Do Marshall Islands passport holders need a visa for the United States?

any person in the following categories may be admitted to lawfully engage in occupations, and establish residence as a nonimmigrant in the United States and its territories and possessions (the 'United States') without regard to paragraphs (5) or (7)(B)(i)(II) of section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act

a person who acquires the citizenship of the Republic of the Marshall Islands at birth, on or after the effective date of the Constitution of the Republic of the Marshall Islands

A person admitted to the United States under the Compact, or the Compact, as amended, shall be considered to have the permission of the Government of the United States to accept employment in the United States.

These citizens are nonimmigrants when admitted under the terms of those nations’ respective Compacts of Free Association with the United States.

Under the terms of their respective Compacts of Free Association with the United States, citizens of the FSM, the RMI, and Palau are eligible to work in the United States as nonimmigrants for an unlimited length of time.

Because citizens of the FSM and the RMI may reside in the U.S. indefinitely, they generally will not have an expiration date in the “Admitted Until” field on their Form I-94 or Form I-94A.

individuals from the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI), and the Republic of Palau (Palau) may be admitted to the United States and its territories and possessions as nonimmigrants to lawfully engage in occupations and establish residence for duration of stay.

Citizens of the FSM and RMI by birth and those citizens of the former TTPI who acquired FSM or RMI citizenship in 1986 are entitled under the Compacts to travel and apply for admission to the United States as nonimmigrants without visas. However, admission is not guaranteed. Most grounds of inadmissibility under U.S. immigration laws, such as criminal convictions, are applicable. If determined admissible under the Compacts, an FSM or RMI citizen may live, study, and work in the United States. The United States has the right to set terms and conditions on the nonimmigrant stay of FSM and RMI citizens. Currently, they are granted an unlimited length of stay.

In addition to citizens born in the FSM or RMI (birth citizen) and former TTPI citizens, the following citizens of the FSM or RMI may exercise privileges under the Compacts: A spouse or child (unmarried and under 21 years of age) of a birth citizen or former TTPI citizen provided that the immediate relative: Is a naturalized FSM or RMI citizen; Has been an actual resident of the FSM or RMI (as applicable) for at least five years after naturalization and has a certificate of actual residence; and In the case of a spouse, has been married to the birth citizen or former TTPI citizen for at least five years and did not enter into the marriage primarily to obtain immigration benefits under the Compacts; or A naturalized citizen of the FSM or RMI whose name is included on a list provided by the FSM or RMI governments that names people who have been residents for 5 years as of April 30, 2003, and who continues to be an actual resident with a certificate of actual residence. Any person who obtained an FSM or RMI passport under any investment, passport sale, or similar program is not entitled to any immigration privileges under the Compacts. For employment eligibility and other purposes, once admitted into the United States, it does not matter whether the person is a birth citizen, a former TTPI citizen, or has another basis of eligibility under the Compacts.

Another document listed in the section “Lists of Acceptable Documents” available to citizens of the RMI and FSM upon request from USCIS is Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document (EAD). While under the Compacts, citizens of the RMI and the FSM do not need to apply for, possess, or renew an EAD, USCIS encourages them to apply for one by completing Form I-765, Application for Employment Authorization. In addition to serving as evidence of both identity and employment authorization, the EAD is useful when applying for a driver’s license or in other situations where secure U.S. government issued evidence of identity or immigration status may be requested.

FSM and RMI citizens admitted to the United States under the Compacts may reside, work, and study in the United States. They do not have the status of lawful permanent resident (LPR) (also known as Green Card holders) under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA).

These three countries are sometimes referred to collectively as the “Freely Associated States.” These citizens are nonimmigrants when admitted under the terms of those nations’ respective Compacts of Free Association with the United States. They are not citizens or nationals of the U.S.