What kind of visa do you need to travel to Guam. Entry rules and visa processing for the island of guam

By the 21st century, there were almost no corners on the planet that were inaccessible to Russian citizens. Our compatriots apply for visas and go to the most exotic countries peace. A number of states even introduce a visa-free regime for tourists. Recently, avid travelers are wondering if a visa is needed for Guam. After all, this area is attractive in many ways.

Just a few years ago, a visa was required to visit Guam. Now it is allowed to visit this exotic territory without an entry document. Of course, the guest must meet certain conditions.

Guam on the map

Guam is the name of the southernmost and most big island in the Mariana archipelago. It is located in pacific ocean and belongs to the United States, although it is not part of them. Such territories are called organized unincorporated.

Previously, tourists from the Russian Federation freely visited northern islands Mariana archipelago. In 2009, Rota, Saipan and Tinian introduced free entry with a stay of 1.5 months. Traveling to Guam required a US visa.

Since 2012, the United States has canceled visas for Russians to Guam. By decision of Washington, a visa-free regime was introduced on the island. True, the privilege operates with serious reservations.

Guam without a visa

A visa-free voyage around the island is available subject to the mandatory fulfillment of a number of requirements:

• Citizenship of the Russian Federation.
• All entrants, including infants, have their own passport. Criteria that the document meets:
  • With machine-readable code on the main page.
  • Expiration date - plus 2 months after the end of the tour.
• The maximum period of stay on the island is 45 days (counted from the date of entry).

Sample Completion of Form I-736

• Purpose of the trip:
  • Tourism.
  • Private visit (including business).
• The visitor submits:
  • Or an invitation from the hotel with a room reservation.
  • Or an invitation from a ground tour operator.
• You must have an air ticket with you:
  • Both ends.
  • Non-refundable and non-exchangeable.
  • The ticket indicates the confirmed day of departure to your home country.
• A tourist fills out forms to enter Guam.
• Visa-free admission does not provide for employment and study.
• You are only allowed to stay in Guam and/or the Northern Mariana Islands and travel between them. It is strictly forbidden to visit other American territories without a visa.
• Entry into the territory of the Mariana Islands is carried out only through authorized carriers operating direct flights.

Thus, the list of documents required to visit the Pacific island includes:

1. International passport.
2. Round-trip ticket with a fixed return date. Air tickets with an open date are not accepted.
3. Hotel reservation or tour operator invitation.
4. Entry forms.

Papers are submitted during the passage passport control.

Filling out documents

Form I-94

Entry forms are issued on board the aircraft. Papers printed online cannot be prefilled. The passport control officer only accepts official forms. Alternatively, it is allowed to take them in advance at the US consulate or embassy. Citizens fill out:

Questions must be answered in English. The data is entered legibly, in printed Latin letters. At the bottom of Form I-736 is a signature and the current date.

In the lower field I-94, the information above in the form is duplicated. When passing through immigration control, the lower part of the questionnaire is torn off and put into the traveler's passport. This card indicates the status of a foreigner on the island. You can't lose her. The sheet will need to be handed over to the immigration officer before flying home.

Completed forms must be signed and presented upon arrival at immigration. Children aged 14 and over submit separate forms. Documents are signed by the parent, guardian or adult accompanying the young traveler.

Customs regulations

When do you need a Guam visa?

If the duration of the trip to Guam exceeds 1.5 months, a visa is required. The document is opened by consulates and the US Embassy in Russia. To apply for an entry permit, you will need a set of papers. Their list is similar to the list of forms, forms and certificates for American visas.

Documentation

An applicant for a visa allowing a visit to the island will have to present:

• Nonimmigrant Visa Application Form DS-160:
  • The form is completed online at https://ceac.state.gov/genniv/.
  • When filling out the form, the applicant uploads their photo.
  • A printout of the page confirming the completion of the questionnaire should be submitted to the diplomatic mission.

Printout-confirmation of filling out the form

• International passport:
  • With 1 blank sheet.
  • The expiration date of the document is plus six months after returning home.
• Passport of a citizen of the Russian Federation (copy).
• Certificate of income and property.
• Certificate from the employer.
• Pensioners apply a pension certificate. Students and schoolchildren prepare a certificate from the place of study.

