Supporting the Call to Modernize the FSM Five-Year Residency Requirement
The article by Mr. Dave Sokoti Bernard, “A Proposal to Update the Residency Requirement for Candidates Seeking Election to the Congress of the Federated States of Micronesia,” presents a timely and necessary discussion that deserves national attention—especially from Yap State. The current five-year physical residency requirement for congressional candidates, established in 1979, no longer reflects the realities of modern Micronesian life. It is an outdated rule that unintentionally excludes many capable and committed citizens who continue to contribute to the nation, even while living abroad.
The world has changed dramatically since the FSM Constitution was first written. Migration, education, and global mobility have become integral parts of Micronesian life. Thousands of FSM citizens now live overseas for schooling, employment, military service, or family responsibilities. Despite their distance, they remain deeply connected to their home islands through remittances, cultural obligations, and community involvement. Yet, under the current rule, these same citizens are barred from running for national office—even though they are still eligible to vote.
This imbalance is both unfair and counterproductive. It creates a system where FSM citizens abroad can influence elections but cannot themselves be elected. It denies the nation the leadership, experience, and global perspective that these individuals could bring to national governance.
Mr. Bernard’s proposal offers a fair and forward-looking solution. By replacing the rigid five-year physical residency rule with a more inclusive standard—one that recognizes continuous FSM citizenship, active community ties, and commitment to the nation—the FSM can modernize its democracy to reflect today’s realities. Allowing time spent abroad for education, work, or service to count toward residency acknowledges that being away physically does not mean being disconnected from one’s homeland.
This reform would strengthen national unity, expand the pool of qualified leaders, and ensure that all FSM citizens—whether living in Yap, Pohnpei, Chuuk, Kosrae, or abroad—are treated equally. It would affirm that FSM citizenship transcends geography and that every citizen remains part of the nation’s story and future.
Yap State, in particular, should take the lead in bringing this issue to the forefront. As a community that values fairness, tradition, and progress, Yap can champion this change as part of a broader effort to modernize the FSM Constitution in ways that reflect the lived experiences of its people today.
I implore our politicians on Yap and the other three states of Kosrae, Chuuk, and Pohnpei to come together and change this very outdated requirement. I humbly ask our Yap Delegation—Honorable Congressman Mr. Andy Choor and Honorable Congressman Mr. Andrew Yatilman—to take the initiative and lead the nation into changing this policy for the better.
I encourage all Micronesians to reach out to our leaders and show support for changing this outdated policy. Everyone’s participation and voices are needed to make this reform a reality.
Updating the five-year residency requirement is more than a legal adjustment—it is a reaffirmation of national identity and unity. It declares that Micronesians, wherever they may live, remain vital members of the FSM family and deserve the right to serve their nation.