The Republic of Nauru,  pronounced as /Nah-OO-roo/, an island country formerly known as Pleasant Island, is a state in Oceania, located along the Central Pacific. Australia politically administered it. It is a small republic in the Pacific’s heart, bounded in the East by Baubau Island and south by the Marshall Islands.

It is believed to be the 3rd smallest country globally, with about 10,000 Nauruans, with about 1000  non-Nauruans. With its capital city at Yaren, Nauru’s official language is Nauruan, a Micronesian language spoken by most Nauruans.  However, English is also widely used as the administrative language of government and commerce. The country got its independence from the UK on 31st Jan 1968, with the Australian dollar (AUD) as national currency and legal tender.

Being once rich in phosphate mining and exportation, most of her internal revenue comes from phosphate mining. This secondary reservoir of phosphate has a projected life span of 30 years,  which means that currently, apart from small-scale mining, the country will have to diversify its economy to remain afloat.

The island country is served by Nauru international airport. Nauru airlines provide passenger services while Pacific Air Express is in charge of cargos. Visitors can access Nauruan flights at the closest airport in Brisbane and Nadi five days a week. Nauru has a population of less than 200 annual visitors, seeming to be the world’s least visited country.

However, sojourning to Nauru would make a splendid experience on its own.  Visitors can engage in the fishing game,  relaxing at the Bay of Anibare, scuba diving, and diving near the vast Pacific’s shores, and if permitted, participate in the local phosphate mining. These are among the many reasons people pay visits to Nauru.

Visa Requirements

Visitors to Nauru are required to purchase a visa,  except they are citizens of countries qualified for free visa-on-arrival. Hence,  they are expected to have with them a passport valid for at least three months. Transit visas are not required. Visitors on business trips must have a local sponsor. They need to collect the following documents and submit the same as this is the central part of the application process.

• An invitation letter from a Nauruan indigene. ( for Australian and New Zealand passports only)
• A recent passport photograph (in white background)
• A completed Nauru visa application form
• Photocopies of flight bookings (to and from Nauru), including those of any other Pacific Islands intended to be visited.
• Hotel reservation or sponsorship from a Nauruan resident.
• Criminal record certificate
• Medical fitness certificate
• Employment /work-related certificate
• International certificate of vaccination for yellow fever (if coming from an infected country, within 5days)
• Local sponsors (for business visitors)

Free Visas and Eligibility

Only citizens of these 15 countries can obtain free visas-on-arrival:

• Cook island
• Fiji
• Israel
• Marshall Islands
• Micronesia
• Palau
• Papua New Guinea
• Russia
• Samoa
• Solomon Island
• Taiwan
• Tonga
• Tuvalu
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)
• Vanuatu

Citizens of these 66 counties are allowed entry visas under a simplified procedure. This means that they don’t have to tender criminal record certificates or other certificates stating their medical fitness during the application process.

There are;  European Union,  Antigua, and Barbuda,  Australia, Bahamas, Bangladesh,  Barbados, Belize, Botswana,  Brunei, Canada,  Cape Verde, Comoros, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Ghana,  Grenada,  Guinea Bissau, Guyana,  Haiti,  Iceland, India,  Jamaica, Japan, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mauritius, New Zealand, Norway, St Kitts and Nevis, St Lucie, St Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Sao Tome and Principe, South Korea, Switzerland, Timor, Lester, Trinidad, and Tobago.

Citizens of countries not listed above must apply for visas following the standard procedure before visiting Nauru.

Diplomatic missions of Nauru

Considering its short budget and small population, Nauru has nearly zero representatives in the world apart from these few diplomatic missions;

• Embassy at Taipei, Taiwan
• Consulate General in Brisbane, Australia
• High Commission in Suva, Fiji
• Consulate General in Thailand, Bangkok

Visa Application Process

Application for intending visitors is done via email, sent to the Nauru immigration service, with necessary details and documents duly signed and sent to [email protected]

Though all visitors need a visa to enter the Nauru Republic,  the way such permits are obtained depends mostly on the traveller’s home country and reason for visiting. If you are traveling according to nationality, you may be subject to one of three visa application procedures.