• and a certificate from the sponsor's place of work (for schoolchildren, students and pensioners whose trip is financed by relatives).
• A photocopy of the birth certificate (for a minor child traveling with parents).
• Consent of a parent/parents to the departure of a minor child (if the child goes on tour with only one parent or third party). Additionally, it is necessary to make photocopies of internal passports of persons giving consent to leave.
• Marriage certificate (if any).
• Details of the trip with the route (if necessary).
• Reservation of return tickets and hotel rooms (if necessary).
• An invitation from an island resident (if available).
• Certificate of non-conviction.
• Proof of close ties with Russia as a guarantee of return to your home country (if required). For example:
  • Birth certificates of children.
  • Property documents.
• Non-refundable consular fee payment ($160).

Guam is attractive Russian tourists. Its popularity began to grow already in 2012, when visas were cancelled. The local population does everything to make the rest of travelers from the Russian Federation comfortable. Shop signs and street advertising in Russian appeared on the island, and restaurants of national Russian cuisine began to operate.

A visa to Guam will be required for a significant number of foreigners planning to visit this most beautiful corner of the Earth. Are Russians among those who need a visa to travel to exotic island? Or is visa-free entry available to citizens of the Russian Federation? You will learn about this from our article.

Guam is a special territory

The official name of the region is Guam Territory. This is an island in the western Pacific Ocean, which has the status of an unincorporated organized territory of the United States. That is, Guam is not part of the United States of America, but is their possession.

Map of Guam with major cities and bays

Tourism plays a critical role in the economy of the Pacific island. 90% of foreigners come to Guam from Japan. Guests from the Land of the Rising Sun are attracted by delightful sandy beaches, entertainment on the water and exploration of the underwater world, monuments ancient history and World War II. All this is interesting for Russian travelers as well. So do they need a visa for Guam? Let's find out!

visa-free archipelago

The United States, which owns Guam, has introduced visa-free access to the island for Russians. A significant event took place in January 2012.

It is worth noting that Guam is the largest and most south island Mariana archipelago. Previously, tourists from the Russian Federation have already received the opportunity to visit other islands of the archipelago without a visa. So, it is allowed to stay in Saipan, Rota and Tinian without a visa for 1.5 months. Well, for Guam, until 2012, an American visa was required.

Mariana Islands Map

Now free entry is available for Russian citizens throughout the Mariana Archipelago. But "visa-free", as usual, has several reservations. A visitor arriving in the region on a preferential basis must satisfy a number of conditions. Guam has quite serious requirements for "visa-free" guests.

The nuances of a visa-free visit to the island for Russian citizens

Those wishing to come to Guam without a visa must:

It is important to know! Those who arrived under the "visa-free" in no case should get a job in Guam or go to study.

Documentation for "visa-free"

Under the above conditions, a visa to Guam for Russians is not needed. However, travelers will still have to prepare a number of papers. When entering the Pacific island, guests from the Russian Federation present:

All documents are submitted during the passage of immigration (passport) control. Without these papers, you will not be able to get to Guam without a visa.

What are entry forms?

Forms I-736 and I-94 must be completed by all overseas visitors to Guam. Official forms will be issued on board the airliner. It is impossible to find documents in advance on the Internet, print and fill out. The immigration officer simply will not accept them.

Form I-94

Please note that forms are only issued on aircraft of companies that have signed an I-760 agreement. These are, for example, Delta, Lufthansa and Northwest. If your carrier does not issue I-736 and I-94, or you want to prepare the paperwork in advance, you can get the necessary forms from the US missions in the Russian Federation. Only such documents, and not printouts from the Internet, can be accepted at the entrance to the island.

Forms must be completed in English. Information is indicated in block letters in legible handwriting. The bottom field of the I-736 is dated and signed.

Form I-94 is also signed. The information above in the form is duplicated at the bottom of the document. At the border checkpoint, the lower part of the form will be torn off and put into the passport. This sheet will testify to the status of the arrived person in Guam. You can't lose it. Before flying home, the sheet is handed over to the immigration officer.

