US Announces 12 Countries Whose Citizens Qualify for Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Programme

• The US government has published the official list of countries eligible for the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program, covering 12 nations
• Citizens of the listed countries can apply for admission to Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands without a traditional US visa
• No African country made the eligibility list, which is dominated by Asia-Pacific nations and a handful of others

The United States government has officially published the list of countries whose citizens qualify to enter Guam and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) without a standard US visa through the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program (G-CNMI VWP).

According to the US government, 12 countries are currently recognised as eligible under the programme. Citizens or nationals of these countries may apply for admission to Guam and the CNMI directly under the waiver scheme, bypassing the full US visa application process that applies to most of the world.

Countries eligible for G-CNMI visa waiver

Read also

UK announces names of 5 Gulf countries whose citizens qualify for Electronic Visa Waiver

The full list of eligible countries comprises:

1. Australia
2. Brunei
3. Hong Kong
4. Japan
5. Malaysia
6. Nauru
7. New Zealand
8. Papua New Guinea
9. Singapore
10. South Korea
11. Taiwan
12. The United Kingdom.

The programme is heavily concentrated in the Asia-Pacific region, which reflects the geographic and economic ties between those nations and the United States territories of Guam and the CNMI, both located in the western Pacific Ocean. The United Kingdom and Australia are the only countries outside the immediate Asia-Pacific neighbourhood to feature on the list.

Taiwan's inclusion is noted with a reference to the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, clarifying that its eligibility is consistent with the United States' one-China policy and the unofficial nature of US-Taiwan relations since that year. Hong Kong is also listed separately from mainland China, which does not appear on the eligible countries roster.

The list contains no representation from Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, or continental Europe, meaning citizens from the vast majority of the world's countries, including Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, and South Africa, must still obtain a traditional US visa to visit Guam or the CNMI.

Read also

Australia announces 36 countries whose citizens are eligible for free eVisitor visa

In a similar report, Legit.ng published that New Zealand announced two conditions citizens of 57 countries must meet to apply for its visa waiver.

Requirements to be eligible for US visa-waiver

Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the United States announced five requirements countries must meet to be considered for the United States Visa Waiver Programme. The programme allows citizens of approved countries to travel to the US for up to 90 days without a visa, provided they secure ESTA approval.

But meeting all five conditions does not guarantee entry into the programme, as the final decision remains with the US government. The rules come as Washington prepares new visa changes that could affect thousands of Nigerians travelling for study, journalism and other purposes.

Source: Legit.ng