Tonga residency visa

Anyone who wants to live in Tonga without having to apply for an entry visa may apply, provided they can prove Tongan ancestry, that they are a former Tongan, or that they are married to a Tongan. Typical evidence is a birth certificate, a marriage certificate or the spouse's Tongan passport. A person who holds a current Tongan passport is entitled to enter without a permit under section 7 of the Immigration Act and does not need this visa.

Submit the completed application, two passport photos per applicant, proof of the Tongan link and a sponsor's declaration covering maintenance, medical care and accommodation while residing in Tonga, or evidence of your own funds. Applicants under 18 need a certified copy of the birth certificate and proof of a parent's Tongan ancestry. Foreign documents may be originals or certified copies issued by recognised authorities, with an English translation attached; supply copies if you want originals returned. Incomplete applications may be delayed or rejected.

USD 115 for applicants aged 18 and over and USD 54.50 for those under 18, payable by money order to the Tongan mission or in cash at the Embassy in Beijing. The fee checklists republished by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in January 2025 still carry the amounts dated 2006 and 2011, and the Embassy in Beijing quotes its own USD fees; confirm the current amount with the Immigration Division before paying.

Lodge the application with the Visa and Naturalization Section of the Immigration Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, PO Box 352, Nuku'alofa, telephone +676 26969 or 26970, or through a Tongan embassy or consulate. Foreign spouses who are already in Tonga as visitors should note that a visitor may not marry in Tonga without the written consent of the Principal Immigration Officer.

Long-stay visas are entry permits under section 9 of the Immigration Act. The Principal Immigration Officer may attach conditions on the security to be provided, the occupation the holder may exercise and the person who may employ them, may vary those conditions and may extend the permit. A person refused an entry permit can appeal by written petition to the Prime Minister within 30 days of notification; the Prime Minister's decision is final.

Section 8 of the Act treats as prohibited immigrants, among others, people without a valid permit who are not exempt, people subject to a deportation or removal order, people unable to show they can support themselves and their dependants, people refusing a required medical examination, and people convicted abroad of an offence punishable by death or at least two years' imprisonment who have not been pardoned. The burden of proving that you are not a prohibited immigrant lies on you.