Cook Islands
Nationality · visas, permits and migration
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Visa requirements for a short visit
Whether citizens of the Cook Islands need a visa for a short tourist or business visit, according to the legal lists. Rules change; check the official source before travelling.
| Destination | Short visit | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Canada | Temporary resident visa required | IRPR s. 190, Schedule 1.1 |
| Hong Kong | No visa for visits of up to 7 days | Immigration Department (HKSAR), visit visa requirements, 31.12.2025 |
Living abroad
People born in the Cook Islands who live in another country: mid-year estimates of the international migrant stock (UN DESA). Where a destination records citizenship rather than country of birth, its foreign citizens are counted.
- New Zealand12,403
- Australia7,834
- Fiji33
- Dominican Republic9
- Samoa9
Living abroad by year
Data table
| 1990 | 17,630 |
| 1995 | 16,916 |
| 2000 | 19,708 |
| 2005 | 20,294 |
| 2010 | 20,294 |
| 2015 | 20,558 |
| 2020 | 20,134 |
| 2024 | 20,288 |
- Living abroad, 2024
- 20,288
- Change since 2000
- +2.9%
- Share living in the largest destination, 2024
- 61.1%
Australia
Temporary skilled visas (subclass 457 to 2018, then 482) granted to primary applicants who are citizens of the Cook Islands, by financial year ending 30 June (Home Affairs).
Primary visas granted by financial year
Data table
| 2008–09 | 1 |
- Granted, 2025–26
- 0
- Share of all Australian grants, 2025–26
- 0.0%
Official data, not advice. Visa Atlas publishes figures from government registers and statistics. It does not assess eligibility or give immigration advice; for advice, consult a regulated adviser. Read more