While the $10 entry permit for U.S. Nationals visiting Samoa has been in place for several years, Congresswoman Aumua Amata’s town hall meeting revealed that there are still many American Samoans unhappy with the policy, which has been described as “unfair” and discriminatory.

Several issues were raised during the Congresswoman’s first town hall meeting held last Thursday at the Fono Guest Fale and one issue of concern, raised by Uta Dr. Laloulu Tagoilelagi deals with the requirement by the Samoa government for U.S. Nationals, who are U.S. passport holders, to pay an entry fee to visit Samoa.

Uta, who is also the Arts Council executive director, says he holds a U.S. passport, as a U.S. national and is never required to pay an entry permit or obtain a VISA for the many countries where has traveled — except for Samoa. He wondered what the Congresswoman could do to help American Samoans with this issue at the federal level.

The Congresswoman’s local District Office director, Pulu Ae Ae Jr., acknowledged Uta’s concern, saying that the Samoa government policy was implemented several years ago when he was a local House member, and it all started when a rugby team from Samoa had arrived on island to participate in the local Flag Day, with no entry permits.

He said the Attorney General at the time made the decision to send the entire team back to Samoa without team members ever leaving the vessel. Because of this incident, Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailelel Malielegoi turned around and imposed the entry fee for U.S. Nationals from American Samoa.

“The truth is, this policy by Samoa is unfair because it targets only U.S. Nationals, but not U.S. citizens — all traveling on U.S. passports,” Pulu emphasized at least four times, and called the policy discriminatory towards American Samoans. He claimed that Tuilaepa had made this issue “personal” against American Samoa.

Pulu said it's embarrassing for U.S. Nationals having to pay a fee to enter Samoa, but not U.S. citizens, and noted this issue should have been resolved a long time ago. He suggested that maybe the Congresswoman can take up this issue with Congress or the appropriate federal agency.

Pulu shared with the audience that the local staff of the Congresswoman’s office recently traveled to Apia for a meeting with officials of the U.S. Embassy there, and only U.S. nationals — holding U.S. passports — had to pay a fee to enter Samoa.

He stated again, “this is not right, it’s so unfair.” He agreed with Uta that maybe the federal government should look into this matter.

Aumua responded by saying that she believes this is not a federal issue, saying it had surfaced when there were differences between the governments of the two Samoas.

However, Uta responded, saying that his point is: U.S. nationals hold U.S. passports and therefore this is a federal issue, because the U.S. Passport is a federal government travel document.

Aumua replied that the governor of American Samoa and Samoa’s prime minister should meet to resolve this issue. She again stressed that it’s not a federal matter, but rather this is a policy issue set by the Samoa government.

Pulu believes the U.S. Embassy in Apia should be handling this issue on behalf of U.S. Nationals with the Samoa government, saying that American Samoa cannot directly argue such a matter. He feels the U.S. State Department — which has jurisdiction over such matters — should fight for American Samoans. (The State Department also oversees U.S. diplomatic posts around the world.)

However, Aumua reiterated that this is not a federal issue and that the U.S. government cannot interfere with policies and decisions implemented by the Samoa government.

Aumua's chief of staff from Washington D.C., Leafaina Yahn, agreed and suggested that this should be discussed between leaders of the two Samoas. Yahn also pointed out that American Samoa requires entry permits for Samoa nationals.

When the Samoa government imposed the entry permit fee, then Gov. Togiola Tulafono said that he was not surprised by the move, but pointed out that Samoa has its own policies and decisions to make.

He also said that Samoa has tried to pressure American Samoa all these years to do away with the entry permit for Western Samoans, but American Samoa has consistently refused, for good reason. (While Togiola didn’t elaborate at the time, one of the reasons was to ensure that citizens of Samoa return to their home country.)

Congressman Faleomavaega Eni was asked by local residents at the time to help remove this policy, but the Congressman pointed out that this is not a federal matter, saying Samoa is an independent country, which sets its own laws, rules, regulations and policies.

Samoa News should also point out that American Samoa is responsible for its own borders, it does not fall under U.S. Immigration & Customs Department jurisdiction.