Tonga visa and entry requirements

Tonga's Ministry of Revenue and Customs lists the countries whose citizens may be issued a 30 day visitor visa on arrival — among them Australia, Canada, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States — subject to conditions including a valid return ticket and sufficient funds, and says citizens of all other countries need visas to enter Tonga (prior to arrival). The EU–Tonga visa waiver agreement provides visa-free travel for citizens of the Union for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period, and does not apply to Ireland. China's Foreign Ministry lists a mutual visa exemption with Tonga for ordinary passports, under which holders may stay for less than 30 days.

Every fact on this page verified on or after: Sep 26, 2026· How this site works

Check requirements for your passport

Requirements differ by nationality. Select your passport above, or scan the full table below.

Visas & entry authorisations

Entry requirements

Passport validity

Tonga's Ministry of Revenue and Customs says travellers are required to hold passports with a validity of a minimum of 6 months when entering Tonga.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · revenue.gov.toCompare every country

Vaccinations

Not officially stated

No official source we read lists a vaccination certificate required for entry.

Travel insurance

Not officially stated

No official source we could read states whether travel insurance is required to enter Tonga. The UK government advises checking before you travel that you have appropriate travel insurance for local treatment or unexpected medical evacuation.

Verified Oct 4, 2026 · gov.uk

Onward or return ticket

Required

Tonga's Ministry of Revenue and Customs says the visitor visa on arrival is issued subject to conditions, including that the traveller holds a valid return ticket out of the Kingdom to a country he or she is permitted to enter.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · revenue.gov.to · archived copy

Proof of funds

Required

Tonga's Ministry of Revenue and Customs says the visitor visa on arrival is issued subject to conditions, including that the Customs officer is satisfied the traveller has sufficient funds to financially maintain himself whilst in the Kingdom. No official source we could read states a fixed amount. The UK government tells British citizens they may need to show sufficient funds (a bank statement is acceptable evidence) and confirmed accommodation.

Verified Oct 3, 2026 · revenue.gov.to · archived copy

Arrival cards & declarations

Required
  • Passenger arrival and customs declaration card — Tonga's Ministry of Revenue and Customs says that after collecting your baggage you submit your completed Passenger Declaration to Customs officers, and that you must declare to Customs if you are bringing any prohibited or restricted goods. The UK government says you must declare anything that may be prohibited or subject to tax or duty, including all plant, animal and food products. (on arrival)
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · revenue.gov.toCompare every country

Staying past your permitted stay

No one may remain in Tonga after their permit expires or is cancelled; doing so is an offence. Where no special penalty applies, the penalty on conviction is up to 2 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to $100, or both; the Act does not name the currency.

Verified Oct 12, 2026 · ago.gov.to · Immigration Act CAP. 10.01Compare every country

Customs & currency

The UK government says to declare cash or travellers cheques on the customs declaration form if the value is more than 10,000 pa'anga, and that you may need to pay duty.

  • The UK government says you must declare any personal valuables worth 500 Tongan pa'anga or more.
  • The UK government says the maximum penalty for importing or exporting illegal drugs is 30 years' hard labour and fines of several hundred thousand US dollars.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk

Country in a nutshell

Currency
Tongan paʻanga (TOP, T$)
Safety — Generally safe
The UK government says the level of serious crime is low, but petty theft is fairly common. It says the tropical cyclone season normally runs from November to May, and that Tonga is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic activity can happen at any time.Verified Oct 3, 2026 · gov.uk
Power plugs
I · 240V 50Hz
Emergency numbers
General emergencies: 911 · Police: 922 · Ambulance: 933 · Fire: 999
Languages
Tongan, English
Time zone
UTC+13
Driving side
left
International Driving Permit

Tonga's Traffic Act 2020 (section 17), published by the Attorney General's Office, says a person who holds a valid driving licence issued by a country that recognises a valid Tongan driving licence in return may drive the same class of motor vehicle in Tonga, on the conditions that licence carries, for a period of not more than 12 months. Section 18 says a holder of a licence from a country that does not recognise Tongan licences may, on producing it to the Principal Licensing Authority, meeting the requirements for recognition of a foreign driving licence and paying the prescribed fee, be issued with a driver's licence for the same class of vehicle. No official source we could read lists the countries that recognise Tongan licences, or states whether an International Driving Permit is required.

Verified Oct 10, 2026 · ago.gov.to · Traffic Act 2020 (Act 9 of 2020), sections 17 Compare every country
Tap water
not for drinking. Use bottled

Best time to visit

The UK government says the tropical cyclone season normally runs from November to May, but cyclones can happen throughout the year (Canada's travel advice says cyclones are more likely between November and April), and that whales frequent the waters of Tonga every year between June and November. No official source we could read names a best season.

