HAGATNA (GUAM PACIFIC DAILY NEWS) —Guam, through its visitors’ bureau and economic development agency, is now looking into the potential impacts of the U.S government’s plans to require bonds of up to US$15,000 for some tourist and business visas under a pilot program starting Aug. 20, part of efforts to crack down on visitors who stay beyond their visas.
The plan impacts only those applying for B-1 and B-2 visas to come to the U.S. and so far, the U.S State Department identified visa applicants from Zambia and Malawi to pay bonds of US$5,000, US$10,000 or US$15,000, determined by U.S. consular officers at the time of the interview.
The list is expected to be updated from time to time, national news agencies reported, citing U.S. State Department sources.
The funds will be returned to travelers’ if they leave the U.S. in accordance with the terms of their visas, based on an Aug. 5 notice on the Federal Register.
Krystal Paco-San Agustin, the governor’s director of communications, on Wednesday said the Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) is presently assessing the potential ramifications for tourism, though preliminary indications, she said, suggest that the majority of Guam’s target markets will remain unaffected.
Guam’s primary concern, she said, pertains to the impact on the Philippine market.
“As the Philippines is not encompassed by either the U.S or the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Programmes, this exclusion could potentially impede travel,” Paco-San Agustin told the Pacific Daily News.
Guam’s elected leaders and GVB the past several years have been pushing for the Philippines to be included in the visa-waiver eligible countries’ list to help boost arrivals and continue strong cultural ties.
They cited the Asian country’s improved economy and low overstay rate, as well as Guam’s arrivals that are still about 40 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
Adelup’s Paco-San Agustin cited the U.S Customs and Border Protection Entry/Exit Overstay Report for Fiscal Year 2023 Report to Congress indicating an overstay rate of 3.11 percent for Philippine nationals holding WB/WT/B-1/B-2 air and sea arrivals.
“This figure is considerably lower than that of numerous other countries. Currently, the Department of State website identifies Malawi and Zambia with overstay rates of 14.32 percent and 11.11 percent, respectively, as countries subject to the visa bond requirement,” Paco-San Agustin said.
The Guam Economic Development Authority is also reviewing potential impacts to business investments, she said.
“Again, preliminarily this would primarily affect the Philippines as the other countries listed do not engage in much if any business on Guam,” she said.
Mark Baldyga, a tourism businessman and chairman of GVB’s Recovery Committee, on Wednesday said it’s his understanding that this pilot program will not apply to visa-waiver countries.
“Therefore, it should not affect Japan, Korea, or Taiwan arrivals. However, it will dramatically affect arrivals from the Philippines, which is a market with tremendous potential. GVB is working hard to pursue additional air service from the Philippines, including potential daytime service and secondary cities like Cebu. This restriction would eliminate those possibilities and seriously impact existing arrivals,” he said.
A bond of US$5,000, US$10,000 and US$15,000 may make the process of applying for B-1 and B-2 visas to visit Guam or other U.S. soil unaffordable or less attractive for many.
For Baldyga, should the Philippines be included in the State Department’s list of countries where tourist and business visa applicants would be required to pay bonds, it “would effectively kill tourism from the Philippines to Guam.”
Baldyga said he would view this as an opportunity, however.
“The right message is to use this opportunity to say that those countries with visa waiver are exempt from the US$15,000. Guam is in trouble economically due in part to the strong dollar and the impact of the military buildup. We need U.S. help in putting Philippines on the visa waiver list and that way, it won’t be subject to the US$15,000.”
Baldyga added that this “is a perfect opportunity if they push forward with this legislation to add a sentence that in order to protect Guam tourism, the Philippines will now be added to the Guam-only visa waiver programme.”
President Donald Trump has made it a priority to crack down on illegal immigration. In June, he issued a travel ban that fully or partially blocks citizens of 19 nations from entering the U.S on national security grounds……PACNEWS