The bond for Samoans to reside or work in American Samoa has been increased as the American Samoa Attorney General’s Office has released a revised immigration bond schedule.

This marks the first significant adjustment to bond amounts in decades. The updated rates, issued through a public notice, apply to all residents or employers sponsoring foreign nationals for residency under the territory’s independent immigration system.

The revision increases bond amounts for 88 countries, including 33 nations that were previously not listed. Some of the most notable changes include Samoa, with the bond rising from $147 to $325; Tonga, jumping from $250 to $1,025; the Philippines, from $996 to $1,924; and Fiji, from $331 to $854.

Under American Samoa’s Immigration Act (Title 41), foreign nationals seeking residency must be sponsored by a resident or employer. Once a petition is approved, sponsors are required to post a bond, the amount of which is determined by the foreign national’s country of origin. Unlike federal US immigration law, American Samoa manages its own immigration system and independently sets bond amounts.

The Attorney General’s Office has not publicly explained the reasons behind the revised rates. The last adjustment to the bond schedule occurred in the 1990s.

The update is expected to have an impact across the territory, affecting businesses that rely on foreign workers as well as individuals filing family petitions. Public reactions have been mixed.

One commenter on a Talanei article announcing the changes criticised the update, urging the AG’s Office to focus on enforcement rather than bond rates. “It may be time to re-evaluate the guidelines that outline the responsibilities of the sponsor,” the taxpayer wrote, emphasising the need for sponsors to be “held more accountable.”

Conversely, another commenter supported the increase, calling it “long overdue” and asking immigration officials to monitor residency categories more closely. They added that the public should be kept informed about quotas and how they are applied.

Immigration offices are expected to begin applying the revised bond rates to both new and pending sponsorship immediately. Sponsors are advised to review the updated list to determine the applicable bond amount before committing to petitions. Additional guidance from the Attorney General’s Office may follow as agencies integrate the new rates into processing procedures.