Tips & warnings

The UK government says people in Tonga strictly observe the Sabbath, and that on Sundays local people may consider recreational activities to be disrespectful, except at island resorts.

The UK government says topless sunbathing and nudity in public are illegal, with fines of up to 100 pa'anga or a prison sentence of up to 4 months for refusing to pay, and that swimwear is acceptable on the beach or by streams and waterfalls but in other areas is likely to receive negative attention.

The UK government says it is illegal to swim or kayak with whales unless you are on a licensed boat with a certified guide, with a fine of up to 5,000 pa'anga or an 18-month prison sentence, or both, and that whales frequent the waters of Tonga every year between June and November.

The UK government says the tropical cyclone season normally runs from November to May but cyclones can happen throughout the year, and that Tonga is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire, where earthquakes and volcanic activity can happen at any time and trigger tsunamis.

Canada's travel advice says ATMs are available on Tongatapu, especially in Nuku'alofa, and that foreign currency exchange services may be limited on other islands.

Visa requirements by nationality

PassportsVisas & entry authorisationsMax stay
AfghanistanVisa required—
AlbaniaVisa required—
AlgeriaVisa required—
AndorraVisa required—
AngolaVisa required—
Antigua and BarbudaVisa required—
ArgentinaVisa required—
ArmeniaVisa required—
AustraliaVisa on arrival30 days
AustriaVisa-free90 days
AzerbaijanVisa required—
BahamasVisa on arrival30 days
BahrainVisa required—
BangladeshVisa required—
BarbadosVisa on arrival30 days
BelarusVisa required—
BelgiumVisa-free90 days
BelizeVisa required—
BeninVisa required—
BhutanVisa required—
BoliviaVisa required—
Bosnia and HerzegovinaVisa required—
BotswanaVisa required—
BrazilVisa on arrival30 days
BruneiVisa on arrival30 days
BulgariaVisa-free90 days
Burkina FasoVisa required—
BurundiVisa required—
Cabo VerdeVisa required—
CambodiaVisa required—
CameroonVisa required—
CanadaVisa on arrival30 days
Central African RepublicVisa required—
ChadVisa required—
ChileVisa required—
ChinaVisa-free30 days
ColombiaVisa required—
ComorosVisa required—
Costa RicaVisa required—
Côte d'IvoireVisa required—
CroatiaVisa-free90 days
CubaVisa required—
CyprusVisa-free90 days
CzechiaVisa-free90 days
Democratic Republic of the CongoVisa required—
DenmarkVisa-free90 days
DjiboutiVisa required—
DominicaVisa on arrival30 days
Dominican RepublicVisa required—
EcuadorVisa required—
EgyptVisa required—
El SalvadorVisa required—
Equatorial GuineaVisa required—
EritreaVisa required—
EstoniaVisa-free90 days
EswatiniVisa required—
EthiopiaVisa required—
FijiVisa on arrival30 days
FinlandVisa-free90 days
FranceVisa-free90 days
GabonVisa required—
GambiaVisa required—
GeorgiaVisa required—
GermanyVisa-free90 days
GhanaVisa required—
GreeceVisa-free90 days
GrenadaVisa required—
GuatemalaVisa required—
GuineaVisa required—
Guinea-BissauVisa required—
GuyanaVisa required—
HaitiVisa required—
HondurasVisa required—
Hong KongVisa required—
HungaryVisa-free90 days
IcelandVisa required—
IndiaVisa required—
IndonesiaVisa required—
IranVisa required—
IraqVisa required—
IrelandVisa on arrival30 days
IsraelVisa required—
ItalyVisa-free90 days
JamaicaVisa required—
JapanVisa on arrival30 days
JordanVisa required—
KazakhstanVisa required—
KenyaVisa required—
KiribatiVisa on arrival30 days
KosovoVisa required—
KuwaitVisa required—
KyrgyzstanVisa required—
LaosVisa required—
LatviaVisa-free90 days
LebanonVisa required—
LesothoVisa required—
LiberiaVisa required—
LibyaVisa required—
LiechtensteinVisa required—
LithuaniaVisa-free90 days
LuxembourgVisa-free90 days
MacauVisa required—
MadagascarVisa required—
MalawiVisa required—
MalaysiaVisa on arrival30 days
MaldivesVisa required—
MaliVisa required—
MaltaVisa-free90 days
Marshall IslandsVisa on arrival30 days
MauritaniaVisa required—
MauritiusVisa required—
MexicoVisa required—
MicronesiaVisa on arrival30 days
MoldovaVisa required—
MonacoVisa on arrival30 days
MongoliaVisa required—
MontenegroVisa required—
MoroccoVisa required—
MozambiqueVisa required—
MyanmarVisa required—
NamibiaVisa required—
NauruVisa on arrival30 days
NepalVisa required—
NetherlandsVisa-free90 days
New ZealandVisa on arrival30 days
NicaraguaVisa required—
NigerVisa required—
NigeriaVisa required—
North KoreaVisa required—
North MacedoniaVisa required—
NorwayVisa on arrival30 days
OmanVisa required—
PakistanVisa required—
PalauVisa on arrival30 days
PalestineVisa required—
PanamaVisa required—
Papua New GuineaVisa on arrival30 days
ParaguayVisa required—
PeruVisa required—
PhilippinesVisa required—
PolandVisa-free90 days
PortugalVisa-free90 days
QatarVisa required—
Republic of the CongoVisa required—
RomaniaVisa-free90 days
RussiaVisa on arrival30 days
RwandaVisa required—
Saint Kitts and NevisVisa on arrival30 days
Saint LuciaVisa on arrival30 days
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesVisa on arrival30 days
SamoaVisa on arrival30 days
San MarinoVisa required—
São Tomé and PríncipeVisa required—
Saudi ArabiaVisa required—
SenegalVisa required—
SerbiaVisa required—
SeychellesVisa on arrival30 days
Sierra LeoneVisa required—
SingaporeVisa on arrival30 days
SlovakiaVisa-free90 days
SloveniaVisa-free90 days
Solomon IslandsVisa on arrival30 days
SomaliaVisa required—
South AfricaVisa required—
South KoreaVisa required—
South SudanVisa required—
SpainVisa-free90 days
Sri LankaVisa required—
SudanVisa required—
SurinameVisa required—
SwedenVisa-free90 days
SwitzerlandVisa on arrival30 days
SyriaVisa required—
TaiwanVisa required—
TajikistanVisa required—
TanzaniaVisa required—
ThailandVisa required—
Timor-LesteVisa required—
TogoVisa required—
TongaFree movement—
Trinidad and TobagoVisa required—
TunisiaVisa required—
TurkeyVisa on arrival30 days
TurkmenistanVisa required—
TuvaluVisa on arrival30 days
UgandaVisa required—
UkraineVisa on arrival30 days
United Arab EmiratesVisa required—
United KingdomVisa on arrival30 days
United StatesVisa on arrival30 days
UruguayVisa required—
UzbekistanVisa required—
VanuatuVisa on arrival30 days
Vatican CityVisa required—
VenezuelaVisa required—
VietnamVisa required—
YemenVisa required—
ZambiaVisa required—
ZimbabweVisa required—

