By Katalina Siasau

Despite U.S. government efforts to increase educational opportunities for Tongan students, ongoing visa restrictions have left around 60 students unable to resume their studies at Brigham Young University (BYU). This dilemma was highlighted by Tonga’s Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua at a press briefing held yesterday at the St. George Government Building in Nuku'alofa.

Speaking to the media, Prime Minister Lord Fakafanua explained that due to the visa restrictions, which have affected Tongan nationals’ ability to secure student visas, around 60 students are unable to return to BYU for their second semester. "I just found out that there were about 60 BYU students who couldn't get their visas for the next semester because of the current restriction,” the Prime Minister stated.

Lord Fakafanua raised the issue during talks with the U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau, who visited Tonga on Friday, after attending the U.S.-Pacific Summit in Hawai‘i earlier this week.

According to Lord Fakafanua, Deputy Secretary Landau expressed the U.S. government's intention to offer more scholarships to Tongan students but overlooked the ongoing visa challenges that hindered their ability to study abroad.

Landau wants to give Tongans scholarships

"Talking to Landau, he actually mentioned that he wants to give Tonga more scholarships. I think he forgot that there were restrictions on the visas,” Lord Fakafanua said.

The Prime Minister's comments follow a series of discussions that included an audience granted to Deputy Secretary Landau by HM King Tupou VI at the Royal Palace.

Lord Fakafanua noted that King Tupou raised concerns about both education opportunities and the visa restrictions, which are impacting the broader educational exchange between Tonga and the United States.

Tonga's government has described the visa restrictions as a "disproportionate response" to instances of Tongan nationals overstaying their visas in the U.S.

"The students overstaying their visas have ruined it for the rest of the students who want to go," said Fakafanua. He emphasized that the current restrictions have been applied broadly, affecting those who have no history of overstaying.

Year of work to resolve visa issues

The Tongan government, in partnership with the U.S. Embassy in Nukuʻalofa, plans to launch a public awareness campaign aimed at educating citizens about the proper visa application process and the importance of complying with U.S. visa laws. "This is part of what we need to do, to inform our people that firstly, you need to apply under the right category and secondly, you have to abide by the domestic laws imposed in the conditions in the visas when you enter America," Fakafanua explained.

Resolving the issue may take up to a year, according to the Prime Minister, who noted that additional diplomatic visits may be required to expedite the process.

"You will notice that in the next few months, I might be visiting America a lot more often, but we have to turn up with them to remember that we're there so that we can actually complete what we need to do," he said.

For now, around 60 Tongan students remain in limbo, caught between the promise of new scholarship opportunities and the reality of visa barriers that prevent them from pursuing their educational goals in the United States.