Form I-94

On a note! Separate forms are submitted for each trip participant over 14 years of age. For a minor, the forms are signed by a parent, guardian or other adult accompanying the young citizen.

When is a visa required?

Do I need a visa for Guam if a foreigner plans to visit the Pacific Territory for non-tourist or private purposes? For example, for employment or education. Or in the case when a tourist voyage or business visit lasts longer than 45 days? Yes, in such situations, a visa document is required.

Any visa to Guam is a US visa. It is issued in American diplomatic missions and strictly according to the rules established by the United States. If a trip to the island requires a visa, you will have to obtain an American entry paper corresponding to the purpose of the visit:

• B1/B2 for business and leisure travel;
• one of the types of work visa;
• F-visa for students, etc.

Usually, Russians do not request such documents just for the sake of traveling to Guam. Especially after 2012, when the Pacific island became visa-free for the Russian Federation.

Russian citizens do not need a visa to visit Guam for up to 45 days. You must have a valid passport and a completed migration card with you. For a longer trip, you need to contact the US Embassy for a visa, since the islands are de facto American possessions. You should also remember that entry into the United States through Guam without a visa is prohibited.

Do Russians need a visa to Guam?

Russians can visit Guam without a visa for up to 45 days, for longer visits you need to obtain an American visa.

Guam Entry Rules

• Funds in excess of $10,000 are subject to declaration.
• 1 pack of cigarettes is allowed on the island, with more they must be certified by the United States.
• Despite the territorial affiliation to the United States, entry into the states without a visa through Guam is prohibited.

Required documents for border crossing

• Forms I-94 and I-734 completed and signed by tourists (issued at the US Consulate or on board flights of airlines flying to the island).
• Return flights with a fixed date of departure.
• Hotel reservation (hotel, apartment, hostel).
• Proof of financial solvency: cash, bank cards, checks.
• Medical insurance.

Crossing the border with children

• Foreign passport of a citizen of Russia.
• Original or copy of the birth certificate with an insert or stamp of Russian citizenship (for children under 14), translated into English language.
• Notarized consent for the child to leave the Russian Federation indicating the country and period of stay (Article 20, Chapter III of the Federal Law No. 114-FZ of August 15, 1996) from parents or guardians, translated into English (for children under 18 years old) when independent travel or trips accompanied by third parties).

Visa-free regime for citizens of other countries

A special regime that does not require a visa or permission from the American travel authorization system ESTA, except for Russia, is valid for Australia, Brunei, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Malaysia, Nauru, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, South Korea, UK and Taiwan.

Citizens of the CIS countries (Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) must obtain an American visa to visit the island of Guam.

Guam Island - heavenly place, unless you mar your stay here by applying for asylum. Photo universestars.com

Sometimes circumstances develop in such a way that people are forced to seek asylum in other, safe countries. The US requires the physical presence of the asylum seeker on its territory. If you do not have a visa, you can apply for asylum at the southern border of the United States or at airports upon arrival, but in such situations you cannot avoid immigration jail. What to do if there is no way to get a visa to the United States and you want to avoid a long prison term?

For the citizens of Russia, a tiny island in the Pacific Ocean, located at the equator right next to the famous Mariana Trench, can be a salvation. Guam is a territory belonging to the United States, and since 2012, American immigration laws have begun to apply to Guam. This means that those on Guam can now apply for asylum in the United States. For holders of Russian passports, Guam has abolished visa requirements, and Russians enter the island "by password" - a special entry permit issued at Guam airport for a period of no more than 45 days (usually much less).

Guam does not have its own office that deals with asylum applications - this is the jurisdiction of the Los Angeles Asylum Office. When the number of waiting interviews in Guam reaches a certain size, an immigration officer comes to the island; usually served in Guam by citizens of Russia and China. By the way, US Attorney General Jeff Sessions has already expressed his opinion on this issue - he wants to cancel visa-free entry to Guam for immigrants from these two countries.

