SAIPAN — Guam Gov. Lourdes A. Leon Guerrero and CNMI Gov. David M. Apatang have jointly asked the federal government to add the Republic of the Philippines to the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program, in a letter to the secretaries of Homeland Security and the Interior.
In the May 21 letter to Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, the governors said Apatang formally submitted the request under federal law asking that the Philippines be added to the program’s eligible list. They said the administrative action would align regional immigration policy with U.S. economic, diplomatic and national security interests in the Indo-Pacific.
The governors argued that adding the Philippines would advance three objectives: strengthening a longstanding U.S. treaty alliance, expanding regional travel and air connectivity, and diversifying the visitor economies of Guam and the CNMI as they recover from regional economic disruptions.
The letter stresses that the request is limited to travel within Guam and the CNMI under the existing program, which permits only temporary visits and does not confer immigration status or a pathway to residency or citizenship. The governors said any expansion would maintain existing vetting and border-security requirements in coordination with U.S. Customs and Border Protection and other federal partners.
The governors said they would welcome enhanced safeguards modeled after the Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program, and offered to consider a phased or pilot rollout subject to periodic federal review. The letter was copied to Guam Del. James Moylan, CNMI Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth.
