Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Mobility Pathway

As a primary applicant, you can register for the ballot if you:

• hold a valid Tuvaluan passport
• are aged 18 years or older at the time the ballot period opens
• were born in Tuvalu or have a parent or grandparent born in Tuvalu
• are a citizen of Tuvalu, and that citizenship was not acquired due to an investment
• are not an New Zealand citizen
• complete the online registration form and pay the registration fee of $25.

First – you’ll need an ImmiAccount.

Second – when registering for the ballot, you’ll need to provide:

• information about yourself, including your name and date of birth
• a valid Tuvaluan passport number, including issue and expiry dates
• a valid email address
• the number of dependent children, and/or spouse or de facto partner you’d like to include in your visa application

Third – pay the AUD$25 registration fee.

You and your partner are in a de facto relationship if:

• you are not married to each other
• you have a mutual commitment with your de facto partner to the exclusion of all others
• your relationship is genuine and continuing
• you either live together or don’t live permanently apart
• you are not related by family.

If in Tuvalu, you must be in your de facto relationship for at least 12 months immediately before you apply for this visa.

Time spent dating or in an online relationship usually does not count as being in a de facto relationship.

You must provide documents proving your relationship, show us you have been in your de facto relationship for at least 12 months before you applied for this visa. This may include evidence of shared finances (bank statements), lease agreements utility bills, etc.

Yes. People with disabilities, special needs, or chronic health conditions (excepting tuberculosis) are welcome to register for the ballot.

In Australia, visa holders can access tailored support through the National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS).

The NDIS helps people with disability to gain greater independence, access to new skills, jobs, or volunteering, an improved quality of life, and connections to services in their community.

Yes. You can register for the ballot from anywhere in the world, including if you are already in Australia on a different visa. This includes existing Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme, the Pacific Engagement Visa (PEV), and student visas.

You can register for the ballot from anywhere in the world, including if you are already in Australia on a student visa.

However, if you are on an Australia Awards scholarship, you will need to abide by the terms of that contract. Failure to do so may result in you needing to pay back the scholarship funding.

No, only the primary registrant.

You may include your immediate family members such as your spouse or de facto partner and any dependent children. The wider family unit cannot be included, such as your parents, your spouse’s parents, aunts, uncles, or cousins.

If you are considering bringing immediate family members, you must include how many in your ballot registration.

If selected in the ballot, you will need to provide details of all family members in your visa application, including identity documentation such as birth certificates, adoption certificates, and marriage certificates.

• Yes, if the adult child is not married, engaged or in a de facto relationship;
• is aged 18 to 23 years and dependent on the main applicant or the main applicant’s spouse or de facto partner; or
• is aged 23 years or older and dependent on the main applicant or the main applicant’s spouse or de facto partner due to a partial or total physical or mental disability.

Yes. Whether the child is dependent due to a partial or total physical or mental disability is assessed as part of the Treaty stream visa application, not through the ballot registration process.

Children of both the main applicant and the main applicant’s spouse or de facto partner may be included in the visa application.

A child adopted in Tuvalu must be formally adopted with official paperwork.

No, only a spouse or de facto partner, and/or legal children can be registered as dependents.

Yes, pregnant women can apply for the ballot.

If selected and you travel to Australia as a visa holder, you can access the Australian public health system, Medicare, during pregnancy and birth. Your baby may also be entitled to Australian citizenship.

Visit the Department of Home Affairs website for information on citizenship at birth.

Visit Services Australia for information on Medicare services for conceiving, pregnancy and birth.

Yes. A child born in Australia is automatically an Australian citizen if, at the time of birth, at least one parent was:

• an Australian citizen,
• a permanent visa holder such as a Treaty stream visa, or
• a Special Category (subclass 444) visa (SCV) holder on or after 1 July 2022.

Yes – a spouse or de facto partner who is not a Tuvaluan citizen may be included as a dependent with a Tuvaluan citizen primary applicant.

A primary applicant, either of their parents, or any one of their grandparents must be born in Tuvalu to be eligible to enter the ballot.

Yes, because Kiribati and Tuvalu were one colony. Such persons are eligible for a Tuvaluan birth certificate.

Yes, Tuvaluans who are also permanent residents of another country, including New Zealand, can enter the Treaty stream ballot and if selected may apply for the Treaty stream visa.

Yes.

If a person is currently in prison and they meet the ballot registration requirements, they are not prevented for registering in the Treaty stream ballot. However, if they are selected to apply for a visa, they will need to meet the visa character requirements, including criminal convictions and periods of time spent in prison. For further information see: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/meeting-our-requirements/character

When completing a Treaty stream application through ImmiAccount, all applicants will need to declare any periods of visa overstay in any country.

Persons in Australia at the time of making a Treaty stream visa must hold a valid visa.

A person who has had a visa cancelled or refused may also not be eligible to apply for the Treaty stream visa. A person in this situation may seek independent legal advice to inform consideration of their visa options.

