SAIPAN — The Hotel Association of the Northern Mariana Islands is urging federal policymakers to engage directly with CNMI stakeholders before making any changes to the Commonwealth’s visa waiver framework, pushing back on a Jan. 15, 2026 letter from three U.S. senators calling on federal agencies to revoke the CNMI’s EVS-TAP travel authorization for PRC nationals.
In a statement provided to NMI News Service, HANMI Chairman Dennis Seo said some of the data cited in the senators’ letter is “far outdated,” and said some of the concerns raised have already been addressed.
Seo said the federal government has recognized the CNMI faces “unique geographic, economic and workforce challenges” that differ from the mainland, and said those realities should be reflected in any policy decision.
He also emphasized the role of EVS-TAP, noting that PRC citizens traveling to the CNMI are pre-screened under U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s CNMI Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program.
Seo described EVS-TAP as a “critical economic tool” and said it is essential for the CNMI’s economic and social stability.
Read full statement below:
“HANMI strongly encourages federal policy makers to engage directly with CNMI key stakeholders when considering any changes to the visa waiver framework. Some of the data cited in the letter is far outdated, and some concerns raised have already been addressed. The federal government recognizes that the CNMI faces unique geographic, economic and workforce challenges that differ significantly from those of the mainland US, and those realities must be reflected in any policy decision. PRC citizens travelling to the CNMI are pre-screened under the U.S. Customs & Border Protection’s CNMI Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program, and this critical economic tool is essential for the economic and social stability of the commonwealth.”
HANMI Chairman Dennis Seo regarding the Jan. 15, 2026, letter of U.S. Senators Scott, Banks, and Mullins to the Dept. of Homeland Security and Dept. of the Interior.
