Nuku’alofa, Tonga — The Registrar General’s Office has issued a public warning reminding Tongans that providing false information when registering births, deaths or marriages is a criminal offence under the new Civil Registration and Digital Identification Act 2025.
In a series of public notices released today, the Office of the Registrar General highlighted penalties under Sections 63 and 64 of the Act, which deal with false information relating to marriages, births, and deaths.
The notices warn that any person who knowingly and wilfully provides false information in order to obtain a marriage licence, or to register a birth or death, commits an offence and may face prosecution.
Under the law, a person convicted of providing false information may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, fined up to T$10,000, or both.
The Registrar General’s Office said the provisions are intended to protect the integrity of Tonga’s civil registration system, which records vital life events including births, deaths and marriages.
The notices specifically caution members of the public against deliberately providing incorrect details during registration processes, stressing that information submitted to the Civil Register must be accurate and truthful.
The warning forms part of public awareness efforts following the enactment of the Civil Registration and Digital Identification Act 2025, which established a modern framework for civil registration and digital identification in Tonga.
The Act provides for the maintenance of the national Civil Register and the administration of birth, death and marriage records throughout the Kingdom.
Members of the public seeking information on registration requirements are encouraged to contact the Registrar General’s Office or visit the Ministry of Justice for guidance before submitting applications.
