THE Guam-CNMI Electronic Travel Authorization will become mandatory effective Nov. 29 for tourists wanting to travel to Guam and the CNMI, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
G-CNMI ETA is an automated system that will be used to determine the eligibility of visitors to travel to Guam or the CNMI under the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program, and whether such travel poses any law enforcement or security risks, DHS stated.
The implementation of the CNMI Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program or EVS-TAP interim final rule amended DHS’s regulations to require persons intending to travel to Guam or the CNMI to submit Form I-736 electronically in advance of travel and receive an electronic travel authorization prior to embarking on a carrier for travel to Guam or the CNMI.
Asked about the G-CNMI ETA implementation, Gov. Arnold I. Palacios said: “Obviously, to me it’s a lot…faster; the other one is it should address the federal government’s concerns about the unregulated visa-free entry to the Commonwealth from China, and from other places that have been given visa-free [status].”
He added, “Let’s just hope that it works both ways. It makes it easier for people to process their visa [while addressing] security [concerns].”
For his part, Marianas Visitors Authority Managing Director Christopher Concepcion issued the following statement:
“We are pleased that we have the EVS-TAP system in place, which essentially vets passengers prior to departure and avoids the hassle associated with being denied entry upon arrival. This is a federally mandated and federally implemented program. This alleviates the concerns of those who worried that the parole in place program left loopholes for non-desirables to enter the CNMI. At the end of the day, whether through the parole program or EVS-TAP, the responsibility of protecting our borders falls under the U.S. government’s jurisdiction, not the CNMI’s.”
