Marie Thérèse Sebrechts, Department of Homeland Security-USCIS regional media manager for Southern California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Guam and the CNMI, said their office also served more than 830 people requesting information about U.S. immigration law since DHS took over the islands’ immigration system on Nov. 28, 2009.
The USCIS is the DHS agency in-charge of issuing status to foreign workers, students, investors and their dependents, among other types of foreign nationals who are lawfully admitted to the islands.
Foreigners who are lawfully staying in the CNMI under a different immigration status can travel overseas and return to the islands under their old immigration permit if they apply and are granted advance parole or an advance permission to travel which costs $305.
Inter-state traveling within the U.S. and any of its territories like Guam is permissible among foreigners wishing to keep their old CNMI immigration status but they must apply for a parole which costs nothing.
The foreign dependents of citizens of the Freely Associated States —the independent island nations of Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia and the Marshall Islands — have also begun filing applications for a parole.
FAS citizens can freely travel, work and study anywhere in the U.S. and its territories as part of their Compacts of Free Association with America.
However, there is no status extended to their foreign immediate relatives or spouses when the U.S. immigration law was extended here, thus, they must apply for a parole which also costs nothing.
Sebrechts said the transition phase is going smoothly despite some people’s concerns.
“USCIS has seen a smooth transition since Nov. 28. Most people are making InfoPass appointments online before visiting USCIS. So, people are seen as scheduled and we are able to handle the inevitable emergencies that arise,” she told the Variety.
“CNMI permanent residents, their IRs and the IRs or FAS nationals are coming in to request parole status. People are completing applications if they need to travel. More people are requesting information about getting either nonimmigrant or immigrant status under U.S. immigration law,” she added.
She also noted that people are now using the P.O. box address in their applications.
“People are hearing and understanding our message. Most people are now using P.O. boxes in applications, although we need to continue to get this message out,” she said.
