Getting Ready

Hi All!

I have been working hard to complete the paperwork required before my flight on November 9th.  And let me tell you... get your paperwork done long before you even book your flight if you are going to be staying in Tonga for an extended time as it has been a very confusing endeavor so far.

So, according to all the websites to obtain a Business Visa you will find this little sentence

• All applications by foreign nationals to transfer a visitor’s visa to a business visa, whilst the applicant is in the Kingdom shall be declined by the Immigration Division, UNLESS WRITTEN PERMISSION BY THE PRINCIPAL IMMIGRATION OFFICER HAS BEEN GRANTED TO THE FOREIGN NATIONAL TO TRANSFER, PRIOR TO ENTRY INTO THE KINGDOM.

 This sentence can be found on the Business Visa Checklist and on the Tonga Consulate Website.

 http://tongaconsul.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=92&Itemid=54

This statement is NOT TRUE.

Also, if you are planning on moving to Tonga permanently and you want to use a one way ticket to go to Tonga you will find this sentence on the Tonga Consulate website:

Copy of U.S. Passport (must be valid for 6 months from date of travel)
 USD$34.50 money order payable to Tonga Consulate General
 Self-stamped return envelope (if apply through the mail)
 Itinerary
 If departing to Tonga on a boat or cruise ship, please submit a letter with
details of the ship/boat name and the date of departure from Tonga.
Please note
 The one-way letters are only valid for one entry into Tonga.
 Holders of one-way letter are required to apply for appropriate visa upon arrival into
Tonga.

http://tongaconsul.com/images/PDFs/2011/oneway%20checklist.pdf

This also so far is NOT TRUE.

Even though the information is available on the websites it seems that either the websites are wrong or the Consulate and Immigration people do not know their own rules.

And please keep in mind that on the Business Visa Checklist is NOT COMPLETE so I found out yesterday.

So a month or so ago I contacted Immigration about applying for a One Way Letter so that I could go to Tonga to start the process of building my house in Cocomo Village and determine what business I would open and where exactly as this information is required to complete the Business Visa Application according to the Checklist.  I was informed at that time by Immigration that I needed to send in a copy of my ticket, my valid passport and request the letter and I would be contacted once the letter was ready.

Imagine my excitement that the process was that easy!!  Wrong .....

At the same time I sent a letter to Tonga Consulate requesting permission to allow me to change a Visitors Visa to a Business Visa after arrival as I could not complete the application until after I arrived in Vava'u to solidify the business plan requirement.  As getting the One Way Ticket authorization was so easy I did not wait for an answer and went ahead and bought my ticket to Tonga.  That was my first mistake.  I should have waited.

After I bought my ticket and sent in my requests for the waiver and one way ticket authorization I did not get a reply for over a week.  I contacted the Immigration office to find out where the one way letter was and was promptly informed that I would not receive it until my business visa application was approved.  I explained to the person via email that I applied for the waiver and was told that the waiver did not exist and I would not get the one way letter until the business application was submitted and approved.

Well now I really started to panic as I have already bought my non-refundable ticket and do not have time to complete the business visa process in time to get the one way ticket letter.

So I called Robert Bryce crying .....

Robert contacted the Governor of Vava'u and he asked his wife Helen to help me out.

Helen has been very patient and helpful throughout this process. Without her I would have no chance of getting to Tonga. So after determining that I need to complete the business visa application first Helen suggested that we apply for a holding company so that we do not need to have a detailed business plan to complete the application.  I sent her all the required paperwork and the fees to submit the application.  Immigration had also agreed to give me the one way letter upon acceptance of the application.  Things are looking better to finish the paperwork on time. But when Helen took in the application she was told that because I am not Tongan I would need to get a Foreign Investment Certificate before the business  visa could be processed.

