignty.

The BMS was installed on 7 July 2024 and the e-Visa system launched on 28 October 2025, while the e-Payment Gateway began on 23 August 2026, putting short-term visa applications and their payment online. According to the division, the BMS was funded by the Government of Australia for $18 million under the Trilateral Partnership between the PNG Immigration & Citizenship Service Authority (PNG ICSA) and the Immigration Division.

Immigration is introducing 34 e-Visa categories with 11 subclasses. The categories set out on the Immigration website portal cover tourists and business travellers, visa exemptions (mutual exemption visas), yachts and cruise boats, and other short stays. The division said the number of visa applications processed has risen since the BMS came in.

Akosawa said the e-Visa system is aimed at organised and transnational crime, including trafficking in people and in drugs. "Solomon Islands is strategically taking control of its laws to protect its territorial sovereignty. All non-citizens entering and staying in Solomon Islands must apply for and be granted a visa before travelling to Solomon Islands," he said.

Concessions, MOUs and other agreements already signed with partner countries would still be honoured, the division said. The briefing also took in regional security frameworks, among them the Boe Declaration, the 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and the Disruption Strategy 2024-2028. Diplomats were encouraged to pass the information on through their own channels, and Akosawa thanked Australia and PNG ICSA for their support.

Source: Based on "Immigration briefs diplomatic corps on new border management and e-visa system", published by the Solomon Islands Government portal (solomons.gov.sb) on 8 October 2026. https://solomons.gov.sb/immigration-briefs-diplomatic-corps-on-new-border-management-and-e-visa-system/