TONGA

NATIONALITY (AMENDMENT) ACT 1996

Act 6 of 1996

AN ACT TO AMEND THE NATIONALITY ACT

I assent,
TAUFA'AHAU TUPOU IV,
22nd August, 1996

[25th July, 1996]

BE IT ENACTED by the King and Legislative Assembly of Tonga in the Legislature of the Kingdom as follows:

1. (1) This Act may be cited as the Nationality (Amendment) Act 1996.

(2) The Nationality Act (Cap. 59) as amended, is in this Act referred to as the Principal Act.

2. (1) The Principal Act is amended by inserting the following section immediately following section 8A:

"8B (1) Notwithstanding anything contained in section 8(1) of this Act, a person

(a) who has been the holder of a Tongan Protected Person Passport or of a Tongan National Passport before the date of coming into effect of this Act, or

(b) who has been the holder of a Tongan Protected Person Passport or of a Tongan National Passport for at least 5 years after the coming into effect of this Act, or

(c) on humanitarian grounds

may apply to his Majesty to become a naturalised subject of Tonga.

(2) All applications under subsection (1) shall be accompanied by a fee which is determined by His Majesty in Privy Council. Such fee less the administration costs shall be refunded if naturalisation is not granted.

(3) If approved, and after taking the oath of allegiance, the names and particulars of such person shall be published by notice in the Gazette and declared to be a naturalised subject of Tonga as from the date specified in such notice. A Certificate of Naturalisation in the prescribed form shall be issued to such person accordingly."

3. Section 14 of the Principal Act is amended by adding the following after the end of the first line:

"and shall be sworn before the Prime Minister or if authorised in writing by the Prime Minister, a Minister or a diplomatic or consular officer.".

Passed in the Legislative Assembly this 25 day of July 1996.

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