By Bryan Manabat
Saipan--The federal government will suspend the visa-free travel program for Chinese visitors to the Northern Mariana Islands on Oct. 30, saying the initiative poses national security, immigration and law enforcement risks to the United States.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced Tuesday that it is suspending the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program, or EVS-TAP, effective Oct. 30.
The action applies to new applicants as well as Chinese nationals who currently hold active travel authorizations under the program.
Chinese nationals already admitted under EVS-TAP and legally present in the CNMI on the effective date may remain through their authorized period of stay. However, future visits will require a U.S. nonimmigrant visa unless another lawful exception applies.
The suspension was announced in a Federal Register notice scheduled for publication Oct. 27.
Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin determined there was "good cause" to suspend the program while DHS, in consultation with the departments of State and Interior, evaluates its future.
EVS-TAP took effect in February 2025 and allowed pre-screened nationals of the People's Republic of China to travel directly to the CNMI without first obtaining a U.S. visa.
The program replaced a parole policy and was intended to support the CNMI's tourism industry while imposing additional safeguards on travel. Visitors were generally limited to stays of up to 14 days and prohibited from traveling beyond the CNMI to Guam or other parts of the United States.
According to DHS, more than 3,000 Chinese nationals used EVS-TAP to enter the CNMI during fiscal year 2025. The agency said the volume of visa-exempt travel, combined with evolving threats facing the United States, presents unacceptable risks to national security and law enforcement interests.
Federal officials argued the program remains vulnerable to exploitation by individuals seeking unauthorized access to Guam and other U.S. jurisdictions.
The notice cites prior criminal cases involving Chinese nationals convicted of smuggling other Chinese citizens from the CNMI to Guam, where some were later encountered near sensitive military installations.
DHS also raised concerns that visa-free access could facilitate espionage and intelligence gathering targeting military infrastructure in the Mariana Islands. The agency cited the restoration of Tinian Air Base and the strategic military importance of Guam and the CNMI in the Indo-Pacific region.
The department further identified birth tourism, immigration violations and organized criminal activity as concerns.
Officials pointed to the CNMI's past experience with money laundering, labor violations and corruption cases involving Chinese-linked casino operations as examples of risks associated with streamlined travel programs.
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While acknowledging that some CNMI businesses may have developed plans around Chinese tourism under EVS-TAP and the previous parole program, DHS said economic interests do not outweigh what it characterized as acute national security, immigration enforcement and law enforcement concerns.
The agency emphasized that legitimate travelers from China remain eligible to visit the CNMI through the standard U.S. visa process.
CNMI Del. Kimberlyn King-Hinds said she immediately contacted federal officials following the announcement and was assured the action is a suspension rather than a permanent termination of the program.
In a statement Tuesday, King-Hinds said she spoke directly with the White House, Mullin and House leadership regarding the suspension and its potential consequences for the commonwealth.
She said the Homeland Security secretary personally assured her that DHS would work directly with the CNMI to better understand and address the issues that led to the action.
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"I want to emphasize that EVS-TAP has been suspended, not terminated," King-Hinds said. "We have experienced interruptions to travel programs serving the commonwealth before, and we will work through this together with our federal partners to address the concerns that have been raised and find a path forward, just as we have done before."
King-Hinds said EVS-TAP was established with safeguards allowing DHS to suspend the program when security or law enforcement concerns arise. She said her office will work with federal agencies to address those concerns and support the program's resumption as quickly as possible.
The congresswoman also warned that a lengthy suspension could further strain the commonwealth's already fragile tourism sector.
"Our tourism industry is already facing tremendous challenges, and a prolonged disruption would have serious consequences for our businesses, workers, and families," King-Hinds said. "We must also consider the immediate effects on airlines, travel arrangements, and the businesses that depend on visitor arrivals."
Some tourism operators said the decision was not unexpected but cautioned that the loss of another visitor market could worsen conditions for local businesses.
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"Not surprising. The CNMI has done absolutely zero to control abuse of this program," said Jay Wolfe, owner of Axe Murderer Tours, which provides diving and sightseeing tours in the CNMI.
"But of course this will not be good for any businesses in Saipan," Wolfe said.
"Right now tourism is extremely low already. Taking away further customer bases is sure to have an impact on the ability of tourism-based businesses to remain viable."
Wolfe said tourism-dependent businesses are already struggling with low visitor arrivals and that eliminating another source market could further burden operators attempting to stay afloat.
King-Hinds said her immediate priority is securing the resumption of EVS-TAP as quickly as the outstanding concerns can be resolved.
Beginning Oct. 30, Chinese nationals seeking to visit the CNMI for business or tourism generally must obtain a U.S. visa before traveling to the territory.
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