In May 2017, my client K.S. an interview was scheduled after 8 months of waiting, and I flew to Guam for an escort. In general, the procedure for passing the interview was no different from the “mainland”, but there were several unusual moments. I was immediately alerted by the fact that the interview was scheduled for 3 pm; Considering that usually in Los Angeles the office closes around 4:30, we immediately realized that we would not meet it in one day. So I had to plan my departure from Guam so that I didn't miss the second day of the interview.

On the appointed day, we were not called even at an unusually late for such interviews at 3 pm (while the time in Los Angeles is 10 pm). Only at 4:15 our officer came out to us and apologized for the delay (the previous interview took longer than he expected). We were offered to start the interview and come back the next morning, or immediately reschedule all the interviews to the next day. We decided to split the interview into two parts, since the process lasts several hours, then on the second day it will be psychologically a little easier - the asylum seeker will already be familiar with the officer, the situation in the office, the pace of the interview and its atmosphere. As a result, on the first day we ended with the confirmation of the data in the I-589 questionnaire, and the discussion of immediate events took place the next day.

The immigration office in Guam seemed very small compared to the facilities in Los Angeles. Instead of several buildings in different parts of the city serving hundreds, if not thousands of people every day, there were no more than 20 seats in the lobby of the Guam office. In the same lobby local population Islands - the Chamorro tribe - made a small exhibition showing the history of their people and way of life. It was interesting to get acquainted with the culture of this small nation, which was "discovered" by Magellan more than 500 years ago.

In general, Guam turned out to be amazing, picturesque place, generally reminiscent of Hawaii. The island is a tiny piece of the top of the highest seamount on our planet, the foot of which is Mariana Trench. If this mountain rose above sea level, then it would be much higher than Chomolungma-Everest. West Coast Guama is washed by the Philippine Sea, east by the Pacific Ocean. You can learn about the life of newly arrived immigrants in Guam from the video blog, where my client cordially invited everyone - his YouTube channel is called “New Life on Guam”. There he shares his impressions of how their adaptation to life on this island proceeds, as well as his thoughts on the immigration process.

When a Russian citizen enters the island of Guam without a visa, “by password”, and then applies for asylum, there is no way to leave the island for the mainland until a positive decision is received through an interview. As explained to me by the US Customs and Border Protection in Guam, if a Russian citizen does not present an I-94 card with an asylum stamp when leaving the island, then his departure is calculated as leaving the United States, and in this case, the asylum application will be closed automatically . And you can get an I-94 with an asylum stamp only if the asylum is approved. Those who fail to obtain asylum based on the results of the interview will be protected from deportation in the immigration court, which will also be located on this island. So if you are considering filing your documents in Guam, then keep in mind that your stay on this island may be delayed indefinitely.

When the interview takes place in Los Angeles, they invite you to come in exactly two weeks later for an answer; however, lately there have been frequent delays. Interviews in Guam are conducted in the form of visiting sessions, and it usually takes significantly longer to receive a response in such situations. While we have not yet received a response, but, of course, we hope for a successful outcome of the case!

Guam is an exotic island in the Pacific Ocean. Bright embodiment of the dream of travel in the form of thickets coconut trees, rainforests, impressive waterfalls, and of course the best beach holiday. The best part is that our compatriots have the opportunity to get to Guam without a visa! The conditions for visiting the island are quite loyal and everyone, without overcoming bureaucratic obstacles, can bask in the hot sun or windsurf.

Conditions for a visa-free visit to the island

Coat of arms - seal of Guam

People go to the largest of the Mariana Islands for a leisurely beach holiday and vivid impressions. And under certain conditions, when preparing for a trip, you can not be puzzled by the question of whether citizens of the Russian Federation need a visa to Guam. Definitely not required if:

So, having a passport valid at the time of departure, an air ticket and, having filled out some documents upon arrival, you can, bypassing paperwork, fly to Guam.

Guam visa types

If your trip does not fit into the above trip, you will need an entry permit. A visa to Guam for Russians is issued at the consulate and can be of several types. Only those who are a diplomatic worker, a citizen of the island of Guam or the United States, and also have the citizenship of a country with which the United States has a visa waiver agreement are exempted from the obligation to receive it.

Tourist visa

If the purpose of the trip is exclusively travel, excursions and visits to cultural events, attractions, then you should apply for a tourist visa. It will allow you to easily travel around the United States and throughout the Mariana Islands.

