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Immigration proposes 2-year permits
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Posted on Nov 10 2008
The Division of Immigration has published proposed amendments to the CNMI immigration rules and regulations that allow for, among other things, two-year permits for selected categories.
The proposed two-year entry permits will be issued to immediate relatives of U.S. citizens and permanent residents, foreign investors, foreign students, and foreign workers, at the discretion of the Immigration director and upon finding that a two-year permit is in the interest of the Commonwealth.
The proposed regulations also state that the Immigration director shall make available automatic two-year permits for permanent residents of the CNMI—should permitting be required for any reason.
In a public notice, Immigration Director Melvin Grey stated that the proposed revisions are intended “to renumber the regulations to conform with the numbering system adopted for the NMI Administrative Code, to incorporate changes provided for in the Commonwealth Employment Act of 2007 (Public Law 15-108), the statute that repealed and replaced the Nonresident Workers Act under which some of the prior regulations had been promulgated, and to clarify certain provisions.”
Irene Tantiado, president of the United Workers Movement NMI, has raised issue with the changes as the two-year permitting is not available for immediate relatives of Federated States of Micronesia citizens.
Another issue, Tantiado said, is that the Immediate Relative status of these alien spouses might be lost when the federal takeover happens on June 1, 2009.
Tantiado said the organization would be holding a meeting for all FAS citizens with alien spouses on Nov. 16, 2008 at 5pm. The venue will be announced later.
