Photography
Film & audio productionsWhether you’re shooting holiday photos or a full production, a few permits and rules apply. Here is what to arrange before you fly.
Vanuatu National Film and Audio Department. All foreign film and audio productions in Vanuatu must apply for and receive a Production Permit before they start any production. The permit is issued by the Vanuatu Cultural Centre’s National Film and Audio Department.
Visit the Vanuatu Cultural Centre’s website for more information and to apply.
Flying a drone
Civil Aviation Authority (CAAV)Register every drone
All drones and flying cameras flown in Vanuatu by any visitor or resident, amateur or professional, must be registered with the Civil Aviation Authority of Vanuatu (CAAV), the authority that regulates remotely controlled flying devices.
After reviewing your application, CAAV issues a valid permit to fly, which you need before use. Download the drone registration form.
Know where you can’t fly
Flying restrictions apply above residential areas, villages and cultural sites, and within 4 km of airports, airstrips and helipads.
More on Vanuatu drone laws from UAV Systems International.
What to send CAAV
Send a formal request letter to info@caav.vu saying you intend to fly the drone, with:
- Flight plan
- Location (Google Map) and coordinates
- Specific date and time
- Height and radius
- RPAS licence, if applicable
- A copy of the current ID of the person flying it, such as a passport
Allow five business days
CAAV’s processing time for a drone operation approval is 5 business days, so apply well before you travel.
Bringing a drone in
TRBR permitDrones need a TRBR permit
The Telecommunications, Radiocommunications & Broadcasting Regulator (TRBR) checks and provides permits for radio and ICT devices imported into the country. Drones are on the list of devices that need one. This is separate from CAAV’s flying permit.
Temporary Import Permit
If you’re bringing a device in for a temporary period of no more than one month, apply for a Temporary Import Permit and attach your device list. The form is on the TRBR website.
What you fill in
Your name, address, phone and email, and your ID details from an ID card, passport or driver’s licence. Your dates of arrival and departure, where the device will be used and why. And the equipment quantity, with its name, brand and model. A TIN number is only needed if applicable.
The agency completes the rest
The agency handling your customs clearance fills in its name, the authorised officer, address, phone number and date, then signs and stamps the form.
Fees & penalties
TRBRTRBR introduced new fees in January 2026. A personal-use application costs 1,000 vatu on the standard timeline, or 2,000 vatu for an express (urgent) application. Fees may change, so confirm with TRBR before you apply.
TRBR staff, with the help of police officers, can inspect equipment in homes, offices, vehicles, ships or aircraft and confiscate any device operating illegally. Under the TRBR Act, fines are VT2,000,000 for an individual.
- Pay online through the TRBR payment page.
- Or pay by cash or cheque at a TRBR office, clearly showing the permit number.
- Or make a bank transfer to TRBR’s BSP bank account, quoting the permit or registration number.
- If customs detains your device at the airport or wharf, see a customs broker to process the application. You can choose any broker.
Civil Aviation Authority (CAAV)
Drone approvals and registration
info@caav.vu
Drone forms
TRBR, Port Vila
Ex Post Office, next to the Vodafone Flag Shop. PO Box 3547, Port Vila
+678 27621
enquiries@trbr.vu · trbr.vu
TRBR, Luganville
Level 2, Santo Bakery Building
+678 27621
enquiries@trbr.vu