I don’t know why anybody are required tourist visa to Tonga (the Kingdom of Tonga). I was there for about 6 weeks and I didn’t see how a foreigner could take jobs from the Tongans. If anything, the foreigners I met were volunteers and aide workers in Tonga.
But it is what it is, we just have to abide by their rule if we want to visit Tonga. And you would want to visit Tonga because it is an enchanted paradise with crystal clear water, super nice people, and the humpback whales are there to give birth to their babies every winter.
This is Ha’amonga a Maui
Anyway, the application is easy. The difficult part is to find information because there seem to not have any official website to refer to. But this blog post is all you need! You will need some lead time. It took me more than 3 months because I had to go through a million of channels, including the Honorary Consulate of the Kingdom of Tonga in the Philippines.
3 Steps to Apply Tourist Visa to Tonga
Step 1 – Prepare the following Requirements
- Filled up Tonga Visa Forms 2015
- Scanned copy of your passport with 6 months validity upon intended entry date, ALL pages.
- Scanned copy of your certified bank statement.
- Return tickets reservations to Tonga. Make sure the dates matched your application form dates. They’re quite strict.
Only send files in JPG format, other format such as PNG or PDF will not be read. Also don’t zip the files, attached them as individual jpg file. I don’t know why, just trust me.
Step 2 – Send above 4 items to Visa Officer, Ms. Telesia Fakava at tongapermit@gmail.com. You will find a million different email addresses online, including the one printed in theTonga V
isa Form, but as of May 2015, tongapermit@gmail.com is the one that will get you response. Please copy furnish tonga.permit@gmail.com and fatai.fakava@gmail.com
Step 3 – Wait. They should acknowledge the receipt of your application. If your requirements are complete, visa should be available within 1-2 weeks in your email. You have to print this visa to present at the departing city and upon entry to Tonga airport.
How much is Tourist Visa to Tonga?
Tourist Visa to Tonga costs TOP69 (1 Tongan Pa’anga = 21.5 Philippine Pesos = 0.46USD) payment at the border/airport immigration officer. They only accept TOP, so if you don’t have it, they’d let you in the airport to take from ATM or exchange currency, and come back in to pay for it.
Traveling to Tonga without Exit Ticket?
This is such a hassle and more expensive.
If your plan is to join a sail boat in Tonga and exit with it to another country (instead of flying out from the Tonga airport), you will be required a “Oneway Authorization Permit”. There is no form to fill up for this permit, but you have to write a letter (ONEWAYPERMIT TONGA). An additional TOP34.50 of fee will have to be added to your visa price to be collected at the border. The total cost of Tourist Visa to Tonga without an exit ticket is TOP103.50 (Php2221).
What I would suggest is to just book a return ticket to apply for your visa. I would have done it had I known of this.
How many days do you get in Tonga?
Initially you’ll be granted 30 days stay in Tonga. This can be extended for another 30 days with a fee.
Who does not require visa to enter Tonga?
You do not need a visa prior to arrival if you are a citizen from one of the following countries: Australia, Austria, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Cook Islands, Cyprus, Denmark, Dominica, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, French Polynesia, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kirabati, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niue, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Portugal, Russia, Samoa, Seychelles, Singapore, Solomon Islands, Spain, St Kitts & Nevis, St Lusia, St Vincent & the Grenadines, Sweden, Switzerland, The Bahamas, Turkey, Tuvalu, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, Vanuatu.
I think this covers about everything. Please let me know if I missed something.
Hello, i need information about getting visit visa to Tonga,please if you have a knowledge about it feel free to write me to batelinho@gmail
.com
Hello,
I apply for the tourist visa last week and I have the ticket on this month.
I wonder How many day for the visa processing time?
I hope I will get it on time. TT
Thank you.
please am looking for the current email to submit tonga visa application
Try using information by Ed Barcelona below tongapermit@gmail.com and tonga.permit@gmail.com
What is the current cost of getting a Tourist Visa? Also, is there a Tonga consulate here in the Philippines that can help?
There is a Tongan Consulate but it’s of no help
The email addresses to submit your application has now changed. tongapermit@gmail.com and tonga.permit@gmail.com don’t reply. We manage to get a reply from fatai.fakava@gmail.com. I hope we get our visa soon. We have to be there in 8 days. Will update you if we succeeded or not.
Thanks for the update.
Got our Travel Authorization yesterday signed by Ms. Telesa Fakava with the strong representation of the Ministry of Environment, Information, Disaster, Energy and Climate Change (MEIDECC). However, my passport expiry date was not correctly reflected but was told that since Tonga issued it, they may be linient with the mistake. Hope I get to board the plane tonight and is allowed to enter Tonga tomorrow. Will keep you posted.
We made it. We are now in Tonga!
Does it mean the don’t have job opportunities for foreigners
I met a lot of social workers from Australia
is credit card widely accepted in Tonga?
Yes, as tourism is their biggest industry, I would say yes. You can even use it in those Chinese groceries.