US halts visa-free entry for Chinese tourists to Pacific island

The US Department of Homeland Security has suspended a visa-free travel program that allowed Chinese nationals to visit the Northern Mariana Islands. The move stops a policy created in 2024 that granted prescreened travelers up to 14 days in the territory without a visa. The suspension applies to both new applicants and those who have already received approval. It will take effect at 2 p.m. EDT on October 30.

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin announced the decision in a notice to the public. The department cited concerns that the program facilitated birth tourism, espionage, and illegal travel to nearby Guam. Guam serves as a major hub for US military operations. The notice stated that visa-exempt travel lowered barriers for these activities. It also noted that the practice could strain the local medical system.

Republican lawmakers had pressed for an end to the program for months. Senators Mike Lee, Rick Scott, John Cornyn, and Bill Cassidy sent a letter to Secretary Mullin in April. They warned that the policy encouraged birth tourism and posed national security risks. Representative Chip Roy and Representative Tom Tiffany also raised concerns in March. Lee posted on X that America is not a nursery for the Chinese Communist Party to steal citizenship. He thanked President Trump for the decision. Roy's office described the move as closing a dangerous loophole.

The program, formally known as the Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program, began operations in 2025. More than 3,000 Chinese nationals used it to enter the territory in fiscal year 2025. Travelers were screened by Customs and Border Protection but did not need a visa from a US consulate. Those already in the island can finish their current stays. They will need a visa for future visits unless another legal exception applies.

DHS said the suspension will remain in place while the department evaluates the program. It will work with the secretaries of state and the interior during this review. The notice did not provide a specific number of births linked to travelers who entered through the program. However, it warned that intelligence gathering could occur near US military facilities. Tinian Air Base is located in the Northern Mariana Islands, while Guam hosts several other installations.

The department pointed to previous cases involving Chinese nationals smuggled by boat from the Northern Mariana Islands to Guam. Those incidents occurred under earlier travel policies. DHS stated that these cases showed a vulnerability that the newer program had not eliminated. The visa-free program did not permit visitors to travel to Guam or the US mainland.

This action is part of a wider administration effort to curb birth tourism. A State Department task force launched on August 12 revoked more than 750 visas tied to suspected birth tourism activity by late August. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said officials are working with international partners and law enforcement. They are identifying travel patterns that may point to birth tourism networks. Pigott noted that some networks help visitors conceal their purpose and avoid medical bills.

The Northern Mariana Islands program is separate from the visitor visa process targeted by those revocations. The suspension is a temporary measure while the review continues. No specific timeline for the review's conclusion was provided in the notice.