The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is suspending a program that lets Chinese travelers visit the Northern Mariana Islands without visas, citing fears about spying, crime, and birth tourism.
The suspension will begin at 2 p.m. ET three days after the notice is published in the Federal Register.
The program, called the Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program, lets approved Chinese nationals visit the U.S. territory for business or pleasure for up to 14 days.
More than 3,000 Chinese nationals used it in fiscal year 2025, the DHS said citing internal Customs and Border Protection (CBP) records. Those travelers underwent screening by CBP rather than a State Department consular officer.
DHS said that the process lacks the added checks required for a visitor visa. The agency argued that the risk is too great as threats grow and military sites become possible targets.
The agency cited concerns that travelers could use the islands as a starting point to illegally reach nearby Guam, which has key U.S. military sites. The visa-free travel program itself does not allow travel to Guam or other U.S. locations.
In one case, a Chinese national was sentenced for helping smuggle seven other Chinese nationals from the Northern Mariana Islands to Guam. Most were later found in or near sensitive military sites.
The department also raised concerns about birth tourism, in which people travel to give birth so their children can gain U.S. citizenship. The agency said the practice could have the potential to burden local hospitals.
The task force seeks to identify suspected birth tourism, revoke visas, and break up networks that profit from the practice. “We will not allow foreign nationals or commercial networks from any country to abuse our visa process for financial gain,” the State Department spokesperson said.
Republican Sens. Mike Lee, John Cornyn, Rick Scott, and Bill Cassidy had urged officials to end the program in a letter earlier this year.
“I’m very pleased to report that @SecMullinDHS at @DHSgov just CLOSED Joe Biden’s loophole for Chinese birth tourism for which we sounded the alarm earlier this year,” the senator wrote. “America is not a nursery for the CCP to steal citizenship.”
DHS acknowledged that the change could hurt local businesses that depend on Chinese visitors and cause travelers to lose money. It said security risks outweighed those costs and noted that visitors can still seek visas.
The program was created under a 2024 rule to balance tourism needs with security concerns. It replaced an earlier policy that allowed Chinese travelers to seek entry on a case-by-case basis.
The suspension will not restore that earlier policy. DHS will review the program with the State and Interior departments while it is paused.
The agency did not give a date for the review to end.
