17th August 2017 The Ministry of Foreign Affairs regrets to inform the general public that the stock of Ordinary Passports is running low and this may cause some delay in getting passports issued. This has been largely due to unexpected increase in demand for Ordinary Passports among other factors and these have greatly affected our projections of demand for passports.
The Ministry wishes to assure the public that they take this matter seriously and is pursing every possible means to replenish the stock to normal levels. As of now, the Ministry have installed interim measures, including extending current passports, prioritizing the issuance of Ordinary Passports to emergency and urgent travel cases, and using alternative travel documents such as Certificate of Identity (CI).
The Ministry would urge the public to talk to staff at the Tonga Immigration Division about possible measures to address their applications.
The inconvenience caused is very much regretted.
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‘Oku ‘oatu heni ‘a e fanongonongo ki he Kakai ‘o e fonuá, ‘oku ‘i ai ‘a e nounou ‘i he ngaahi tohi ngofua folau (paasipooti angamaheni) pea ‘e malava ke tuai ai ‘a hono paaki atu ‘a ho’omou tohi ngofua folaú. ‘Oku makatu’unga eni ‘i he lahi makehe ‘a e ngaahi fiema’u tohi ngofua folaú pea mo e ngaahi ‘uhinga kehe pe ‘o uesia ai ‘a e tu’unga angamaheni ‘a hono fakafuofua.
‘Oku faka’amu ‘a e Potungaue ke fakamahino heni ki he Kakai ‘o e fonua, ‘oku fakahoko honau lelei taha ke fakapapau’i ‘oku fakalahi mai he vavetaha ‘a e ngaahi tohi ngofua folau ki ha tu’unga ‘oku fakafiemalie. Kuo fokotu’u ‘e he Potungaue ‘a e ngaahi me’afua fakataimi ‘o kau ki ai ‘a hono fakaloloa ‘o e ngaahi tohi ngofua folau lolotonga, toki ‘oatu pe ha tohi ngofua folau (paasipooti) ki ha ngaahi fiema’u folau ‘oku fakavavevave, pea mo hono ngaue’aki ‘a e ngaahi tohi ngofua folau makehe ‘o hange ko e tohi ngofua folau fakataimi (Certificate of Identity).
‘Oku ‘oatu heni ‘a e tapou mei he Potungaue kemou fakamolemole ‘o fetu’utaki ki he kau ngaue ‘o e Va’a Fefolau’aki ‘a Tonga ki ha founga ‘e fe’unga ki ho’omou tohi kole ngofua folau.
‘Oku ‘oatu ‘a e kole fakamolemole ‘i ha tonounou makatu’unga ‘i he fakahoko fatongia ni.
ENDS
Issued by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs