US Suspends Visa-Free Travel for Chinese Nationals to Northern Mariana Islands

The Trump administration has suspended a visa-free travel program that allowed pre-screened Chinese nationals to visit the U.S. island territory of the Northern Mariana Islands for up to 14 days without a visa. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) cited concerns that the program could facilitate birth tourism, espionage, and illegal onward travel to Guam, a critical U.S. military hub.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the decision, which targets the Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program. This program, created in 2024 and effective the following year, allowed Chinese nationals to enter the islands after screening by Customs and Border Protection but without obtaining a visa through a U.S. consulate. In fiscal year 2025, over 3,000 Chinese nationals used the program to visit the Northern Mariana Islands.

The suspension, effective October 30, will apply to both new applicants and those already approved. Travelers currently in the territory under the program can complete their authorized stays but will require a visa for future visits unless another exception applies. DHS stated the suspension will remain in effect while the program is evaluated in conjunction with the Secretaries of State and the Interior.

Republican lawmakers, including Senators Mike Lee (Utah), Rick Scott (Florida), John Cornyn (Texas), and Bill Cassidy (Louisiana), had urged Mullin in April to end the program. They warned that it encouraged birth tourism and posed national security risks. Representative Chip Roy (Texas) and Representative Tom Tiffany (Wisconsin) also raised similar concerns in March.

Birth tourism is defined as traveling to the United States primarily to give birth, allowing the child to become an American citizen. Some travelers have reportedly concealed this purpose when applying for visas. DHS noted in its announcement that birth tourism could strain the islands' medical system and did not provide specific numbers of births linked to travelers using the program. However, the department warned that visa-free travel could be exploited for intelligence gathering near U.S. military facilities, referencing the presence of Tinian Air Base in the Northern Mariana Islands and other military installations on Guam.

DHS also pointed to past instances of Chinese nationals being smuggled by boat from the Northern Mariana Islands to Guam, despite the program not permitting travel to Guam or the U.S. mainland. These incidents, occurring under different travel policies, highlighted a vulnerability that DHS believes the newer program had not sufficiently addressed.

The suspension is part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to crack down on birth tourism. A State Department task force, launched in August, had reportedly revoked over 750 visas tied to suspected birth tourism activities by late August. Officials stated they are working with international partners and law enforcement to identify travel patterns indicative of birth tourism networks, some of which reportedly assist visitors in concealing their intentions and evading medical bill payments.