Do Palau passport holders need a visa for the United States?

Any person in the following categories may enter into, lawfully engage in occupations, and establish residence as a nonimmigrant in the United States and its territories and possessions without regard to paragraphs (14), (20), and (26) of section 212(a) of the Immigration and Nationality Act

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

Such persons shall be considered to have the permission of the Attorney General 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.

Citizens of Palau admitted under the compact are eligible to work in the United States indefinitely.

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 Palau by birth, and citizens of the former TTPI who acquired Palau citizenship in 1994, are entitled under the Compact to travel and apply for admission to the United States as nonimmigrants without visas. However, admission to the United States is not guaranteed. Most grounds of inadmissibility under United States immigration laws, such as criminal convictions, still apply.

To gain admission to the United States under the Compact, a citizen of Palau must possess a valid, unexpired Palauan passport. Those applying for admission under the Compacts do not need a U.S. visa or any other travel documentation.

Classes of Citizens Who May Exercise Compact Privileges In addition to citizens of Palau by birth and former TTPI citizens, naturalized citizens of Palau who have been actual residents of Palau for not less than five years after naturalization with a certificate of actual residence may exercise privileges under the Compact. Compact privileges apply only to Palauan citizens; they do not apply to non-Palauan- citizen spouses and children of Palauan citizens. These non-Palauans must apply for admission under the provisions of U.S. immigration law that apply to their nationality and U.S. immigration status sought, and if also required, a United States visa. For employment eligibility or other purposes, once admitted into the United States under the Compact it does not matter whether the person is a citizen of Palau by birth, former TTPI citizen, or a naturalized citizen of Palau who is eligible for admission as a nonimmigrant under the Compact.

One document listed in the section “Lists of Acceptable Documents” that is available to citizens of Palau upon request from USCIS is Form I-766, Employment Authorization Document (EAD). While under the Compact, citizens of Palau do not need to apply for, possess or renew an EAD, they are strongly encouraged 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.

Palauan citizens admitted to the United States under the Compact 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.