Persons outside Australia, who previously overstayed their visa in Australia and were removed from Australia may be subject to a limitation period in which they can apply for a visa to Australia.

See: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/visas/getting-a-visa/visa-listing/pacific-engagement/subclass-192-treaty-stream/treaty-stream-tuvalu#Eligibility

Those selected from the ballot are eligible to apply for the Treaty stream visa. The visa application charge is $200 for the primary applicant and $50 for each dependant (husband/wife and/or any dependent children).   

Visa applicants are also required to pay for other associated expenses such as passports and for character and health checks.

Payments for the ballot and subsequent visa fees can be made online by:

• Credit Card
• PayPal
• UnionPay
• BPAY

For detailed information on payment, please visit the Department of Home Affairs website.

No. Neither the ballot or visa application charges can be refunded under Australian law because a person was not selected in the ballot or wishes to withdraw their visa application.

Visit the Department of Home Affairs website for ballot registration and visa information.

The 2025 ballot will open 16 June 2025 and close on 18 July 2025.

The Minister for Home Affairs has set the ballot open period until 18 July 2025. It will not close early due to the number of registrations received.

The Department of Home Affairs’ electronic registration system has been programmed with a simple algorithm to randomly select registrants from the Treaty stream ballot.

The algorithm is an automated process and an assurance of transparency and integrity; in that it eliminates all manual intervention in the process and removes any perception of bias in the selection process.

This means that every eligible Tuvaluan in the ballot has an equal chance of being invited to apply for the visa.

An ImmiAccount gives you access to many online services on the Department of Home Affairs website.

You will need one to register for the ballot.

Create an account by following step-by-step instructions on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Scanned copies or photographs of documents are not required to register in the Treaty stream visa ballot. However, you must provide details of your valid Tuvaluan passport.

Yes, a Treaty stream (Tuvalu) ballot participant can amend their registration after they have submitted it and while it’s at ‘received’ status. They can do this via their registered ImmiAccount.

There is then an option to ‘edit’ and update some of the details on their registration form (if they made a mistake or if they renew their passport). All fields except ‘country of passport’ can be edited.

Registered ballot participants can also withdraw their registration at any time during the ballot process in ImmiAccount.

Keep your email address and passport details up to date so we can contact you if you are randomly selected in the ballot to submit a visa application. Select the ‘View details’ button on your application in ImmiAccount if you need to update your details.

1. Get a passport application
2. Get a passport photo
3. Get your birth certificate or citizenship certificate
4. Pay the passport fee
5. Take your application, photo, birth certificate and receipt of payment to the Immigration office.

Passport applications are available at the Immigration office located in the Tuvalu government office building.

Or the Mobility Pathway Hub on Te Auala O Fogafale road.

You will need to come into the government building in Funafuti. Or get a family member or friend to collect an application and/or lodge on their behalf.

There are two places you can get a passport photo in Funafuti:

• Pese Prints
• Tokotu Printery

You will need to go to the Attorney General’s office located in the Government building.

You will need to go to the Attorney General’s office located in the Government building.

The cost of an adult passport is $80.

The cost of a child passport is $60

You can pay for your passport at the Treasury office located in the Government building.

A passport application normally takes 2 weeks to process.

You can pay a priority fee of $150 for an adult passport or $100 for a child passport to have the passport processed within 3 working days.

• If you had a passport and it was lost or stolen, and you have not reported it to the police.
• If your passport does not meet the photo guidelines.
• If you were born outside of Tuvalu, as we need to wait for citizenship.

• Keep passport in a sealed plastic bag to avoid it getting wet.
• Don’t bend or fold the book.

280 places will be available in the 2025-26 program year. The number of places available in later years is subject to agreement between the Governments of Australia and Tuvalu.

Those selected from the ballot will be able to apply for the visa within 60 days. The visa application cost is $200 for the primary applicant and $50 for each dependant (spouse and/or children), and other expenses such as character and health checks.

Applicants are required to self-fund their own ballot, visa application and travel costs to Australia.

No. Neither the ballot or visa application charges can be refunded under Australian law because a person was not selected in the ballot or wishes to withdraw their visa application.

Visit the Department of Home Affairs website for ballot registration and visa information.

You can pay online by:

• Credit Card
• PayPal
• UnionPay
• BPAY

For detailed information visit: https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/help-support/applying-online-or-on-paper/online/how-to-pay

Yes. As permanent residents, visa holders can choose where they live, work and study in Australia. They can move freely anywhere in the country.

No. The Falepili mobility pathway is a permanent residence visa, and holders can travel to and from Australia without restriction. This enables circular mobility between Australia and Tuvalu.

All visa applicants will need to undertake a medical examination.

All applicants aged 17 years and over will be required to answer questions about their character and provide a police certificate from each country they have lived in, for a total period of 12 months in the past 10 years.

Medical examinations may be undertaken in a visa applicant’s country of residence – including Tuvalu and Fiji. If an applicant is living in Tuvalu, they can do their immigration medical examination in Tuvalu at the Princess Margaret Hospital.

