In most of the countries you will find diplomatic missions, which usually refers to an embassy and/or a consulate. Diplomatic bodies represent other country’s interests in Tuvalu, with the aim of strengthening international relations between the states and providing services for their citizens in Tuvalu.

Embassies and consulates are considered legal territories of their home countries. They are not "foreign territory" but they are protected and considered the property of the country using them, meaning that Tuvalu does not have jurisdiction over the embassy or consulate of another country.

What is the difference between Embassy and Consulate

The Vienna Convention on Consular Relations international treaty defines the diplomatic mission’s purpose and framework. The various diplomatic missions offer several services and carry out different missions. For example:

• Embassy: This is the primary diplomatic representation of a country’s government and is headed by an ambassador. An embassy is the main location for a diplomatic presence of one country in another. A country has at most one embassy in another country, and is always established in the capital city of the host country. In the absence of a consulate in a country, the embassy also has a consular section to carry out all the relevant consular services (see below).
• Consulate General: This is a diplomatic mission, headed by a consul that provides a full range of services such as: issuing passports/visas, keeping birth and marriage records, assisting expats, providing legal information, translations etc. It can be located in any major city of the host country, although often in the capital city (in certain cases, in the same building as the embassy). In major countries and large territories, you often have more than one consulate.
• Honorary Consulate: It supplements the Consulate to provide a limited range of consular services and is headed by an honorary consul. They help nationals abroad. For example, in the event of a hospital stay, missing person, death, natural disaster or another emergency. They can also issue emergency travel documents and consular declarations for which the applicant is required to appear in person.

NB: You will usually apply for a visa at the Consulate of the country you want to visit. However, if there is no such representation in Tuvalu, you can apply for a visa at the embassy.

Where to find Consulates and Embassies in Tuvalu

Not all countries have an Embassy and/or a Consulate as it depends on the political situation, the relationship with the host country, the size of the country, and the number of foreign citizens living there. In some cases, countries can share representations and you can be assisted by the services of another embassy or consular service to get the information you need.

We recommend you register/contact your country’s embassy at your destination. It is a free service provided by any diplomatic mission and it will allow them to record information about your upcoming trip abroad. It can be used to assist you in case of an emergency. Registration will also allow you to get routine information from your nearest embassy or consulate, as citizens residing abroad.

The capital of Tuvalu, Funafuti, hosts 1 embassy. There is also a Consulate and a High Commission in Tuvalu. All representations and honorary consulates are located in Funafuti.

You will find below a list of countries that have a diplomatic mission in Tuvalu.

Embassies and Main Consulates in Funafuti

Australia

Australia High Commission in Tuvalu

Address: First Floor, Telecom Tuvalu Building, Tuvalu Road, Vaiaku, Funafuti
Tel: (+688) 20 043
E-Mail: ahc.funafuti@dfat.gov.au
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/AusHCfnfu

The Australian High Commission in Tuvalu also provides passport services to Australians, including those applying for or renewing a passport, applying for a document of identity or in special circumstances, an emergency passport.

Taiwan

Taiwan Embassy in Tuvalu

Address: Palagi Road, Fakaifou, Funafuti
Tel: (+688) 20 278
E-Mail: tuv@mofa.gov.tw
Social Media: https://www.facebook.com/TW.Tuvalu/ and https://twitter.com/TW_Tuvalu

The Embassy of Taiwan in Tuvalu assist chines and Taiwanese citizens in all their procedures, such as: applications for passports and identity cards; visas; legalization and authentication services, etc.

Honorary Consulates in Tuvalu

Contact directly the Embassy/Consulate website for more information.
For countries with no consulates or embassies in Tuvalu, the Honorary Consulates are supervised by diplomatic representations located in other countries, often Sydney, in Australia for Tuvalu.

General Consulates and embassies in Funafuti

• France (information.suva-amba@diplomatie.gouv.fr)*

*The Embassy of France in Suva (Fiji) works as diplomatic representation of the countries of Kiribati, Nauru, Tonga and Tuvalu.