• Only citizens of few countries can get a free visa-on-arrival
• Citizens of select countries need to apply for a Nauru visa from their resident country  but may have to follow simplified visa procedures
• Citizens of other world countries need to adhere to their county’s standard visa procedures to get a visit pass into Nauru.

Nauru Visa can be applied online through the Official Nauru Visa Application website

When to apply for a Nauru visa

It is advised to apply for a Nauruan visa about one to two months before the intended trip. Reason being that it will give enough room to the authorities to process it and resend the results.

Cost of A Nauruan visa

Usually,  visas into Nauru cost about $50AUD (Australian Dollars). This is for all visa applications following a simplified or standard application procedure. However, an extra fee applies to journalists reporting on the Nauruan detention centre to  $800AUD for a three-month stay. This was effective from early 2014.

Covid-19 Guidelines for travelers in Nauru

In line with WHO directives, there are guidelines rolled out to prevent the spread of covid-19. Visitors who get sick in Nauru are encouraged to seek medical care. Other than this,  they are expected to take the following steps to protect themselves and others from contracting coronavirus :

• Stay at least six feet (about two arm’s length) from anyone who is traveling with you
• Wear a mask to keep your nose and mouth concealed when you are in shared spaces,  especially when using public transport services
• Wash your hands often or use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol base
• Avoid contact with people at the airport or any other public terminal
• Desist from incessant touching of your eyes, nose, or mouth
• Stay off traveling if sickly.

Note, all passengers will be subject to the covid-19 screening on arrival at Nauru airport.  Passengers will have to come with a medical certificate that states a negative covid-19, PCR SARS, CoV-2 RNA test results.  The test must:

• Be based on nasal/ oral swab
• It must have been conducted at least three days before departure from the first take-off point
• The test certificate must be in English or translated into the same
• As of November last year, all passengers are subject to medical screening and quarantine for a minimum of five days. Visitors are required to undergo pre-travel screening as well.

Frequently Asked Questions

These are some of the areas of concern intending visitors ask before applying for a Nauru visa;

How safe is Nauru?

Nauru is considered one of the safest places to visit, as there has been no recent report of terrorism. Minor and grave crimes are almost non-existent too. Though Nauru as a country doesn’t have a national army,  there are local police forces. However, visitors should take care not to pet or even approach wild dogs,  as they may want to attack. Also, drinkable water in Nauru may contain specks of typhoid fungi, and it is advisable to boil before drinking.

How can I travel to Nauru?

You can contact Nauru flights via their website for details on flight schedules or reach any Nauru Airlines which flies to Nauru international airport from

• Brisbane (Australia)
• Tarawa (Kiribati)
• Kosrae
• Majuro (Marshall Island)
• Nadi (Fiji)
• Pohnpei (Micronesia)

Are there any Tourist /Side Attractions?

Again, Nauru is a small republic that has little to offer tourists.  However, there are a few interesting sites to go to for leisure. The coral reefs on the shores of the Pacific make a nice view.  Other fun facts are:

• Cruise Ride: it has incredible harbours,  deep and calm ocean water
• Buada Lagoon: this is the only freshwater lagoon in the country, surrounded by palm trees and a little fauna, the only small area of vegetation in the land
• Anibare Bay: this beach is a tropical one,  with a strip of white coral sand that extends far into the island’s ends.
• Command Ridge: This is the highest level in the country, which does a nice climb. Up here, you can see the entire country and the historical relics of war left over by the Japanese army after World War II.

Conclusion

Nauru is observed to be very high in literacy rate, and it is estimated to be at 96% among citizens from the age of 15. The island is believed to be the most overweight and obsessed country in the world.  Also, in hopes of remaining solvent, a discreetly funded Nauruan Embassy was planned to be built in Beijing to convey some Korean scientists.

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