TongaPassports Travellers from Tonga face longer passport waits with no return to normal date
His Majesty's Diplomatic Services says problems with passport printing in Tonga are ongoing and processing times will stay longer than usual. It gave no date for a return to normal service.
Travellers applying for a Tongan passport face further delays after His Majesty's Diplomatic Services issued a fresh public notice on Friday, 23 October, acknowledging continuing difficulties with passport printing operations. The department said normal processing times will remain longer than usual and gave no date for a return to normal service.
Key facts
- Notice issued Friday, 23 October 2026 by His Majesty's Diplomatic Services
- Passport printing operations are facing ongoing difficulties
- Processing times will be longer than usual until further notice
- No date has been given for when normal service will resume
What has the department said?
His Majesty's Diplomatic Services said that, because of difficulties affecting passport printing operations, normal processing times are expected to be longer than usual. It said normal passport printing services will resume as soon as circumstances permit a return to normal operations, and that the public will be advised accordingly.
No specific date for a return to normal processing has been announced.
Why are passports being delayed?
An earlier notice from the department attributed passport processing and printing delays to an increased volume of applications. However, complainants on the Tonga Felafoaki Facebook group, which has more than 160,000 followers, reported that passport processing equipment had broken down.
Some people said applicants had travelled from eastern and western districts only to be told by staff that the equipment was not working. One complainant questioned why the department had not warned the public before people made lengthy and potentially unnecessary journeys.
What complaints have applicants raised?
Other commenters criticised poor communication and customer service, while one called for refunds of urgent passport processing fees paid by affected applicants. The department's latest notice did not address the equipment failure reports or the calls for refunds.
What this means for travellers
Anyone needing a Tongan passport should expect processing to take longer than usual and should not rely on a normal turnaround time. The department said it will advise the public when normal printing services resume, so applicants may wish to check for updates before travelling to an office to lodge an application.
No date has been announced for a return to normal passport printing operations.