Relatives of US Citizens in CNMI Eligible For Parole Extension

The Government of United States has announced that the parole granted to immediate relatives of US citizens in CNMI (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands), will be extended for two more years. According to this announcement, foreign nationals in CNMI, who are immediate relatives of US citizens, will be allowed to stay back in CNMI, for two more years and find jobs there. People who are now permitted to remain in CNMI are Filipinos and Asians, whose children are US citizens. This two-year parole extension will permit these foreigners to remain legally in CNMI and they need not pay a fee while filing an application to extend parole.

If your parole expires as of 5th November 2012, you may apply for an extension and remain in CNMI, for two more years, according to this announcement. However, parole will not be extended automatically and foreign nationals must file applications for extension, along with supporting documents, before the current parole could expire. This two-year extension of parole, is likely to benefit more that 10,000 foreign nationals in CNMI and this will also prevent the parents from being separated from their US citizen children. However, foreign nationals in CNMI who are now allowed to extend parole cannot work legally in CNMI, unless they obtain Employment Authorization Documents. If not, they will have to obtain transitional Commonwealth-only worker permits, to work legally in CNMI.

In order to apply for an extension, you must be an immediate relative of a US citizen, such as the spouse, parents or unmarried child below age 21, of a US citizen. Congressman Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan, thanked the USCIS Director and President Obama, for extending the parole and he said that this will prevent the separation of families. USCIS Director Mayorkas said that this extension of parole, will allow the immediate relatives of US citizens, who do not violate the US immigration laws, to remain in CNMI. Such foreign nationals may also apply for new Employment Authorization Documents or extend their existing work permits. He also stated that this parole extension does not apply to anyone else other than the immediate relatives of US citizens in CNMI.