Your first 90 days in Nauru: the arrival checklist
The visa got you in — this is what turns you into a functioning resident: the registration clock, the ID number everything else depends on, and the money, healthcare, and license steps in the order they actually unlock. Each step links the official source so you can verify the current rule.
Checked against official sources · September 2026 · how we verify
The catch that burns new arrivals
Supply and connectivity are the real constraints: one airline route, imported everything, intermittent internet, and phosphate mining has left roughly 80% of the island's interior uninhabitable. Verify current flight schedules and medical arrangements immediately before travelling — both change with little notice.
The checklist, in the order it unlocks
Obtain and register the appropriate visa with the Nauru Department of Justice and Border Control — business, employment, or the investor residence programme
Visas must be arranged before arrival; there is no visa on arrival for most nationalities and unannounced arrivals are refused entry
Nauru is the world's smallest republic with roughly 12,000 people and one commercial airline route. Everything — permits, banking, medical — runs through a handful of offices, and the practical constraint is availability rather than complexity. The economic citizenship programme launched in 2024 is a separate track administered as a climate-resilience funding measure.
Get your Employment and Services Tax registration number
Nauru introduced an employment and services tax in 2014; the registration identifies employees and contractors for it.
Registered with the Nauru Revenue Office; salaried employees are handled through the employer.
Open a bank account
Bendigo Bank operates the country's only commercial banking presence, restored in 2015 after Nauru spent several years with no bank at all. Services are basic, the Australian dollar is the currency, and there is no meaningful choice of provider. Keep your primary banking relationship offshore.
Enrol in healthcare
The Republic of Nauru Hospital provides basic care; there is no specialist capacity and no capability for complex surgery or oncology. Medical evacuation to Australia or Fiji is the plan for anything serious, and it is a long flight. Comprehensive international insurance with a high evacuation limit is not a precaution here — it is the medical system.
Sort your driver's license
A Nauruan licence is obtained locally and the process is informal by international standards. The island has a single 19-kilometre ring road and a 50 km/h limit, so driving needs are minimal. Driving is on the left.
Deadlines and requirements vary by nationality, visa type, and region, and they change — this is information current as of 2026, not legal or immigration advice. Verify each step with the official source before you rely on it.
Moving to Nauru?
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Information only, not legal advice — we never file anything with any government. Requirements change; verify with the official source or a licensed immigration advisor before you apply.
First 90 days in Nauru: FAQ
What do I have to do first after arriving in Nauru?
Obtain and register the appropriate visa with the Nauru Department of Justice and Border Control — business, employment, or the investor residence programme — Visas must be arranged before arrival; there is no visa on arrival for most nationalities and unannounced arrivals are refused entry. Nauru is the world's smallest republic with roughly 12,000 people and one commercial airline route. Everything — permits, banking, medical — runs through a handful of offices, and the practical constraint is availability rather than complexity. The economic citizenship programme launched in 2024 is a separate track administered as a climate-resilience funding measure. Verify the current rule with the official source before you rely on it.
What is the Employment and Services Tax registration number and do I need one?
Employment and Services Tax registration number is Nauru's personal tax/ID number. Nauru introduced an employment and services tax in 2014; the registration identifies employees and contractors for it. Registered with the Nauru Revenue Office; salaried employees are handled through the employer.
Can I drive in Nauru on a US license?
A Nauruan licence is obtained locally and the process is informal by international standards. The island has a single 19-kilometre ring road and a 50 km/h limit, so driving needs are minimal. Driving is on the left. Rules differ by nationality and change — check the official source before the window closes.
How do I get healthcare after moving to Nauru?
The Republic of Nauru Hospital provides basic care; there is no specialist capacity and no capability for complex surgery or oncology. Medical evacuation to Australia or Fiji is the plan for anything serious, and it is a long flight. Comprehensive international insurance with a high evacuation limit is not a precaution here — it is the medical system. See our healthcare-systems guide for how Nauru's system treats foreign residents.