Falepili Mobility Pathway participants are eligible to access free support throughout the ballot and visa application processes and prior to leaving for Australia
The Falepili Mobility Pathway Support Service (Tuvalu)
The Falepili Mobility Pathway Support Service (Tuvalu) is a free, opt in service available for Falepili Mobility Pathway participants throughout the ballot, visa application and predeparture process.
The Support Service is available to Falepili Mobility Pathway applicants and visa holders living in and outside Tuvalu.
How we can help you through the ballot and visa application process
The Falepili Mobility Pathway Support Service (Tuvalu) is available to help you to understand the ballot and visa application processes.
The Support Service regularly runs information sessions, online and in person, on the ballot and the visa application process, to help guide you through the process and where to find the information you need to submit your application.
The team can help facilitate your payment of the ballot and Visa Application Charge (VAC) and help you to book your appointments for biometric data collection and medical checks for your health assessment.
It is also available to work with you one-on-one to answer your questions and to understand and navigate ImmiAccount.
The Support Service office, known as the Hub, is located in Funafuti and in addition to the team there to help you, there are also computers and Wifi available.
Help to find a job in Australia
While Falepili Mobility Pathway visa holders do not need to have a job offer to be granted a visa, we recognise that many may 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.
The Falepili Mobility Pathway Support Service (Tuvalu) can help connect you with employers in Australia who offer a wide variety of roles and skill levels.
They can assist with assessing your skills, creating or finetuning your resume, looking for jobs, getting interviews and more.
Helping you prepare to move to Australia
The Falepili Mobility Pathway Support Service (Tuvalu) provides support for visa holders preparing to depart for Australia.
The Support Service provide information session, both online and in person, and individual support that covers navigating the immigration processes and what to take to Australia through to life in Australia.
Visa holders are provided with key information including on education, health care, welfare services, banking and financial literacy, digital literacy and online safety, understanding insurance and superannuation, safe driving, labour rights and protections, working in Australia and Australian laws.
Support for passports
Under the Australia-Tuvalu Falepili Union Treaty, the Australian Passport Office (APO) is delivering a four-year passport uplift program in collaboration with the Government of Tuvalu to strengthen the administration and integrity of travel documents, including passports.
The program's objective is:
- to deliver sustainable changes to Tuvalu's travel document system
- to strengthen document security and integrity to meet international standards
- embed best-practice service delivery principles.
To apply for a Tuvaluan passport, you will need:
- A completed passport application form
- Documents that confirm your identity
- Proof of Tuvaluan citizenship
- A witness who can confirm your identity, and the identity of the child and parent or guardian if the application is for a child
- A passport photo
- Payment for the passport fee
Take your completed application form, supporting documents and passport photo to the Government of Tuvalu Immigration Office. Staff will check that your application is complete. Once it has been checked, you can pay the passport fee at the Treasury Office in the Government building.
The cost of an adult passport is AU$80 and a child passport is AU$60.
Allow four weeks for your passport application to be processed. If you need your passport sooner, you can pay a priority fee. The priority fee is AU$150 for an adult passport or AU$100 for a child passport. Priority applications are processed within three working days.
Where can you get a passport photo?
You can have your passport photo taken at the Tuvalu Department of Immigration or at Pese Prints. Both are located in Funafuti.
What if you don't have a Tuvaluan birth certificate
You will need to visit the Government of Tuvalu Attorney-General's office located in the Government office building in Funafuti.
What if you were born overseas?
If you were born overseas, you must provide your foreign birth certificate and a letter confirming your Tuvaluan citizenship.
What can delay a passport application?
Your passport application may be delayed if:
- You do not provide the right documents to prove your identity
- You do not provide the right documents to prove you are a citizen of Tuvalu
- The name on your application does not match the name on your identity or citizenship documents
- Your previous passport was lost or stolen and you have not reported it to the police
- Your previous passport is damaged and you cannot provide evidence
- Your passport photo does not meet the photo guidelines.
Can you use your previous passport as proof of citizenship?
No. Your previous passport cannot be used as proof that you are entitled to a new passport. You must provide a Tuvaluan birth certificate or a citizenship document issued by the Office of the Attorney General.
How should you look after your passport?
- Keep your passport in a sealed plastic bag to protect it from water.
- Do not bend or fold the passport book.
- Store your passport in a safe place so it doesn't get lost or stolen.