Pacific

Samoa government considers transit permit for American Samoa travelers

05:51 am on 12 March 2007

The Samoan government is considering a transit permit for all travellers from the territory passing through Apia bound for New Zealand, Australia, Hawaii and to the U.S mainland.

Under the current immigration policies between the two Samoas, transiting passengers from the territory do not require a permit unless their stay is more than 24 hours.

But all Samoan passport-holders transiting in Pago Pago from Hawaii or the United States bound for Apia are required to pay a fee of 50 U.S Dollars.

A delegation of legislators from the American Samoan government has met Samoa's speaker of parliament where the issue of the new cost of entry permits was raised.