Trump ends visa-free entry for Chinese nationals over birth tourism in Pacific island

The Trump administration has suspended a programme that allowed Chinese nationals to visit a US territory in the Pacific for up to 14 days without a visa, citing concerns over national security, illegal immigration and possible espionage.The decision affects the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI), a US territory in the western Pacific. The programme allowed eligible Chinese visitors to enter after screening by US Customs and Border Protection, without obtaining a visa through a US consulate.US Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah, announced the suspension in a post on X on Monday, crediting Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin with ending what he described as a loophole for Chinese birth tourism."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," Lee said."America is not a nursery for the CCP to steal citizenship. Thank you, President Trump!" he added.Lee also drew attention to an April post by Fox News correspondent Bill Melugin, who reported that four Republican senators had urged the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to shut down the programme. They argued that some Chinese visitors were using it to have children in US territory and obtain American citizenship for them through birthright citizenship.Why the US has suspended the programmeAn official DHS notice announced the suspension of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands Economic Vitality and Security Travel Authorization Program, known as EVS-TAP.Introduced in 2024, the programme allowed prescreened Chinese nationals to visit the territory without a visa for stays of up to 14 days, subject to specific conditions. It was designed to support tourism and business travel while maintaining security checks.The department said more than 3,000 Chinese nationals entered the territory through the scheme in the 2025 fiscal year. Their applications were screened by US Customs and Border Protection rather than by consular officers at the State Department.The notice said the United States faced "evolving and sophisticated threats" and that the number of Chinese nationals entering through the programme created "a significant risk to the security and law enforcement interests of the United States."It added, "While the program was intended to facilitate economic travel and enhance security over the prior parole policy, this volume of visa-exempt entries presents unacceptable security and law enforcement risks."The suspension applies to new applicants as well as travellers who already hold authorisations under the programme. Chinese nationals who are already in the CNMI legally under EVS-TAP will be allowed to remain until their authorised period of stay expires. They will need a visa for future visits.Espionage, illegal travel and birth tourism concernsThe DHS notice raised concerns that the programme was being exploited for purposes beyond tourism and business travel.One major concern was the possibility of espionage and intelligence gathering targeting US defence infrastructure in the Indo-Pacific. The CNMI and nearby Guam are strategically important because the region hosts military facilities central to American defence operations.The department cited cases in which Chinese nationals were "convicted of conspiring" to transport other Chinese nationals illegally from the CNMI to Guam. One case involved nine people, while another involved seven. According to the notice, most of those individuals were "later encountered in or near sensitive military installations".The department also raised concerns about birth tourism, in which foreign visitors travel to a country primarily to give birth there so their children can obtain citizenship under its laws.US authorities argued that the programme could be used by visitors seeking American citizenship for children born in the territory despite having no lasting ties to the United States. The notice also warned that birth tourism could put pressure on local medical facilities and create additional security risks.Other concerns included organised criminal networks, money laundering and labour abuses allegedly linked to businesses connected to China operating in the territory.The suspension does not automatically establish that all Chinese visitors using the programme engaged in illegal activity. Instead, the department said the identified risks justified ending visa-free access while it reassessed the scheme.What happens to Chinese travellers Chinese nationals seeking to visit the Northern Mariana Islands for business or tourism will now need to obtain an appropriate non-immigrant visa before travelling, unless they qualify for another lawful exemption.The suspension does not bring back the previous parole policy for Chinese nationals seeking entry to the territory. That policy was discontinued on February 20, 2025.The DHS acknowledged that ending the programme could hurt local businesses that depend on visitors from China and cause inconvenience or financial losses for prospective travellers. However, it said national security, immigration enforcement and law enforcement concerns took priority.The department will review the programme in consultation with the Departments of State and the Interior to assess the risks and consider whether safeguards could address them.The decision highlights the challenge facing the Northern Mariana Islands, which has sought to attract Chinese tourists and business visitors while remaining part of a strategically important US military region in the Pacific.You use AI every day. Now get your AI Quotient. Take the AIQ test.