Visitor visa

To obtain this type of entry document, it is necessary that a resident of the island (and preferably also a citizen) send an invitation. With the inviting tourist can be connected by family ties or friendship. It can also be a business partner.

This visa allows you to move around the country and several times to come, leave within 180 days.

Transit visa

Even if Guam is chosen as a transit point, it is imperative to obtain a permit. At the same time, the visa is not designed for walking and allows a limited time to stay on the island. Guam Airport is located 7 km from the capital - the city of Hagatna.

student visa

A non-immigrant student visa to Guam is issued upon enrollment in an educational institution. It should be applied for in advance, but earlier than 120 days before the first day of school, it will not be issued. You can enter the country using it when less than a month remains before your studies.

Work Visa

A temporary work visa is issued only if the applicant is officially employed in the United States (in Guam). There are no age restrictions, while the purpose of the trip can only be the type of work for which the visa is designed. You can enter the country through it 10 days before the applicant begins to perform his duties.

Visa to Guam: processing

To obtain an entry permit, you need to follow this algorithm of actions:

1. Visa fee payment;
2. Enter your details on the DS-160 form. You can find it on the official website of the US Embassy. After the data entry procedure, a page confirming the completion should be printed;

1. Get your turn for an interview at the embassy by signing up online on the official website. In order to set an individual time, you should prepare and enter the details of the international passport, as well as a check for payment of the amount of the consular fee and the barcode of the previously completed visa application form. It consists of 10 characters;
2. Come to the embassy, ​​according to your turn, with the necessary package of documents:

• international passport, with a margin of validity until the end of the trip;
• photograph that meets the requirements;

• a printed invitation letter for an appointment at the embassy;
• page - confirmation of passing the DS-160 questionnaire;
• passports that were previously used.

1. You may also need an extract from the Unified Register of Real Estate (to confirm the availability of real estate), birth certificates for children, marriage certificate (to confirm strong ties with your country), bank statement (to confirm financial viability), a document on the absence of a criminal record ;
2. If the decision on the visa is positive, then the document with the pasted visa will be brought to your address.

How to fill out forms correctly

Rules for filling out an application for a visa to Guam:

The embassy will not accept any applications, written by hand or typed. You should go to the website of the diplomatic mission and within 20 minutes answer questions on the DS-160 questionnaire. If time passes, you can save your version on the computer and continue to enter data in the next period of time.

Filling language - English.

In addition, you must upload a photo that meets the requirements. After the filling procedure, a page with a digital code will appear, which must be printed on a laser printer and saved. You will need it during the interview and to sign up for its passage.

Rules for Completing Forms i-174 and i-94

The i-174 form is a short form that requires you to fill in all the basic information. In addition to personal data, you should indicate whether you have previously applied for a visa to enter Guam. If there was once an entry permit, you need to enter information about it.

Form i-94 almost completely duplicates the content of the above form. But the data here needs to be entered in a more detailed form. Both questionnaires are dated and personally signed.

Photo Requirements

Photos submitted to the consulate must meet certain requirements. This increases the chances of a quick approval of entry into Guam.

Photo	Printed. You should take it with you to the embassy. It shouldn't be attached anywhere.	Electronically downloadable. It should be uploaded to the official website when filling out the visa application form
The photo is recent. Less than 6 months must have elapsed since the photograph was taken. When applying for a visa again, you must take the image again
Size	5*5 cm.	Minimum - 600*600 pixels. Maximum - 1200*1200 pixels. There is a special photo editor on the website of the diplomatic mission to give the desired size. You can use it
Head position	The gaze should be straight ahead, the chin up. The whole face should be placed in the frame (this is about 70% of the entire picture or 2.5 * 3.5 cm), including hair, neck.
Color and background	The photo must be in color and on a white background.
Clothes and accessories	Casual clothing, accessories (glasses, headset, etc.) are excluded. Headgear, too, except when it is worn every day for religious injunctions

Visa cost

The amount charged at registration is not refundable in case of refusal, and it cannot be redirected to the account of another applicant. You should pay only the indicated amount (no change). Although the amounts are in US$, they must be transferred in Russian currency.

