Local Laws

CRIMINAL PENALTIES: While you are traveling in Samoa, you are subject to its laws. Foreign laws and legal systems can be vastly different from those in the United States. Persons violating Samoa’s laws, even unknowingly, may be expelled, arrested, or imprisoned. Penalties for possessing, using, or trafficking in illegal drugs in Samoa are severe, and convicted offenders can expect long jail sentences and heavy fines, or death. In Samoa, you may be taken in for questioning if you don’t have your passport with you or if you take pictures of certain buildings. In Samoa, driving under the influence could land you immediately in jail. If you break local laws in Samoa, your U.S. passport won’t help you avoid arrest or prosecution.There are also some things that might be legal in the country you visit, but still illegal in the United States. You can be prosecuted in the United States for engaging in sexual conduct with children or for using or disseminating child pornography in a foreign country regardless of the legality of these activities under that country’s laws. Counterfeit and pirated goods are illegal in the United States and if you purchase them in a foreign country, you may be breaking local law as well.

Arrest notifications in host country: While some countries will automatically notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate if a U.S. citizen is detained or arrested in that country, others may not. To ensure that the United States is aware of your circumstances, request that the police and prison officials notify the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate as soon as you are arrested or detained overseas.

SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCES:

Behavior modification facilities: There is one overseas treatment center or Behavior Modification Facility operating in Samoa. Although this facility may be operated and staffed by U.S. citizens, the Samoan government is solely responsible for its compliance with local safety, health, sanitation, and educational laws and regulations, including all licensing requirements of the staff in country. These standards may not be strictly enforced or meet the standards of similar facilities in the United States. Parents should be aware that U.S. citizens and non-citizen nationals 16 years of age and older have a right to apply for a U.S. passport and to request repatriation assistance from the U.S. government, both without parental consent. Any U.S. citizen or non-citizen U.S. national has the right to contact a representative from the U.S. Embassy. Parents may also contact the U.S. Embassy in Apia or the Office of American Citizens Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs.

Stray dogs: In Apia, and in many villages, stray dogs wander the streets. You should not approach or feed them; they can become aggressive in the presence of food or if they feel threatened. There have been several cases of attacks by multiple dogs. Please exercise appropriate caution when you are walking, running, or riding a bike near stray dogs.

Ferry service: Although there have been no major accidents involving the ferry service linking Upolu and Savaii, vessels are sometimes overloaded. One of the ferries, a multi-deck, automobile ferry, sometimes transports passengers on its automobile deck. To avoid injury from shifting vehicles, you should ride only in the passenger compartment, not on the automobile deck during the crossing, if you choose to use this ferry.

Blowholes: Samoa has numerous “blowholes” (lava tubes open to the sea where wave action produces often spectacular geysers). These blowholes are popular tourist attractions. The footing around the mouths of most blowholes is very slippery. To avoid being swept in, you should not approach too closely and should never stand between the opening of the blowhole and the sea.

Water sports: Snorkeling and diving in ocean lagoons are popular activities for many visitors to Samoa. Tide changes can produce powerful currents in these lagoons. You should consult local residents and tour operators about hazards and conditions at a particular location before you venture into the water. There are virtually no lifeguards in Samoa. You are responsible for your own safety. Carefully investigate the qualifications of guides and tour operators, especially regarding water sports.

Financial transactions: Although some businesses in Apia, especially those frequented by tourists, do accept credit cards, many do not, including gas stations. Major hotels and some restaurants and stores accept major credit cards (Visa, Master Card, and American Express). You can get Samoan currency from ATMs, which are located in Faleolo Airport, Salelologa, and in many locations in Apia. For more information on ATM locations and banking services, visit the ANZ Bank website or the WESTPAC website.

Disaster preparedness: Samoa is located in an area of high seismic activity. Upolu and Savaii are volcanic islands. One of Savai’i’s dormant volcanoes erupts approximately once every 150 years. The most recent eruption was 1908. On September 30, 2009, an 8.0 earthquake in the South Pacific Ocean triggered tsunami waves that hit the islands of Samoa causing extensive damage to life and property, primarily on low-lying coastal areas of the south and east coasts. Major cyclones have occurred in the past and are always a concern. The cyclone season is from November to April, when strong winds, heavy rains, landslides, and disruptions to services could occur. During this period, Samoa receives most of its annual average of over 115 inches of rain. General information about natural disaster preparedness is available from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), or in Samoa from Disaster Management, the Samoa Tourism Authority, or major resort and hotel operators.

Customs: Samoan customs authorities may enforce strict regulations about importing or exporting items such as firearms, fruits, pets and other animals, and drugs. You should contact the Samoan Mission to the United Nations at 800 2nd Avenue, Suite 400J, New York, NY 10017, telephone: (212) 599-6196 for specific information regarding customs requirements. You can also consult the Samoa Ministry of Revenue and the Samoa Quarantine website.

WOMEN TRAVELER INFORMATION: If you are a woman traveling abroad, please review our travel tips for Women Travelers.

LGBT RIGHTS: Same-sex acts are a crime in Samoa, with prison terms of up to seven years. The Crimes Ordinance 1961 and the more recent Crimes Act 2013, which came into effect 1 May 2013, criminalize same-sex acts. There is no recognition of same-sex relationships, marriage or adoption by same-sex couples in Samoa. There are also no anti-discrimination laws in place. Although the country is historically tolerant towards homosexuality, especially with regards to “fa’afafine,” the third-gendered Samoans, efforts to modernize the law under the Crimes Act 2013 were unsuccessful; however, the updated statute did eliminate the section that made it an offence for a male to dress as a female. In many Samoan families it is not uncommon to raise a male child as a girl who plays an important role in domestic duties or the work force to provide for elderly parents and younger siblings. The Samoa Fa’afafine Association with the Samoan Prime Minister as their patron is very active in its charitable work, HIV education and prevention programs. For more detailed information about LGBT rights in [country name] you may review the State Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. For further information on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) travel, please read our LGBT Travel Information page.

ACCESSIBILITY: While in Samoa, individuals with disabilities may find accessibility and accommodation very different from in the United States. There is no law pertaining specifically to the status of disabled persons, although the “Samoa National Policy for Persons with Disabilities 2009-2012” emphasizes the Government’s commitment to the rights and empowerment of the disabled. This policy also recognizes that the family is the main source of their support. The “Ministry of Women, Community, and Social Development” is the government ministry responsible for public outreach and social development for persons with disabilities.

Most major hotels, restaurants, and cafes are actively restructuring their facilities to accommodate persons with disabilities. Persons with disabilities have easy access to medical facilities. However, disabled travelers should clarify with the hotel what accommodations are available before they book. Some family-based beach accommodations in the outer villages are also working to provide accessibility for disabled persons. Many of the new multi-story buildings provide ramps and elevators, but older public buildings do not. The blind and persons in wheelchairs or on crutches will have difficulty navigating in and around Apia because of a limited number of stoplights and sidewalks. Traffic is particularly hazardous for the disabled in rural areas that have no footpaths and sidewalks. Most buses and taxis do not have ramps to accommodate wheelchairs.