Tonga Tourist Visa
A visa is required. We cannot assist in processing this document, but we provide instructions on how to apply.
All About the Tonga Visa
Do you intend to visit the beautiful Pacific nation of Tonga? Fortunately, the Kingdom is a welcoming place. Of the nearly 200 countries in the world, citizens of about 70 nations are either visa-free or can get a Visa on Arrival (VoA) at the airport. This includes travellers from the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Union (EU), Canada, Australia and New Zealand. Notably, your entry permit is for tourism, rather than to work.
On the other hand, if you come from any of the other 130 or so nations on Earth, then you need to get a Visitor Permit before your trip. This Permit comes in the form of a Letter of Authorisation from the Department of Immigration of the Kingdom. This applies to visitors from India, Africa and much of South America. On this page, we explain exactly what you need to do to qualify for the Visitor Permit.
At present, Tonga does not offer an eVisa (Electronic Visa), and as such Byevisa.com cannot help you obtain one. That said, we have researched the processes to apply for the VoA and the Visitor Permit, which we explain below. Read on to learn how to obtain your entry pass to this Polynesian kingdom made up of over 170 islands!
Contents
- 1 What Is the Difference Between Tonga Visa Exemption, the Visa on Arrival and the Visitor Permit?
- 2 Tonga Visa or Visitor Permit Application Process
- 3 Tonga Visa/Visitor Permit Requirements and Eligibility
- 4 Tonga Visa Forms and Documents
- 5 Tonga Visa Status Check
- 6 How Much Is a Tonga Visa?
- 7 More Tonga Visa Questions and Information
What Is the Difference Between Tonga Visa Exemption, the Visa on Arrival and the Visitor Permit?
Visa Exemption
If you’re visa-free for Tonga, this means that you don’t need to apply for an entry permit ahead of your journey.
Over 30 jurisdictions require no visa to enter, as follows:
- European Union except Ireland (90 days entry within 180 days)
- China (30 days)
- Iceland (90 days entry within 180 days)
- Israel (90 days)
- Liechtenstein (90 days entry within 180 days)
- Norway (90 days entry within 180 days)
- Switzerland (90 days entry within 180 days)
- United Arab Emirates (60 days)
Notably, even if you’re visa-exempt, you still need your passport. This must be valid for at least 6 months beyond your arrival and have at least 1 blank page for the entry stamp.
Also, if you are from a visa-exempt country and intend to stay beyond your permitted time period, then you must apply for a visa.
Visa on Arrival (VoA)
Almost 40 countries are eligible for a VoA to enter Tonga. These are issued at the immigration desk once you’ve gotten off your plane. You’ll need to provide some supporting documents, which we list below, and your entry pass is issued there and then. You’ll find the process pretty straightforward and friendly.
The VoA permits you to enter Tonga for up to 31 days, although your entry pass can also be extended for up to 6 months. Fortunately, there’s no fee for the VoA.
The countries eligible for the VoA are:
| Australia | Bahamas | Barbados |
| Brazil | Brunei | Canada |
| Dominica | Fiji | Hong Kong |
| Ireland | Japan | Kiribati |
| Macao | Malaysia | Marshall Islands |
| Micronesia | Monaco | Nauru |
| New Zealand | Palau | Papua New Guinea |
| Russia | Saint Kitts and Nevis | Saint Lucia |
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Samoa | Seychelles |
| Singapore | Solomon Islands | South Korea |
| Turkey | Tuvalu | Ukraine |
| United Kingdom | United States of America | Vanuatu |
To obtain a VoA, you need to provide:
- Your passport, which should be valid for a further 6 months beyond your arrival and have at least 1 blank page for your entry stamp.
- An onward air or sea ticket out of Tonga.
- Proof of adequate funds to support yourself during your stay, such as a printed copy of a recent bank statement.
Importantly, if you plan to stay here beyond 31 days, then you will need to apply for a visa.
Visitor Permit
If you’re neither visa-free nor eligible for a VoA, then you must apply for a Visitor Permit to enter this country. We explain how in the following section. Like with the VoA, the Permit allows you to visit for up to 31 days as standard.
Tonga Visa or Visitor Permit Application Process
Tonga is a very small country with a population of a little over 100,000 people. As such, if you come from a country that requires a Visitor Permit, then there’s a high likelihood that you’ll have to apply online for your entry document. This is because Tonga has very few international embassies.
