“It is welcome news,” Press Secretary Kevin Bautista said, adding that Gov. Ralph DLG Torres and Lt. Gov. Arnold I. Palacios support long-term status for qualified longtime nonresidents.
Bautista noted that Gov. Torres was a member of the CNMI Senate when it recommended improved status in 2011.
According to Bautista, the NMI Long-Term Legal Residents Relief Act signed by President Donald Trump on June 25, 2019 was a “vital part of the Torres administration’s 902 consultations, and our work with the White House, Congressman Kilili, and other members of Congress.”
“You know, I know am talking on behalf of the administration, but as a Filipino-American, in this administration, it means a lot to see this policy now being implemented by USCIS,” Bautista added.
He said, “The governor’s office will do everything it can to support USCIS in making sure that this [law will be implemented] as smoothly and efficiently as possible so that the qualified families can benefit from it in the right way.”
In a statement on Thursday, USCIS said, “Eligible aliens will have 180 days to apply for the new status, which was created by the Northern Mariana Islands Long-Term Legal Residents Relief Act (48 U.S.C. 1806(e)(6)), signed by President Trump on June 25, 2019.”
USCIS said applicants must file Form I-955, Application for CNMI Long-Term Resident Status (https://www.uscis.gov/i-955), together with Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization (https://www.uscis.gov/i-765) by August 17, 2020.
CNMI long-term resident status is not the same thing as lawful permanent residence and does not lead to lawful permanent resident status, USCIS stated.
To be eligible for the CNMI long-term resident status, USCIS said an alien must fall into one or more of the following categories:
• Certain “stateless” individuals: Foreign nationals born in the CNMI between Jan. 1, 1974 and Jan. 9, 1978.
• Immediate relatives of qualifying “stateless” individuals: Spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21 of foreign nationals born in the CNMI between Jan. 1, 1974, and Jan. 9, 1978.
• CNMI permanent residents under CNMI immigration law: Individuals who were permanent residents of the CNMI on Nov. 27, 2009.
• Immediate relatives of qualifying CNMI permanent residents: Spouses and unmarried children under the age of 21 of an individual who was a permanent resident of the CNMI on Nov. 27, 2009.
• Immediate relatives of U.S. citizens: Individuals who, on Nov. 27, 2011, were either a spouse, child or parent of a U.S. citizen, and continue to have such family relationship with the citizen.
• In-home caregivers: Caregivers of critical medical or special needs individuals in the CNMI who on Dec. 31, 2018, had a grant of parole under the former USCIS parole program for certain in-home caregivers.
Additionally, USCIS said, they must:
• Have been lawfully present in the CNMI on Dec. 31, 2018, or June 25, 2019, under the immigration laws of the United States, including under a grant of parole under section 212(d)(5) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182[d][5]) or deferred action;
• Be admissible as an immigrant to the United States under the INA (8 U.S.C. 1101 et seq.), except that no immigrant visa is required;
• Have resided continuously and lawfully in the CNMI from Nov. 28, 2009, through June 25, 2019; and
• Not be a citizen of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia or the Republic of Palau.
