King-Hinds urges feds to resolve ETA issues as NMI economy struggles

U.S. Congresswoman Kimberlyn King-Hinds has explained to key members of the U.S. House of Representatives how the delay in the processing of electronic travel authorizations or ETA’s for Chinese tourists under the Economic Vitality & Security Travel Authorization Program or EVS-TAP is affecting the CNMI’s “already crumbling economy.”

Last month, she wrote a letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem requesting assistance in addressing the issue. King-Hinds asked for consideration in ensuring that the processing of ETA’s resumes on a predictable and timely basis.

In a WhatsApp interview over the weekend, King-Hinds said there has been no official statement about the status of the EVS-TAP program, but she has also spoken to U.S House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Sam Graves, R-Missouri, and U.S. House Aviation Subcommittee Chair Troy Nehls, R-Texas.

She said she told them “about the impact the delays are having not just on the travelers but to the CNMI’s crumbling economy.”

Although she has been in touch with the chief of staff of another DHS official, King-Hinds said she has not received direct communication from Noem.

When asked about the response to her advocacy, King-Hinds said, “I think everyone is trying to figure out what’s happening.”

In a separate interview, Ken Chen, general manager of LT Travel Co. Ltd., which caters to travelers from China, said direct flights from Hong Kong to Saipan have stopped due to delays in the ETA processing for Chinese travelers. He noted that since April 5, 2025, none of their clients have had their ETA’s approved.

KK Chan, chief executive officer of ShenZhen Professional Workers Int’l Travel Service Co. Ltd., one of the two companies contracted with Hong Kong Airlines for charter flights to the CNMI, said that if the problem with ETA’s is not resolved, more airline companies will lose confidence in the CNMI as a destination.

She said that if no answer from the federal government is received by the CNMI, Hong Kong Airlines may terminate its Saipan flight service, and if that happens, “it will be very hard to reestablish that.”