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Lolo announces new entry forms for travelers to the territory

Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga [SN file photo]
blue@samoanews.com

Governor Lolo Matalasi Moliga last week announced the implementation of the new single Entry Form to eliminate the response burden and replication of information by completing two or more forms by travelers upon arrival into American Samoa.

According to a press release from the Governor's Office yesterday, a new arrival form has been developed to combine all statutory requirements pertaining to Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, Health and Tourism.

By law, "all travelers crossing the borders into American Samoa must identify himself or herself by recording information such as name, age, sex, marital status, occupation, nationality, country of origin, country of citizen, race, place of permanent residency, intended future permanent residence and, if a United States citizen or national, the facts on which claims of that status are based."

Lolo noted that Title 27, Chapter 10 of the ASCA "requires that all good brought into American Samoa must be declared on the Customs portion of the form as well as the Agriculture-Quarantine portion."

Furthermore, "All travelers must also comply with health alerts and warnings."

Lolo said a companion form for departures has also been developed to improve the collection of data on resident travelers, reasons for moving abroad, tourism travel, and other pertinent information to improve local visitor industry developments."

The new arrival and departure forms were implemented beginning Sunday, Oct. 1st and the Governor urges all government agencies, travel agencies, airlines, shipping agencies, fishing vessels, cruise ship agencies, etc. "to take the necessary steps to adhere to the new entry and departure forms," which he said were "designed to ease the burden on travelers and to ensure the collection of information necessary is provided for services planning of the American Samoa Government.