Homeland Security Suspends Visa-Free Program for Chinese Nationals

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin has announced the suspension of a Biden-era initiative that allowed Chinese citizens to travel to the Northern Mariana Islands without a visa, as noted in a federal notice issued Monday.

This program previously enabled pre-approved Chinese travelers to enter the U.S. territory in the Pacific for business or leisure, generally for a duration of up to 14 days. The suspension will take effect at 2 p.m. Eastern time on October 30, which is just a few days after the notice is expected to be published in the Federal Register.

Once the suspension is implemented, Chinese nationals hoping to visit the islands for either purposes will be required to obtain a nonimmigrant visa, unless they qualify under another legal exception. This applies not only to new applicants but also to those who already held an authorization through the existing program.

Those Chinese visitors who are already in the Northern Mariana Islands when the suspension goes into effect may remain for the duration of their authorized stay. However, they will need a visa for any future visits, unless different exceptions apply.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) indicated it would re-evaluate the program in coordination with the State and Interior departments, but the notice does not specify when that review will be completed.

This action by Mullin follows a letter dated April 22 from several senators, including Mike Lee (R-UT), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Cornyn (R-TX), and Bill Cassidy (R-LA). They urged Mullin and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum to terminate the program.

The senators expressed concerns that the policy promoted “birth tourism,” a practice where foreign nationals travel to the U.S. to give birth so their children can gain American citizenship. Their letter stated, “We strongly urge the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to end the CNMI Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program—a benefit that should not be extended to a country like Communist China.” They also emphasized that the participation of Hong Kong in the broader G-CNMI visa waiver program should also be reconsidered.

In its notice, DHS mentioned that the absence of visa requirements could facilitate travel for the purpose of giving birth, which might burden the medical resources in the territory. Additionally, there were cited security concerns, particularly regarding the potential for Chinese nationals to exploit the program to gather intelligence around U.S. military sites.

In fiscal year 2025, more than 3,000 Chinese nationals entered the Northern Mariana Islands through the program, having been vetted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) rather than by a State Department consular officer, according to the notice.

DHS also highlighted two incidents involving Chinese nationals who were convicted of smuggling others from the Northern Mariana Islands to Guam. Reports indicated that most participants in the second case were later located near sensitive military installations. Notably, these incidents occurred before the current travel authorization program was in place.