MVA and its members have launched a petition campaign urging the Department of Homeland Security to delay implementation of rules to establish U.S. Ports of Entry in the CNMI and implementing the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program.
The interim final rules of the visa waiver program do not allow visa waivers for two of the CNMI’s main tourism markets, the People’s Republic of China and Russia.
“We’re going to have severe losses in our local economy and local jobs if the CNMI loses visa waivers for visitors from the People’s Republic of China and Russia,” said MVA Managing Director Perry Tenorio. “We’re taking the initiative to make the community more aware of how losing visitors from PRC and Russia will affect their livelihood, and we hope they will join us in voicing their concerns about excluding these two groups of visitors.”
The interim final rules estimate that the CNMI will lose 16 percent of visitors from PRC and 3 percent of visitors from Russia, a figure MVA says is grossly underestimated.
“Our travel partners tell us there is just no way visitors from PRC and Russia are going to choose the CNMI as their destination if they have to invest the time and money necessary to get a U.S. visa.” said Tenorio. “We’re going to lose 95 percent of these markets if they are not included in the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program.”
The petition request the delay of the start of the transition period for 180 days or until the required additional security measures of Section III (A) (2) are in place and the DHS has made a determination that visitors from the PRC and Russia can participate in the Guam-CNMI Visa Waiver Program and amends the regulations.
Individuals interested in signing or circulating petitions may visit the MVA office or download a copy and instructions at www.mymarianas.com.
Petitions should be returned to MVA by Feb. 27 for compilation and delivery to DHS.
Comments on the rules may also be submitted directly to DHS at www.regulations.gov, enter USCBP-2009-0001.
