In most of the countries you will find diplomatic missions, which usually refers to an embassy and/or a consulate. Diplomatic bodies represent other countries' interests in Tonga, with the aim of strengthening international relations between the states and providing services for their citizens in Tonga.

Embassies and consulates are considered legal territories of their home countries. They are not "foreign territory" but they are protected and considered the property of the country using them, meaning that Tonga does not have jurisdiction over the embassy or consulate of another country.

What is the difference between Embassy and Consulate

The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations international treaty defines the diplomatic mission’s purpose and framework. The various diplomatic missions offer several services and carry out different missions. For example:

• Embassy: This is the primary diplomatic representation of a country’s government and is headed by an ambassador. An embassy is the main location for a diplomatic presence of one country in another. A country has at most one embassy in another country, and is always established in the capital city of the host country. In the absence of a consulate in a country, the embassy has also a consular section to carry out all the relevant consular services (see below).
• Consulate General: This is a diplomatic mission, headed by a consul that provides a full range of services such as: issuing passports/visas, keeping birth and marriage records, assisting expats, providing legal information, translations etc. It can be located in any major city of the host country, although often in the capital city (in certain cases, in the same building as the embassy). In major countries and large territories, you often have more than one consulate.
• Honorary Consulate: It supplements the Consulate to provide a limited range of consular services and is headed by an honorary consul. They help nationals abroad. For example, in the event of a hospital stay, missing person, death, natural disaster or another emergency. They can also issue emergency travel documents and consular declarations for which the applicant is required to appear in person.

NB: You will usually apply for a visa at the Consulate of the country you want to visit. However, if there is no such representation in Tonga, you can apply for a visa at the embassy.

Where to find Consulates and Embassies in Tonga

Not all countries have an Embassy and/or a Consulate as it depends on the political situation, the relationship with the host country, the size of the country, and the number of foreign citizens living there.

In some cases, countries can share representations and you can be assisted by the services of another embassy or consular service to get the information you need.

We recommend you register/contact your country’s embassy at your destination. It is a free service provided by any diplomatic mission and it will allow them to record information about your upcoming trip abroad. It can be used to assist you in case of an emergency.

Registration will also allow you to get routine information from your nearest embassy or consulate, as a citizen residing abroad.

Tonga, a small island nation in the South Pacific, has a limited number of foreign diplomatic missions due to its size and geopolitical position. The Tonga capital, Nuku’alofa hosts 6 embassies and high commissions.

There are also 9 consulates and other representations located in Tonga. 

All consulates and honorary consulates are located in Nuku’alofa, except for those countries who own an embassy in the capital of Tonga and might have another diplomatic mission outside the capital.

You will find below a list of selected countries (the list is not exhaustive) that have a diplomatic mission in Tonga. The list includes embassies, consulates, honorary consulates, and sometimes other official representations for you to be able to get information and services.

Embassies and Main Consulates in Nuku’alofa

There are very few resident embassies in Tonga.

Australia

Australian High Commission in Tonga

Address: Salote Road, P.O. Box 35, Nuku'alofa
Tel: (+676) 23 244 / 20 400
Email: ahctonga@dfat.gov.au
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/australiaintonga/
Opening hours: Monday to Friday from 08:30 to 17:00

The Australian High Commissioner only provides consular services to Australian permanent residents in the event of a crisis overseas. This may include government-assisted evacuations when provided to Australian citizens.

Notarial services are legal acts which allow a written record to be used for official or legal purposes. This includes using a document in a court of law. The Australian High Commission in Nuku’alofa can provide some notarial services on a fee-for-service basis.

Australian passport applications can be lodged at the Australian High Commission Nuku’alofa.

China

Embassy of China in Tonga

Address: Vuna Road, P.O. Box 877, Nuku'alofa
Tel: (+676) 24 554
Email: chinaemb_to@mfa.gov.cn
Opening hours: 9:00 am to 12:00 am and 2:30pm to 5:00. Monday – Friday.

The consular section provides a range of consular services such as information about Chinese visas, certificates and legalization, document authentication as well as notary certification and marriage registration and consular protection to all Chinese living in Tonga.

Japan

Embassy of Japan in Tonga

Address: National Reserve Bank of Tonga Building, 5th floor
Fasi-Moe-‘Afi, Salote Road, P.O. Box 330, Nuku'alofa
Tel: (+676) 22 221
Email: emb-japan@nu.mofa.go.jp
Social Media: https://twitter.com/japanintonga and https://www.facebook.com/people/Embassy-of-Japan-in-the-Kingdom-of-Tonga/100064365112406/
Opening hours: Monday to Friday. From 8:30 to 12:30, from 13:30 to 16:30

The Japanese embassy provides a range of consular services such as visa and passport processing as well as document legalization.

United Kingdom (Great Britain)

British High Commission in Tonga

Address: Taufa’ahau and Salote Roads, Nuku'alofa
Email: Nukualofa.Enquiries@fco.gov.uk
Social Media: https://twitter.com/UKinTonga and https://www.facebook.com/UKandTonga

The British Embassy in Tonga provides services to British nationals living and visiting the country. Some of the services are emergency travel document replacement, notarial and documentary services, marriage, consular fees, etc.

Honorary Consulates in Tonga

Many countries maintain diplomatic relations with Tonga through embassies located in other Pacific nations, typically New Zealand or Fiji. Contact directly the Embassy/Consulate website for more information.

For countries with no consulates or embassies in Tonga, the Honorary Consulates are supervised by diplomatic representations located in other countries, often Suva in Fiji or Wellington, in New Zealand for Tonga.

General Consulates and embassies in Nuku’alofa

• France (information.suva-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr - The French embassy in Fiji is accredited to Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Tonga and Nauru)
• Germany (nuku-alofa@hk-diplo.de)
• India (cons.suva@mea.gov.in - The Indian High Commision in Fiji is accredited to Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Tonga)
• Netherlands
• New Zealand (nzhctonga@mfat.govt.nz)
• Russia (embassynz@mid.ru - Russian Embassy in New Zealand represents Russia in Tonga concurrently)
• USA (SuvaACS@state.gov - The US embassy in Fiji is accredited to Fiji, Kiribati, Tuvalu, Nauru and Tonga)
• Spain
• Switzerland (tonga@honrep.ch)