The Consulate General of the Kingdom of Tonga held a Reception this evening Thursday 19th June 2014 to mark the relocation of the office from the City of San Francisco to the City of Burlingame, in the Bay Area. It has been 26 years since the Consulate General had been established and operated from the same location at Union Square in the City.
In April 2014, His Majesty-in-Council approved for the relocation to take place to principally allow for the Consulate General to be more accessible by the Tongan community.
According to the U.S. 2010 Census, there are currently 57,183 Tongans living in the U.S, mainly concentrated in the States of California, Utah and Hawaii. The primary responsibility of the Consulate General has been to provide consular services to and maintain good relations with the Tongan Community in San Francisco, including those living on the Mainland. Equally important is keeping a close working relationship with the resident consular corps and local government; and promoting trade and investment, and tourism.
The Reception included the Guest of Honour, H.E. Mr Mahe Tupouniua, Ambassador of the Kingdom of Tonga to the U.S. & Permanent Representative of Tonga to the U.N, along with members of the Consular Corps, clergymen and key representatives of the Tongan San Francisco community.
The current Acting Consul General of the Kingdom of Tonga is Mrs Sela Tukia and the Consulate General of the Kingdom of Tonga in San Francisco is now located at 1350 Bayshore Highway Suite 610, Burlingame CA 94010, tel +1 650 685 1001, fax +1 650685 1003.
– Press Release: Tonga Consulate General, San Francisco, CA
