Guam, CNMI push the Philippines' inclusion in visa waiver program

Filipino passengers stand in line at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila. Photo by Mar-Vic Cagurangan/Pacific Island Times

By Pacific Island Times News Staff

Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands have reiterated their call for the Philippines' inclusion in the visa waiver program to expand their tourism markets and attract more carriers to service these routes.

"Guam and the CNMI depend on reliable regional transportation links to sustain economic activity, tourism, and broader engagement throughout the Indo-Pacific," Guam Gov. Lou Leon Guerrero and CNMI Gov. David Apatang said in a joint letter to the secretaries of the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of the Interior.

"Expanding the Guam-CNMI visa waiver program to include the Philippines would strengthen lawful regional travel flows, increase regional passenger demand and encourage additional commercial air service opportunities connecting the Philippines with Guam and the CNMI.

United Airlines and Philippine Airlines currently serve the routes between Manila and the two U.S. territories.

Leon Guerrero and Apatang said improved air connectivity would strengthen transportation links between geographically isolated American jurisdictions and key regional partners throughout the Western Pacific

The Guam–CNMI visa waiver program allows citizens of certain countries to travel to Guam or the CNMI for up to 45 days without a visa, provided they meet eligibility requirements. China is among the countries eligible under the program.

"Including the Philippines reinforces the United States' longstanding

partnership with a key treaty ally," the governors said. 

"By strengthening lawful people-to-people ties, commercial engagement, and regional connectivity, the United States can further reinforce its strategic presence and relationships in the Indo-Pacific while maintaining the integrity of federal immigration controls," they added.

The governors argued that allowing travel exclusively to Guam and the CNMI would be consistent with federal policy encouraging a controlled process for cross-border travel in the region.

"We recognize the importance of maintaining the integrity of the United States immigration and border security systems," they said, noting that the visa waiver program� permits only temporary visits and does not confer immigration status or provide a pathway to permanent residency or citizenship.

"Any program modifications would continue to operate within these clear statutory limitations and under ongoing federal oversight," the governors said.

Guam and the CNMI are seeking to expand the Philippine segment amid the stagnant arrivals from other Asian source markets. Both destinations have yet to recover from prolonged regional economic disruptions, exacerbated by persistent transportation and geographic challenges due to their isolation.

"A resilient local economy is an important component of long-term regional stability. Expanding the Guam-CNMI visa waiver program to include the Philippines would help diversify visitor markets, support economic stability, and strengthen broader commercial activity in both Guam and the CNMI," the governors wrote. 

"This would contribute to a more resilient and sustainable regional economic base aligned with broader United States strategic interests in the Pacific.

The Philippines already maintains extensive lawful travel, commercial, educational and family ties with Guam and the CNMI, providing an established foundation for responsible and manageable regional travel flows.