Now so far I had asked both the Consulate and Immigration multiple times if I needed to do anything else and was told I was doing everything correctly and there was nothing else to do. Now I need to complete a foreign investment application which, according to the website, we know how reliable those are, it takes 4 weeks to complete. If I had known that I would not have even bought the ticket to begin with but it is not part of the business visa checklist nor is it listed anywhere as a requirement except for the one website on "how to open a business in Tonga". Something I was not even looking at yet as I am not entirely sure what business I want to open until I see what is needed.

So now here I am in a pickle again until Helen suggested that we could bypass the foreign investment requirement by partnering with a Tongan in the new business. I figured that she already has all my information and my money so I will trust her enough to go into business with her and trust that she will not rip me off. And besides, the property the I am leasing is owned by her husband the Honourable Lord Fulivai Governor of Vava'u. If I can't trust the government who can I trust!

So yesterday I sent Helen the new paperwork that shows her as the majority shareholder and am now waiting to hear back from her whether the paperwork is sufficient or if anything more is need.  As I am only 12 days away from my departure date all I can do is pray and hope that I get my one way letter before my time is up.

So if you want to move to Tonga to open a business or retire please do yourself a favor and make sure your paperwork is complete before you book your flight.

As always I am available to answer any questions you may have.

if you don't do it now... then when?

Char

Business Visa Application

Hi All,

Today I completed the Business Visa Application and sent it as well as our medical records, criminal record checks, copy of our passports, and new passport photos to Tonga.  As I have only 19 days until I get on the plane to start my trip the Governors wife, Helen, is helping me to get all the information to the correct people by the time I get there.  I am so thankful for Helens help and advice during this process as I am sure she is very busy.

I have also been trying to find a small house to rent for when I get there but so far no luck.  If anyone knows of a house for rent or of anyone who actually lives in Neiafu that is still there this late in the season that could possibly help me out with this I would greatly appreciate the information.

This week Barry and I are going through the house room by room to clear out everything that we are not taking with us, which is most everything, and pack up the rest.

I also found my cat a new home today as I cannot find a way to get her on a Fiji Airlines flight with me.  I am still trying to find a way to take my Shiatsu and am hoping that New Zealand Air will be a little more accommodating.  Again, if anyone knows how to travel with a pet I would greatly appreciate the help.

Char

Back on Track

Hello All,

I know that it has been quite a while since my last post but we are back on track and the move is going forward again.

So I picked up my ticket to Tonga today as well as our criminal record checks.  My husband, Barry, and I went to the doctor on Tuesday to get our health certificates and we will be getting our passport photos required for the Business Visa on Monday.  With this information and a copy of my passport I can email this information with a request for a One Way Ticket letter to Tongan Immigration and then I can legally land in Tonga with a one way ticket and it will also waive the on-shore visa fee as I cannot complete the Visa application before I get to Tonga.

Now, with that said, the plan is that I will go to Vava'u first to find a place to live and determine what, if anything, will need to be shipped so that we can build our house in Cocomo Village.  We will also be opening a business in Neifu first to generate cashflow until we decide where we want to build our next business.  As we are not rich people we will need to start business building right away but I do not think this will be a problem.  I can offer my accounting skills to current businesses on the island and I think we are going to buy/build a cafe in Neifu to start.

After we get a better idea of the types and availability of building materials we will start to build our house in Cocomo Village.

Oh Ya!  My father, Ralph, went to Vava'u in early August and met the Governor and went to visit the property that we bought/leased.  So yes the properties do exist!  Yes the road is actually there!  Yes the Governor is excited to see these properties filled with people and houses.

Also, Yes this is densely treed area and the road is overgrown and the walk up to the cliff-side properties is hard on the legs according to Ralph. But the Governor has assured him that the road will be maintained once people start living there and the lots will be cleared as it is confirmed that someone will be arriving.  And as for the climb?  I don't know about you but I plan on having a quad or side by side to make the trip back and forth to the town/wharf.

Business number two will be contracting to build houses in the for the owners/leasees on the currently empty lots as my husband has construction experience.

I will update as things happen but don't be shy to ask any questions you may have and I promise that I will reply from now on.

So don't forget to live your dreams cause life is too short not too!

Char