Why?

According to the laws of Tonga everybody who wants to import any goods needs a quarantine entry, which is issued after it has been established that the goods do not contain agricultural pests. For manufactured goods that is usually simple, but for plant and animal products (either whole and alive, or parts of it, such as fruits and meat for food, or wood for construction) more care is needed. The products might not be allowed into Tonga in the first place. That is the function of the import permit. Quarantine will issue that when it has been established that the import does not contain pests or even is not a pest itself. Or if needed it will do so after the pests have been neutralised, usually done by fumigation.

Permit

You are responsible to prepare a import request and submit that to quarantine. A fee will be payable. This website is there to help you. Best to do before the goods actually arrive.

Go to the import requests menu above and select either plant or animal products. Log in if needed (see: Do I need to login? right / below).

Logged in users can request to see previous imports, either all or those within a date range. Clicking the template button would cause that entry to act as a template and fill out the form. (Later when its quarantine entry has been issued, it will show that too).

Start with adding the items to import. To do so select the item from the pop-up menu and then click on: add to my list. The new entry will show above. Repeat for all items of your import.

Finally enter the shipment details, your personal data (if not already done), and then click on Submit to quarantine, and if everything is allright, a message will appear that your request has been sent. Make sure to remember the request number!!

Those who have logged in will also receive a confirmation message in their email. And a message again when the permit has been issued (or rejected). The permit can be printed, the rejection (animals only) too.

Quarantine entry

Once your goods actually have arrived in Tonga, you have to get the quarantine entry, needed to pass customs. If you are importing plant or animal products, a link to request a quarantine entry will appear at approved but not yet expired permits.

For all other goods, go to the import requests menu above and select all other goods. Enter your name and address. (Already filled in when you are logged in (see: Do I need to login? right / below)).

Upload the required documents. That is a file with at least the airway or shipping bill. But for plants and animals the phytosanitary certificate is to be included as well. Or bring a copy to the quarantine office. Then wait until done. If you are not logged in, you will have to go to quarantine again to pick up a printed copy. Otherwise you will get a email, and on the webpage the entry will turn from yellow to purple. Then a button to get it will appear as well as the URL where the entry can be found. (Encrypted to fool hackers and other evildoers.)

Did you know?

nati — macadamia nut

Macadamia integrifolia

Every tree bearing nuts is a nut tree, but in Tonga it refers to macademia nuts in particular. If needed one can be more specific by using 'nati tea' to distinguish it from the rough shelled 'nati kula', m. tetraphylla. Another plant we are glad quarantine did not intercept it from its native Australia.

For more information see Pacific Island Ecosystems at Risk.

Or look in the Tongan Wikipedia.