All Immigration Medical Examination costs must be covered by the visa applicant. Medical Examinations are broader than screening for TB and include an examination by an Australian Government approved doctor.

The Falepili Mobility Pathway Hub in Funafuti can help visa applicants to book medical examinations for visa applicants in Tuvalu.

All visa applicants outside Australia at the time of visa application must be free from tuberculosis (TB) to be granted a visa.

Treaty stream visa holders have 12 months from date of the visa grant.

Yes, a primary applicant, if granted a Treaty stream visa can enter Australia before other family members.

However, all Treaty stream visa holders must travel to Australia within 12 months from the date of visa grant.

Persons granted a visa will be given a first entry date to enter Australia which will appear on their visa grant notification letter. This first entry date is generally 12 months from the date of visa grant.

Failure to enter Australia by the first entry date can render the visa liable for cancellation. As the visa has been granted, it is counted in the annual number of visa places.

The Department of Home Affairs will ensure that adequate numbers of people are selected from the ballot for the 280 program places allocated.

This means that if more people need to be selected in a ballot they can be, however it is not anticipated that more than one ballot selection process will be required in the 2025-26 program year (1 July 2025 – 30 June 2026).

Any person who commits a crime in Australia and who is not an Australian citizen may be subject to visa cancellation.

Yes. This is a permanent resident visa. This means that on arrival in Australia, visa holders, including any dependents, can access and apply for:

• Australia’s public health system (Medicare)
• tailored disability support (NDIS)
• subsidised prescription medicines
• support for the cost of raising children, including childcare
• financial help for secondary, tertiary and vocational study
• low interest loans for tertiary and vocational tuition fees.

Please note that some eligibility and location requirements apply. For example, permanent visa holders must live in Australia to be eligible for Medicare, NDIS, and most education and training support schemes.

Yes. Visa holders will have access to the Settlement Engagement and Transition Support (SETS) Program and Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP).

The SETS Program supports eligible migrants and their communities to improve social participation, economic wellbeing, independence, personal wellbeing and community connectedness, through:

• settlement-related information
• advice
• advocacy and
• help to use mainstream and other relevant services.

AMEP helps eligible migrants to improve their English language skills.

No. Visa holders do not need to secure employment before moving to Australia.

We do recommend finding a job as soon as possible though to help with the cost of living and settling into life in Australia.

Support services will be available before leaving Tuvalu and in Australia to help visa holders find work.

Visa holders can access a service that will help connect them to employers in Australia, in a variety of roles and skill levels.

They will be guided through the visa application process, given information about life in Australia, and supported through the diaspora (Tuvaluans already living in Australia) to maintain their connection to culture.

Applicants are required to self-fund their ballot fee and (if selected in the ballot) visa application charge, health assessment costs, police check costs, flights and travel costs, and accommodation and living costs in Australia.

Visa holders should be aware that the cost of living in Australia is generally much higher than in Tuvalu. Common expenses include rent for housing, food, bills for electricity and heating, and transport.

However, these costs can vary depending on where you live in Australia.

The Australian Government provides an online calculator for international students intending to study in Australia to assist them calculate potential living expenses. This calculator can also be a useful guide to assist people in understanding and undertaking financial planning for living in Australia.

See: https://costofliving.studyaustralia.gov.au

You can become a citizen of Australia in different ways. You must meet certain criteria before you apply, including residency requirements.

See https://immi.homeaffairs.gov.au/citizenship/become-a-citizen for more information.

Services Australia provides financial support to families with children. Visa holders may be able to access programs such as the Child Care Subsidy (CCS), Family Tax Benefit (FTB), and Parenting Payment, among others.

Payment eligibility and how much you can receive depends on your family’s circumstances, for example, your income, assets, and number of children.

Visit Services Australia for more information on payments for families: https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/most-viewed-payments-for-growing-up.

The Australian Government provides financial help to people in full time study in secondary (high school), tertiary (college or university) or vocational studies (TAFE or an apprenticeship). Common payments include:

• Youth Allowance – for students or apprentices aged 16-24 years.
• Austudy – for students or apprentices aged 25 years and older.

Visit Services Australia for information on payments for higher education.

The NDIS (National Disability Insurance Scheme) is Australia’s national funding and support service for people with permanent and significant disabilities.

Everyone who wishes to apply for the NDIS must be:

• An Australian citizen or permanent resident
• Living in Australia
• Under 65 years on the day of applying
• have a permanent and significant disability.

All applicants to the NDIS must be assessed for their individual needs and goals. This process can take 3-6 months.

Visit the NDIS website for more information.

As permanent residents, visa holders can freely travel between Tuvalu and Australia.

However, most Australian Government services require people to live in Australia.

Some payments, such as Family Tax Benefit and Youth Allowance, may continue for up to 6 weeks of overseas travel without being affected.

If you leave Australia for more than 6 weeks, your payments may be reduced or stop altogether. You would then need to re-apply when you return.

Visit Services Australia for more information.