“Right now what the feds explained to us is that there is no exception,” he said. “CNMI permits are not entry documents under U.S. law.”
Grey met with U.S. Immigration officials recently.
He said when U.S. Immigration was asked about the CNMI economic losses that will be caused by federalization, “They replied: ‘That’s not our job. Our job is to minimize the impact of the federalization.’ ”
Grey said he was told that “anyone having a U.S. visitor B1/B2 visa or any other U.S. visa may enter the CNMI but they may not enter the CNMI and then resume their CNMI status.”
He said nonresident businessmen with CNMI immigration status who went off-island may return to the commonwealth if they have a U.S. visa, “but they will be admitted as visitors just like tourists — they can’t go back to their companies. You can’t work on a tourist visa.”
Guest workers who have to leave the CNMI due to an emergency will not be admitted to the islands without a U.S. visa, Grey said.
“What the feds explained to us is that there is no exception. If you have an emergency you have to go, you are free to go anytime, but the issue is when you come back you must have a proper document issued by the U.S.,” he said.
He said U.S. Immigration will notify the airline companies about the new regulations and nobody can get onboard without the proper U.S. documents.
An airline will pay a penalty of $5,000 for every person that it allows to board without a U.S. permit.
Although U.S. Immigration will accept comments from the local community regarding the regulations that will be implemented on June 1, Grey said there’s no guarantee that proposed amendments will be considered.
“Comments can be received at any time and they say they will evaluate but that doesn’t guarantee any changes,” he added.
Grey said foreign student entry permit holders will also be affected, and their CNMI status will not be honored at the airport when they arrived on island on or after June 1, 2009.
A U.S. visa for students may take a year to process, he added.
As long as nonresidents remain on island, their CNMI permits are valid and they can continue working here.
Once they go off-island on or after June 1 they have to come in with a U.S. visa, Grey said.
