Entry permit for elderly tourists gets just one applicant—for now

Only one Japanese tourist has been given a comity entry permit since the Division of Immigration started issuing CEPs to eligible senior citizens visiting the Commonwealth.

Acting Immigration director Antonio Sablan yesterday said the sole CEP holder on island arrived on the first weekend of August.

“He was initially given a regular visitor entry permit, but his stay was extended to 90 days after it was found that he met the requirements for the CEP,” Sablan said.

He noted that most senior citizens who are seeking to enter the Commonwealth right now apply for short-term entry permits. But the number of CEP applicants is expected to increase during the winter season, when older people from the Commonwealth’s prime tourism markets—Japan and Korea—normally seek to stay on island for a longer period.

Eligible for a comity entry permit are tourists who are at least 55 years old and who hold a passport from Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, or the United Kingdom.

These countries provide a comparable permit to citizens of the Commonwealth.

Applicants for CEPs must also have a passport valid for at least 60 days after the expected date of departure.

Under immigration rules and regulations, the immediate family members of senior citizens may themselves receive CEPs. Their permits, however, will expire with that of the eligible senior citizen.

CEP holders may stay in the Commonwealth for up to 90 days, but they may not remain outside the CNMI for more than 10 consecutive days. Also, they may not get a CEP renewal, or be issued a CEP within 30 days after the expiration of any other permit.

“Aliens present in the Commonwealth pursuant to a comity entry permit cannot conduct business or perform services during their stay; such activities constitute grounds for immediate revocation,” a portion of the regulations said.

Two other types of visitor permits are the short-term tourist entry permit and the long-term tourist entry permit.

The short-term entry permit allows a tourist to enter the CNMI for 30 days, while the long-term entry permit allows a tourist to stay for either an additional period of 60 days after entering on a short-term permit, or a single period of 60 days.

A long-term entry permit is obtained by submitting proper documents to the Division of Immigration and paying a $100 fee.

It may only be issued after an applicant has been outside the CNMI for at least 30 days, except that one long-term entry permit may be issued as an extension of a short-term entry permit. However, a person in the Commonwealth under a long-term tourist entry permit may immediately obtain a short-term tourist permit after the Commonwealth before the long-term entry permit expires.