As was agreed to in the Apia leg of the Atoa o Samoa talks, the Samoa government has reciprocated American Samoa’s permit waiver for 7-day travel to the territory, with a similar arrangement for US nationals from American Samoa to enter Samoa.
Samoa’s Consul General in American Samoa Fata Brian Kaio explained the process.
US nationals from American Samoa traveling to Apia need to go to the Samoa Consulate Office at the Mosooi Building to apply and pay the $10 fee.
The processing time is 1 day for all applicants, and all travelers are encouraged to apply ahead of their travel date.
Travelers have to provide a Passport/CI with validity of more than 6-months from date of departure out of Samoa, and a confirmed return ticket of 7 days or less in Samoa.
There’s no police report or medical report needed as has been the arrangement since Samoa began the entry permit.
The Samoa Consulate began issuing the 7-day Ok board last Thursday, the same day the American Samoa entry permit waiver program for Samoan citizens went into effect. 10 were issued on the first day and 14 on Friday. The highest number of Samoa entry permits that the Consulate has issued, according to Fata, is 600.
The new permit system is one of the outcomes of the Atoa o Samoa talks that was held recently in Samoa, to accommodate short visits for business, faalavelave, sports, seminars and tourism.
According to Fata, the Government of Samoa in commencing this new OK board has offered the American Samoa Attorney General’s Office, space for free at the Ministry of Prime Minister and Cabinet in Apia, for one of its Immigration officials to be based in Samoa until the new ASG building at Taumeasina is completed.
