Rules and Regs Posted Allowing Chinese & Russians Visitors into CNMI
Guam - The parole for Chinese and Russian visitors to the CNMI was announced last month, but the rules and regs have just been released.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection of the Department of Homeland Security issued its revised entry requirements for Russian and Chinese tourists visiting the CNMI through the parole program which starts on November 28.
The Secretary of Homeland Security announced last month that she will exercise her discretionary authority to parole or grant an exemption to Chinese and Russian visitors allowing them to continue to visit the CNMI without having to get a visa.
A bulletin from Customs and Border Protection outlines the new regulations:
What are the requirements for the carriers?
To be eligible to transport eligible non immigrant nationals from the Russian Federation and the People’sRepublic of China into the United States, the carrier must:
* Already be signatory to the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program
* Ensure that travelers meet the eligibility requirements for the CNMI-Only Parole
*Carriers that are not currently signatory must complete CBP Form I-760 and initiate the process with CBP no later than November 23, 2009 to be eligible by the November 28, 2009 implementation date.
CBP will not initiate fines against the carrier under Section 273 of the INA for boarding such non-immigrant aliens without a valid U.S. visa, provided the carrier is signatory to the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Agreement and the carrier acknowledges its responsibility for the removal of such aliens if they are determined to be in-admissible to the United States on grounds other than INA 212(a)(7)(B)(i)(II).
What are the eligibility requirements for visitors from the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic Of China for the CNMI-Only Parole?
To be eligible for the parole provision, prior to embarking on a carrier for travel to the CNMI, each nonimmigrant alien must:
* Be a national of the People’s Republic of China or the Russian Federation;
* Be solely entering and staying in the CNMI for a period not to exceed forty-five days;
* Be in possession of a round trip ticket that is nonrefundable and nontransferable and bears a confirmed departure date not exceeding forty-five days from the date of entry to the CNMI;
*Be in possession of a completed and signed Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Information form (CBP Form I-736);
* Be in possession of a completed I-94, Arrival-Departure Record (CBP Form I-94);
* Be in possession of a valid unexpired ICAO-compliant, machine readable passport.
For additional information on CNMI related matters, please contact CBP’s primary point of contact (POC) atCheryl.C.Peters@dhs.gov.November 16, 2009CLP@dhs.gov