Visa fee payment methods are as follows: credit card through branches of the Russian Post, in cash through a bank. When choosing the latter method, you should download the payment form from the official website of the US diplomatic mission (only on a computer) and transfer funds using it. When paying by credit card, you should go to a special section of the embassy website and print the receipt received by e-mail. If for some reason the receipt has not arrived, you will need to show a bank statement.

After listing Money you should keep the receipt and in two days sign up for an interview. It is valid for a year, if during this period the remaining documents are not submitted to the consulate, then you will have to pay the fee again.

Type of entry permit	Category	Fee amount
Tourist	B	160$
Guestbook	B	160$
transit	C-1	160$
Student	M, F	160$
working	H	190$

Visa processing times

Permit paper for entry into the United States is issued after consideration of all submitted documents. According to official information, it takes 3 days, but often this period can be extended. For example, if many applications are submitted and employees do not have time to process them, as well as when special requirements are presented to the applicant.

The waiting time for your turn by electronic appointment is usually not long, but you don’t need to rely on luck. In order not to spoil the trip, you need to apply in advance (for example, 3 months) before the date of departure.

Period during which the visa is valid

Visa to Guam for a child

A child visa is issued in the same way as an adult visa - a questionnaire form is filled out, a photo is provided. Children under 14 need to add another copy of their father's or mother's visa (if the child is traveling with them). If one of them or both of them does not accompany him, then a notarized consent will be required from them. You should also attach papers explaining the purpose of the trip and the intended route.

Children are exempted from the fingerprint scanning procedure. As well as from the obligation to undergo the procedure of personal interviewing.

From the age of 16, children are fingerprinted and present at the interview with their parents or other accompanying persons.

If the accompanying parent, grandparents, as well as children traveling with classmates have a visa, you can apply for a visa at the Pony Express office. Here the procedure is easier.

But first you should:

1. Pay the visa fee;
2. Complete the DS-160 on behalf of the child;
3. Through the official website of the diplomatic mission, fill out the appropriate form, which will entitle you to obtain a visa without an interview. If everything is filled out correctly, you will receive confirmation by e-mail about the right to a simplified registration procedure. It should be printed.

So, in Pony Express bring:

• A printed letter giving the right not to visit the embassy to the child;
• A photo that meets the requirements;
• Child's passport;
• A copy of the accompanying person's visa. If the trip is made jointly with peers from the school (or any courses), then a travel program and itinerary will be required;
• Inventory of all submitted documents (its form can be downloaded on the official website of the embassy).

It is necessary to take into account the nuance that a child under 14 years of age must be recorded for an interview. Even though he won't be interviewed. Just at your own visit, you should take the child's international passport and a letter of permission for a simplified procedure for obtaining a visa.

Refusal to issue a visa

A visa to Guam may not be issued if the documents are filled out incorrectly - a mistake is made or false information is provided. The embassy can also start checking documents, and in this case, you should wait for a decision, which must be received no later than 60 days. Sometimes it can take a long time and you need to be patient.

If some information is missing and additional documents are requested, the staff will inform you about it. An explanation letter will also be sent. Since the paid check for a visa is valid for 12 months, during this time you can bring the necessary papers.

Good grounds for refusal can be:

• lack of a permanent place of residence in the homeland and strong ties with it. The embassy must make sure that in time the traveler will want to return home;
• a criminal record;
• poor knowledge of the English language.

Customs regulations

To enter Guam, there are quite loyal customs regulations. But there are categories of goods that require a declaration.

Travel Insurance

Medical or travel insurance will allow you to feel quite confident in a foreign country. Since in the United States and its territories, medical assistance insurance is a priority document, it will not be superfluous to have international health insurance.

It can provide not only treatment in local clinics, which, although small, are of a fairly good level. But also evacuation from the island by air, if necessary.

Naturally, for those who plan to engage in surfing or diving, yes, and in general, they prefer leisure, the relevance of this document is increasing. Of course, this is a safe vacation destination, but insurance can be a powerful weapon to protect yourself and your loved ones.