To apply online, you must contact the Immigration Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Fortunately, getting in contact with the Immigration Department is not as scary as it sounds. Here are the contact details:
Immigration Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Government of the Kingdom of Tonga
P.D. Box 352
Salote Road
Nuku’alofa
Phone (676) 26969
Fax (676) 26971
Email: tupou.v@gmail.com
You submit your application for a Visitor Permit by email to visatonga@gmail.com.
Alternatively, if you would prefer to speak to someone face to face, Tonga’s Immigration Department says that its diplomatic missions in London and Beijing issue entry permits in-person to people from other countries too.
If you are eligible for a Visitor Permit, this arrives in the form of a Letter of Authorisation from the Immigration Department, which is the equivalent of a visa. When you receive this, you must print a copy to take with you on your journey.
Tonga Visa/Visitor Permit Requirements and Eligibility
As we state above, if you come from one of the 130 or so countries that’s neither visa-exempt nor eligible for a VoA, then you must apply in advance through the Immigration Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
To have your Visitor Permit approved, you will need to provide the Immigration Division with the following supporting documents:
- A scanned copy of your passport.
- A duly completed application form:
- Incomplete forms will result in either a delay or rejection.
- The content of the application form is detailed in the next section.
- Documented proof of your reason for visiting the Kingdom. It is best to put this in a letter, which must be original and should be dated.
- Proof of your travel plans into and out of the Kingdom.
- Proof that you can financially support yourself during your period of stay.
- A faxed or e-mailed copy of your signature.
- An itinerary of where you plan to visit, including any of the smaller islands in the Kingdom of Tonga. This should detail where you are staying and for how long.
- Evidence of any visas previously granted.
- Details of a local sponsor or counterpart. He or she may be called upon to have a personal interview to support your application.
As you might expect, you will include your contact details in your application. In addition, though, these should be stated in the main body of the email you send to the Immigration Department too.
Also, It is important to note that the Immigration Department prefers as few attachments as possible in online submissions. As such, try and group your supporting documentation into a single attachment. This will help your application and speed up the process.
Tonga Visa Forms and Documents
The Visitor Permit application form is just a 2-page document, asking for straightforward travel information:
- Personal information:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Passport number
- Passport issue and expiry dates
- Nationality
- Country of permanent residency
- Marital status
- Gender
- Contact information:
- Mobile phone number
- Email address
- Trip specific information:
- Purpose of your visit
- Date of arrival
- Date of departure
- Length of stay
Address in Tonga
The prices are detailed below. You do not pay when you apply online for a Visitor Permit, but rather you pay when you arrive in the Kingdom and your permit has been approved.
As stated above, your permit will come in the form of a Letter of Authorisation from the Immigration Department. This then allows you entry here, at which point your passport will be stamped.
Tonga Visa Status Check
There is no online status checker available, so you will have to either call or e-mail the Immigration Department to enquire about your application. To do this, here are the Department’s contact details again:
Immigration Division
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Government of the Kingdom of Tonga
P.D. Box 352
Salote Road
Nuku’alofa
Phone (676) 26969
Fax (676) 26971
Email: tupou.v@gmail.com
How Much Is a Tonga Visa?
The fee depends on the type of Visitor Permit you are applying for. It does not vary depending on your nationality.
Type |
Fixed Fee |
|---|---|
| Standard | 46.00 Tongan Pa’anga (about 20 USD) |
| Business | 230.00 Tongan Pa’anga (about 100 USD) |
| Student | 57.50 USD, money order payable to the Tonga Consulate General |
| Residency | 115 USD per adult over 18 years (or 54.50 USD for under 18s), money order payable to the Tonga Consulate General |
Most Visitor Permits are paid for on arrival at the immigration desk at the airport. Alternatively, your local contact can prepay your application in person on your behalf at the Immigration Department in the capital city of Nuku’alofa.
More Tonga Visa Questions and Information
The information above should have prepared you for everything you need to obtain entry to the Kingdom. If you have more questions, then the drop-down menu below can answer them!
The Immigration Officer can be contacted at the Immigration Division:
Head of Immigration Division Ministry of Foreign Affairs Nuku’alofa PO Box 821 tonga.permit@gmail.com
Residency permits require documentation regarding your means to financially support yourself. Meanwhile, all business permits require a letter of support from the Ministry of Labour, Commerce & Industries (MLCI).
