Visa Waiver Tweaks for Guam: CBP Seeks Traveler Input
Published Date: 12/10/2025
Notice
Summary
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is updating the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver form (I-736) and wants your feedback by January 9, 2026. This affects travelers using the visa waiver for Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands, with no new fees but a chance to improve the form. It’s a quick, important step to keep travel smooth and paperwork easy!
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 0 benefits, 2 costs, 3 mixed.
Paper I-736 Replaced by Electronic Filing
If you travel to Guam or the Northern Mariana Islands using the Guam‑CNMI Visa Waiver, CBP will require you to submit Form I-736 in an automated electronic system instead of on paper. After the rule requiring mandatory automation is published, CBP will give a three‑month transition period; at the end of that transition the paper Form I-736 will no longer be acceptable.
New Data Fields Added to I-736
CBP added required fields to Form I-736 including foreign passport type (mandatory) and a valid email address (mandatory), and added optional fields for a social media identifier and the social media provider/platform. CBP says these new data elements will be used to enhance vetting to determine travelers' admissibility.
CNMI EVS-TAP System for PRC Travelers
CBP is creating a new CNMI EVS-TAP system for passport holders of the People’s Republic of China traveling to the CNMI so they can submit advance information and be vetted for a discretionary 14‑day visa‑free admissibility period. These PRC travelers will need to complete an additional set of vetting questions through CNMI EVS-TAP.
Automated Pre‑Screening and Boarding Decisions
Under the automated system, your submitted information will be pre‑screened against law enforcement databases and the system will generate a boarding authorization message (board or no board) to the carrier before the flight. You will also receive an application status message: approved, denied, canceled, or pending.
Estimated Respondent Counts and Time Burden
CBP estimates 1,370,000 respondents for Form I‑736 with an estimated 21 minutes per response (totaling 479,500 annual burden hours), and 230,000 respondents for CNMI EVS‑TAP with an estimated 26 minutes per response (totaling 99,667 annual burden hours).
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