Stay lengths are for ordinary tourist visits. Click a nationality for its full guide.

Samoa199 of 199 passports visa-freeFiji112 of 199 passports visa-free · 87 eVisa/ETAVanuatu114 of 199 passports visa-free · 85 eVisa/ETASolomon Islands1 of 199 passports visa-free · 198 eVisa/ETANew Zealand2 of 199 passports visa-free · 197 eVisa/ETA

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa for Tonga?

Not in advance if your country is on Tonga's list: Tonga's Ministry of Revenue and Customs says citizens of the listed countries — among them the US, UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore and Ireland — may be issued a 30 day visitor visa on arrival, and that citizens of all other countries need visas to enter Tonga (prior to arrival). The EU–Tonga visa waiver agreement provides visa-free travel for citizens of the Union for a maximum of 90 days in any 180-day period, and does not apply to Ireland. China's Foreign Ministry lists a mutual visa exemption with Tonga for ordinary passports, under which holders may stay for less than 30 days.

How long can I stay on the visa on arrival?

Tonga's Ministry of Revenue and Customs says citizens of the listed countries may be issued a 30 day visitor visa on arrival, on condition of a valid return ticket out of Tonga and sufficient funds, and that passports must be valid for a minimum of 6 months when entering Tonga. The UK government tells British citizens they may also need to show confirmed accommodation. To extend your stay, the Ministry says to contact the Immigration Department.

Can I extend my stay in Tonga?

Tonga's Ministry of Revenue and Customs says to contact the Immigration Department in Neiafu, Vava'u, or in Nuku'alofa (Salote Road) to extend your stay, and that all non-Tongan passport holders shall ensure their visas remain valid for any period for which they are in the Kingdom. No official source we could read states how long an extension lasts or the maximum total stay.

Is everything really closed on Sunday in Tonga?

The UK government says people in Tonga strictly observe the Sabbath and that on Sundays local people may consider recreational activities to be disrespectful, which does not apply to island resorts; Canada's travel advice says any recreational activity on Sundays outside island resorts may be seen as provocative.

Can I pay by card in Tonga?

Canada's travel advice says most major hotels and some restaurants and stores accept credit cards, ATMs are available on Tongatapu, especially in Nuku'alofa, and foreign currency exchange may be limited on other islands.

Sources & verification

Every fact on this page is compiled from and periodically re-checked against these official sources:

Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source