US suspends visa-free travel for Chinese visitors to Northern Marianas

By Mark Rabago, RNZ Pacific CNMI correspondent Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The United States has suspended a special visa-free travel program for Chinese nationals visiting the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), citing national security concerns, human smuggling and other criminal activities. The Department of Homeland Security announced the suspension of the CNMI Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program (EVS-TAP) in a Federal Register notice published on Tuesday. The suspension takes effect on 31 October. The EVS-TAP, introduced in February 2025, allows eligible Chinese nationals to visit the Northern Marianas without a US visa for up to 14 days. Chinese visitors are prohibited from travelling onward to Guam or other parts of the United States under the arrangement.

The department said more than 3000 Chinese nationals entered the Northern Marianas under EVS-TAP during fiscal year 2025. However, Homeland Security officials determined that the program presented unacceptable security and law enforcement risks, including the possibility of espionage targeting US military installations in the region. The department cited previous cases involving Chinese nationals being smuggled from Saipan to Guam, some of whom were subsequently encountered near sensitive military facilities. It also raised concerns about birth tourism, money laundering, and labour abuses associated with Chinese-linked businesses, including the former Imperial Pacific casino operation on Saipan. The department acknowledged that suspending the program could affect businesses in the Northern Marianas…