Tonga is a member of the Hague Convention of 1961, which means it can issue apostilles for documents that are intended for use in other countries that are also parties to the Hague Convention.

Steps to Obtain an Apostille in Tonga:

1. Prepare Your Document:
   • The document you wish to apostille must be an official or public document issued by a Tongan authority. Examples of these documents include birth certificates, marriage certificates, academic diplomas, notarial acts, and court documents.
   • If the document is not in English, it may need to be translated into English or the language required by the destination country.
2. Notarization (if necessary):
   • If your document is a private document (such as a contract), it will need to be notarized by a notary public in Tonga before it can be apostilled.
3. Submit the Document to the Relevant Authority:
   • In Tonga, the authority responsible for issuing apostilles is the Ministry of Justice.
   • The Ministry will verify the authenticity of the document and apply the apostille.
4. Required Documents for Apostille:
   • The original document you wish to have apostilled.
   • A valid ID (e.g., passport or Tongan national ID).
   • If a third party (e.g., lawyer or representative) is submitting the document, a notarized power of attorney or written authorization may be needed.
5. Apostille Process:
   • The Ministry of Justice will review the document to verify its authenticity and then apply the apostille. The apostille will be a certificate or stamp attached to the document to confirm its validity for use in other Hague Convention countries.
6. Fees:
   • The fee for obtaining an apostille in Tonga is generally affordable, typically around TOP 20 to TOP 50 (Tongan Paʻanga), but this may vary depending on the document type and processing time.
7. Receiving the Apostilled Document:
   • Once the apostille is applied, you can either pick up the apostilled document in person or arrange for it to be mailed to you, depending on the submission method and your preferences.

Important Notes:

• Translation: If your document is in a language other than English, it may need to be translated into English or the required language before submission for an apostille.
• Hague Convention Countries: The apostille is valid only for countries that are members of the Hague Convention. For use in a non-Hague Convention country, you will need to go through consular legalization instead.
• Legalization vs. Apostille: For countries outside the Hague Convention, you will need to go through the consular legalization process, which involves getting the document authenticated at the embassy or consulate of the country where the document will be used.

By following these steps, your document from Tonga will be legally recognized in other Hague Convention countries.