DHS halts Chinese visa-free access to Northern Mariana Islands

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin suspended the visa-free travel program for Chinese nationals visiting the Northern Mariana Islands. The action halts the Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program, which had allowed prescreened visitors to enter the territory for up to 14 days without a visa.

The program was created in 2024 and became active in 2025. It served as an alternative to the standard visitor visa process, allowing travelers to bypass the requirement to obtain a visa through a U.S. consulate. Customs and Border Protection screened all participants, but the streamlined process reduced the level of vetting compared to traditional visa applications.

Republican lawmakers pressured the department to end the arrangement. Senators Mike Lee of Utah, Rick Scott of Florida, John Cornyn of Texas, and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana sent a letter to Mullin in April. They warned that the visa-free entry encouraged birth tourism and created national security risks. Representatives Chip Roy of Texas and Tom Tiffany of Wisconsin had also raised concerns in March.

Lee celebrated the decision on social media, referring to the Chinese Communist Party. He stated that America is not a nursery for the CCP to steal citizenship and thanked President Trump. Roy’s press office described the move as closing a dangerous loophole. The department’s notice identified birth tourism, espionage, and illegal onward travel to Guam as primary concerns.

More than 3,000 Chinese nationals used the program to enter the Northern Mariana Islands during fiscal year 2025. The notice did not specify how many of those travelers gave birth. However, DHS stated that the availability of visa-exempt travel and reduced vetting could lower barriers to birth tourism. The department noted that such travel can strain the islands’ medical system.

Security concerns focus on the proximity of the territory to U.S. military assets. The Northern Mariana Islands host Tinian Air Base, while Guam hosts several other installations. DHS warned that visa-free travel could be exploited for intelligence gathering. The department cited previous cases where Chinese nationals were smuggled by boat from the Northern Mariana Islands to Guam, indicating a vulnerability that the new program had not fully eliminated.

The suspension takes effect at 2 p.m. EDT on October 30. It applies to both new applicants and travelers who have already received approval. Individuals currently in the territory may finish their authorized stays. They will need a visa for future visits unless another lawful exception applies. DHS will keep the suspension in place while it evaluates the program with the secretaries of state and the interior.

This action is part of a wider administrative effort to curb birth tourism. A State Department task force launched in August had revoked more than 750 visas tied to suspected birth tourism activity by late August. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said officials were working with international partners and law enforcement to identify travel patterns. He noted that some networks help visitors conceal trip purposes and avoid paying medical bills.