FAQ - Importers and Arrivals

What can I bring or send to Solomon Islands?

Solomon Islands has strict laws relating to the importation of certain goods. This ensures that the biosecurity risk to Solomon Islands agricultural industries and unique environment is minimised.

You must declare certain food, plant material and animal products. When you declare these items they will be checked by a Biosecurity Solomon Islands officer who will determine whether they are allowed into Solomon Islands.

Some products may require treatment to make them safe. Other items may be restricted (e.g. fruit and vegetables) or prohibited (e.g. honey) due to pest and disease risks. Go to Importers to find a list of restrictions.

When to tick ‘yes’ on your Incoming Passenger Card

Travellers will be given an Incoming Passenger Card before they arrive in Solomon Islands. This is a legal document. You must tick Yes if you are carrying certain food, plant material or animal products. These must be assessed by a Biosecurity Solomon Islands officer who will decide whether they may enter the country or not. Alternatively, you may dispose of food, plant material or animal products on arrival in the bins located in the terminal.

If you fail to declare or dispose of any biosecurity items, or make a false declaration you could be prosecuted, fined more than $SBD 1,000,000 and risk 5 years in jail and a criminal record.

Find out more on the Travellers page.

What happens to items that I declare?

In many cases items you declare will be returned to you after inspection. However, any items that present a biosecurity risk will be withheld. Depending on the risk, you can:

• store the item at the airport for collection upon departure from Solomon Islands (only available where your arrival and departure airport are the same)*
• export the item*, or
• have the item destroyed.

Biosecurity Solomon Islands makes every effort to minimise the risk of damage caused as a result of treatment, but does not accept liability for any damage that may occur to your goods.

*These options are subject to fees and special conditions may apply.

Why can’t I bring or send goods into Solomon Islands that are already available in Solomon Islands?

The items you buy in Solomon Islands have been commercially produced and imported under strict biosecurity conditions. Similar items that are home-made, traditionally produced or purchased overseas could carry biosecurity pest or disease risks and cannot be imported.

Why do I have to declare on my return to Solomon Islands items that I took overseas with me?

It may be possible for pests and diseases to contaminate your items while overseas. This is why Biosecurity Solomon Islands officers must inspect certain articles arriving into Solomon Islands irrespective of where they originally came from.

Where do I go for more information on items to declare?

For information about bringing or sending items to Solomon Islands, go to Travellers. 

If you need more information on items that need to be declared or that require an Import Permit, go to Importers.

Once I’ve cleared biosecurity at an airport, can I take food or other items to another island or province within Solomon Islands?

Once inspected and cleared by Biosecurity most items can be taken to other islands or provinces.  There are internal movement controls on some items but these are primarily items grown within the country.

Why are we sometimes sprayed on international aircraft flying to Solomon Islands?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), certain insects (e.g. mosquitoes) can act as transmitters or vectors of pathogens or parasites that are responsible for spreading a number of human diseases such as Dengue Fever, Yellow Fever, Ross River Fever and Malaria.

All aircraft arriving into Solomon Islands are required to undergo a process called disinsection. This process eliminates these vectors and other insects of concern of concern (e.g. adult fruit flies) from the cabin and holds of aircraft.

Preparations of chemicals currently used in aircraft disinsection are based on two active ingredients, permethrin and d–Phenothrin, currently recommended by WHO. The difference between permethrin and d–Phenothrin is principally one of residual effect; permethrin is a residual pyrethroid and d–Phenothrin a non–residual pyrethroid.

I want to buy something over the internet from overseas—what do I need to know?

The Biosecurity Solomon Islands assesses international mail and air courier items sent to Solomon Islands. Biosecurity requirements apply to items ordered on the internet or through mail order.

What is the procedure and costs involved in importing my dog or cat to Solomon Islands?

Conditions for importing dogs and cats vary depending on the country of origin. However, all animals entering Solomon Islands require an import permit, issued by the Biosecurity Solomon Islands. To obtain an import permit, an application to import your pet must be completed and returned to Biosecurity Solomon Islands. The import permit contains a Veterinary Certificate which must be completed and endorsed by an official veterinarian in the country of export prior to the arrival of your pet in Solomon Islands.

The owner or importer must pay all fees associated with the import and quarantine accommodation of your dog or cat in Solomon Islands.

Specific conditions for importing some pets from some countries are available under All Live Animals and High Risk Animal Products on the Importers page.

Why do we import goods that we produce here in Solomon Islands?

The Solomon Islands economy depends on the export of plant products (e.g. timber, copra, cocoa palm oil). Solomon Islands promotes fair and consistent trading rules for all countries around the world. We cannot expect trading partners to import our produce if we are not prepared to import their products.

If we import goods, doesn’t the risk of diseases and pests entering Solomon Islands increase?

The Solomon Islands Government takes a very conservative approach to biosecurity and through Government policy aims to reduce the risk to a very low level, but not to zero. It would not be practical for Solomon Islands to take a ‘zero risk’ approach, as it would mean no tourists, no international travel and no trade with other countries. Other countries could then apply the same policies and our products would likely not be accepted overseas.

Can I bring health supplements into Solomon Islands?

Health Supplements (plant based)

An Import Permit is not required, provided that:

• The article is a human therapeutic dietary supplement or natural medicine containing ingredients of plant origin only (this may be supported by product labelling, an accompanying brochure or internet printout, or a letter from a doctor); and
• The product is imported into Solomon Islands (whether personally or by post) by a person who intends to use it for their own personal use; and
• The product is imported in a quantity of no more than three months’ supply. Three months’ supply can be determined by:
  • The label dosage advice; or
  • A letter in English from a medical practitioner, naturopath or alternative health provider; or
  • A statutory declaration by the importer stating that the product is for personal use only and is less than 3 months’ supply; and
• The product is commercially prepared and packaged. The product must be in one of the following forms: capsules, tablets, vials for injection, liquid, powder, ointment.

Herbs

Personal consignments of all dried plant parts (including seeds, fruits, herbs, bark and roots) and plant part mixes for human consumption or human therapeutic end use weighing no greater than 1 kg per product type are permitted if they meet the following import conditions. Products weighing more than 1 kg must comply with commercial conditions, or be re-exported or destroyed.

All material in the consignment must be thoroughly dried and not capable of propagation.

Each consignment will be subject to an inspection to verify that it is free of prohibited seeds, live insects, soil and other quarantine risk material. View the list of prohibited plants.

If seeds are found on inspection the consignment is to be directed for:

• export; or
• destruction at the importer’s expense.

If the consignment is not botanically labelled and the Biosecurity Officers cannot identify the plant matter and the consignment does not contain seeds, then the consignment is to be directed for treatment using:

• Heat (if facilities are available)
• export; or
• destruction at the importer’s expense.

After inspection and treatment, all consignments that meet the above import conditions will be released from quarantine.

Can I bring protein powders into Solomon Islands?

An import permit is not required for commercially prepared and packaged protein powders in quantities of less than 10 kilograms or 10 litres and intended for human consumption only, provided that they are manufactured in one of the countries specified on the list below. Such powders may contain enzymes and/or egg proteins and are permitted to enter, for personal use only, without requiring an import permit.

Special conditions apply for products which contain ingredients sourced and or manufactured in a country NOT listed in country list below.

An import permit is required for the importation of commercial quantities of commercially prepared and packaged protein powders please contact Biosecurity Solomon Islands in Honiara.

List of approved countries for the export of commercially prepared and packaged protein powders.

(1) Excluding Kosovo administered by the United Nations