INS rejects visa waiver for Filipino accountants

The Immigration and Naturalization Service has rejected a request from the Philippine Consulate here for a Guam-only, single entry visa waiver for Filipino accountants taking the CPA certifying board examination in the territory in May.

This was learned from Consul Julia Heidemann who said Saturday her office will coordinate with Capitol Hill for possible arrangements that can be made to allow Filipino accountants in the CNMI take the board examination in May.

According to Ms. Heidemann, INS officials cited existing policies relating to the granting of U.S. visa to foreign nationals which require application and processing on their point of origin.

The consul wrote the INS office in Washington D.C. assuring the return of non-visa holder members of Mificpa from Guam to Saipan soon after the examination date on May 4 and 5, 2000.

At the same time, Gov. Pedro P. Tenorio vowed support for members of the Marianas Institute of Filipino Certified Public Accountants who are hoping to get certification from the prestigious New York-based American Institute of CPA.

Mr. Tenorio is hoping to discuss with the AICPA the possibility of extending the May examination to Saipan pending the passing of the CNMI Legislature of an administration-sponsored bill that will pave the way for the holding of the certifying test in the island.

“We would like to see if there is any possibility that they [Filipino accountants] can take the CPA examination in Guam from here,” the governor said.

Mificpa members are hoping to take the May examination to beat the new requirement set by the prestigious AICPA which will obligate accountants to complete at least 30 units of accounting and business subjects in a Master’s program before they are allowed to take the board examinations beginning November this year.

Mificpa members would like to grab the opportunity to take the certifying examinations before the new requirement is implemented although it is still not clear whether the proposed CNMI Accounting Board would enforce the new qualification when it starts holding the CPA test.

Among the American states and insular areas, only the CNMI and American Samoa are yet to hold such examination. The CNMI has a potential market of examines from neighboring Asian countries since entry to the Commonwealth does not require U.S. visa.

Should the CNMI Legislature pass legislation that would clear the road for the holding of the examination in the island, the government is expected to generate additional revenues from application and other fees that usually amount to $250 per examinee.

This is aside from hotel occupancy taxes that may be generated from the arrival of Asian examines into the Northern Marianas. Foreign examinees normally travel to test sites at least two days before the actual examination date and leaves a couple of days later.