A consular office for the United States of America may up and running in Nuku'alofa before early March, according to the Acting Chief Secretary and Secretary to Cabinet Paula Ma'u.

However, Paula said that negotiation on the establishment of the office was still underway and a team from the US Embassy in Suva would arrive in Nuku'alofa this month for further talks.

Paula said that sites for the office had been identified but the US Embassy, Suva was still awaiting confirmation from Washington.

The decision by the USA to offer a non-immigrant visa service in Nuku'alofa was the outcome of a meeting between the former US Secretary of State Dr Condoleezza Rice and Tonga's Prime Minister Hon. Dr Feleti Sevele on May 12, 2008.

The US Ambassador was very aware that many Tongans were unhappy with having to travel to Suva to receive a Non Immigrant Visa (NIV) interview, as it was an expensive trip with no guarantee of success.

Since 9/11, the United States had required NIV applicants around the world to provide electronic fingerprints at the same time as the visa interview takes place.

That meant visa adjudication had to take place inside a U.S. Embassy or consulate. But the U.S. is developing a technology, which may open possibilities they say, for some amount of periodic visa adjudication in Tonga.