The Guam Visitors Bureau (GVB) in collaboration with the Customs and Quarantine Agency (CQA) and the Guam International Airport Authority (GIAA) have officially launched the implementation of the Guam Electronic Declaration Form (EDF). The EDF will provide travelers to Guam with a safer touchless entry process upon arrival.
The EDF is a mandatory digital form that all arriving passengers will need to complete before entering Guam. It provides a new platform for travelers to access both the required Customs Declaration form as well as the current Public Health declaration form.
“Thank you to Governor Lou Leon Guerrero for providing us the funding to upgrade our current Guam declaration forms and process. The EDF technology allows all travelers a safe touchless experience when they visit Guam and is in line with our long-term efforts to reopen our tourism industry going forward. I also would like to thank the CQA and GIAA for their continued partnerships,” said GVB President and CEO Carl T.C. Gutierrez.
Due to the sensitive nature of travelers’ data, GVB and CQA prioritized all information transferred from passengers to Government of Guam officials to be encrypted with stringent protocols in place. These efforts were made to ensure the integrity of the EDF data is not compromised.
“Digitizing the customs declaration process has been a milestone CQA has worked toward for so long. I am grateful to this administration and our GVB & GIAA partnership for their support and making it a reality. This will streamline our passenger clearance efforts and strengthen screening and interdiction efforts as passengers arrive at our border,” said Ignacio Q. Peredo, Director of CQA.
In an effort to strategically work through any anticipated issues that may arise, the EDF implementation will occur in two progressive phases:
A “Kiosks Only” system will be live starting today, March 25, 2021, to allow certain flights to access the form at the designated kiosks in the baggage claim area of the terminal. This will enable government officials to continue improving the system to ensure more efficient processing times at the airport.
A “Fully Mobile” launch will occur in mid-April to allow travelers to access the form on any WiFi enabled device. For added traveler convenience, the form may be accessed and completed up to 72 hours prior to arrival on Guam. This is the long-term solution that Guam will provide visitors and returning residents going forward.
The EDF initiative was established as a direct response to the COVID-19 pandemic. By migrating from manual hard copy forms to a fully digital platform, the form limits human contact and potential spread of diseases between Guam’s travelers and government officials. The EDF will also allow the different agencies to efficiently manage the flow of passengers through the terminal.
“This initiative has been a huge undertaking by GVB and the agencies involved,” said GVB Director of Tourism Research Nico A.C. Fujikawa. “We are proud of the platform and are excited to offer a modernized experience for our visitors and more importantly our local travelers.”