Your Global Import and Export Logistics Experts

Will I Need a Visa after January 1, 2005?

The answer is maybe. With the fourth and final phase of quota integration fast approaching, it is imperative that you know which visa requirements will expire and which will remain in place. The fate of these requirements depends on the type of visa arrangement that was negotiated between the United States and a given country. Visa arrangements can take various

forms: part of an administrative agreement, its own freestanding agreement, on quota categories only, or on a combination of quota and non-quota categories. The various scenarios for the countries currently subject to visa requirements are explained below.

VISAS EXPIRE:

Costa Rica, El Salvador, Fiji, Guatemala, Hungary, India, Malaysia, Poland, Russia, Slovak Republic, Turkey, Ukraine, Uruguay

Visa requirements for textile and apparel products exported on or after January 1, 2005 from these countries, with the exception of India and Malaysia, will expire because visa requirement are in place for quota categories only, which will be integrated on January 1, 2005. In the case of India and Malaysia, the visa requirements are part of a larger administrative arrangement that will also expire at that time.

VISAS MAY CONTINUE:

Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, Cambodia, China, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Egypt, Haiti, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Jamaica, Japan, Korea, Laos, Lebanon, Macau, Macedonia, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Oman, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Qatar, Romania, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Trinidad, UAE

Visa requirements for textile and apparel products exported on or after January 1, 2005 may continue for these countries because they have freestanding visa arrangements covering both quota and non-quota categories. CITA must make a determination as to whether the visa requirements will continue. If CITA plans to eliminate visa requirements entirely, it will likely wait until fall to issue such a determination in an effort to prevent importers from planning production accordingly and thus causing a surge in December shipments.

For more information, please contact Shawn McCausland at smccausland@strtrade.com or (202) 216-9307. For more information about ST&R or STTAS, please visit our website: www.strtrade.com.