Trump administration suspends visa-free travel for Chinese tourists to Northern Mariana Islands
The Trump administration has suspended visa-free travel for Chinese tourists to the Northern Mariana Islands, introducing a change to existing entry arrangements.
Washington (The Uttam Hindu): The Trump administration has suspended a programme allowing pre-screened Chinese citizens to travel to the Northern Mariana Islands without visas, citing national security risks, illegal travel to Guam and birth tourism. The suspension will take effect on October 30 at 2 p.m. EDT, according to a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) notice signed by Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin. The decision applies to new applicants and travellers with existing authorisations. Chinese nationals already in the territory may complete their approved stay but will need visas for future visits. DHS reported that more than 3,000 Chinese citizens used the programme in fiscal year 2025.
DHS warned that the Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program (EVS-TAP) could be exploited for espionage and intelligence gathering targeting sensitive US military infrastructure. The department also raised concerns about illegal travel from the Northern Mariana Islands to nearby Guam, citing two cases in which Chinese nationals were convicted of smuggling people to the island in March 2024 and February 2025. Authorities later found many of those individuals inside or near sensitive military installations. The notice also highlighted concerns about birth tourism and referred to previous criminal activities linked to Chinese interests in the territory including money laundering and labour exploitation at Chinese-owned casinos in Saipan.
Introduced under a 2024 rule during the Biden administration, EVS-TAP came into effect on February 20, 2025, allowing eligible Chinese visitors to stay for up to 14 days. China has been excluded from the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program since 2009 due to political and security concerns. DHS acknowledged that the suspension could hurt businesses dependent on Chinese tourists but maintained that security risks outweighed the economic impact. Visitors can still apply for regular US visas, while the previous parole policy will not be reinstated. Republican Senator Mike Lee welcomed the decision and Senators Rick Scott, John Cornyn and Bill Cassidy had also urged the administration to end the programme. The move is part of broader efforts to tighten visa scrutiny and curb birth tourism.