FSM Information Services
Press Release
Travel Restrictions Extended to November 30th, 2020; No Date Yet for Repatriation Flights
PALIKIR, Pohnpei—Formally received by the Office of the President on October 5th, 2020, on September 30th, 2020, the 21st Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM) passed Congressional Resolution (C.R.) 21-185 which extends the President’s Declaration of Public Health Emergency and subsequent travel restrictions to November 30th, 2020. For the great bulk of citizens, residents, and stakeholders, both those residing in the FSM and those stranded abroad, CR. 21-185 offers no change from the status quo of the past several months and is thematically similar to the previously enacted C.R. 21-175. Economic provisions, such as cargo shipping and at-sea transshipment of fish, remain in place and unaltered.
Among the few changes present in C.R. 21-185 are with regards to repatriation plans. Repatriation of FSM citizens remains the priority, and “only after our citizens have been repatriated [may] further plans be implemented to allow for non-citizens to enter the FSM.” Amended text follows, advising that after all FSM citizens who are on a medical referral or receiving medical treatment are repatriated that an exception “may be made to allow for the entry of the ambassadors of foreign embassies, and the heads of missions of non-government organizations with diplomatic status, on a case by case basis, upon consultation and approval of the National Task Force and State Task Force.”
It remains the intention of the FSM National Government to begin repatriation into the Nation from COVID-19 free jurisdictions, such as the Republic of the Marshall Islands, to be followed by prioritizing medical patients and their attendants. As of October 5th, 2020, the Government is working with internal and external stakeholders to develop and implement this process. No date has been set to begin repatriating citizens stranded abroad into the Nation’s borders.
As of October 5th, 2020, the FSM remains COVID-19 free, without any reported cases in Yap State, Chuuk State, Pohnpei State, or Kosrae State.
Citizens are encouraged to read C.R. 21-185, which may be found here: https://gov.fm/files/C_R__NO__21-185_Engrossed.pdf
