The US Secretary of State, Condoleeza Rice, has agreed to a request from Tonga's Prime Minister, Dr. Feleti V. Sevele, for applications by Tongan citizens for Non-Immigrant Visas to the United States to be lodged and processed in Nuku'alofa, during a bilateral meeting in Washington DC on May 13.

After 11 September 2001, Tongan citizens who wished to travel to the United States on non-immigrant visas had to travel to Suva, Fiji, for about a week, in order to personally lodge their visa applications at the US Embassy in Suva. The average cost of the trip to Suva is approximately TOP$1,000 per person. Prior to 11 September 2001, Tongan citizens could courier their applications to the US Embassy in Suva by post, or have it hand-carried by someone else.

Hon. Dr. Sevele said, "I personally thanked the US Secretary of State for the US Government's willingness to review the visa application procedure for Tongan citizens, in order to have their applications lodged and processed in Tonga and avoid the costly travel to Suva."

A team of officials from the US Embassy in Suva were recently in Nuku'alofa to look at possible office location and other logistics. It is expected that the lodging of non-immigrant visa applications in Nuku'alofa will begin before the end of 2008.

"The Government is particularly pleased with the positive response from the US Secretary of State to our request, which has been the subject of ongoing negotiations for several years. It will benefit Tonga tremendously," said Hon. Dr Sevele. PM's Office,15/05/08.