Promote:
Invest in the Northern Mariana Islands
A short guide for companies expanding into the Northern Mariana Islands: the economy at a glance, the rules and steps to set up, and who can help, each with its source.
1. Northern Mariana Islands at a glance
PopulationEstimate
43,541
The population was 43,541 in 2025, a World Bank figure.
Source: World Bank WDI, Northern Mariana Islands population, 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of 2025
InflationEstimate
−3.6%
Inflation, 2024 average, was minus 3.6 percent, an estimate the Pacific Community calculates from CNMI Department of Commerce quarterly indexes.
Source: Pacific Data Hub, consumer prices, calculated from Commerce statistics (opens in a new tab) · as of 2024
The currency is the United States dollar.
Source: CNMI Department of Public Lands, investor information (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
2. Before you set up
The investment agency, any one-stop route, the sectors reserved for nationals and the zones, as the guide found them.
The Commonwealth Economic Incentive Authority promotes the Commonwealth to businesses and licenses firms in its economic incentive districts.
Source: CNMI Public Law 24-05, economic incentive districts, July 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of July 22, 2025
Public Law 24-06, in force from July 24, 2025, makes the Department of Commerce's Office of Foreign Corporation Liaison the one-stop shop for investors.
Source: CNMI Public Law 24-06, Foreign Corporation Promotion Act, July 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of July 24, 2025
No list of sectors reserved for nationals was found in the foreign investment article; land is limited separately under the Covenant.
Source: Commonwealth Code, Foreign Investment Certificate, Article 5 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
The Commonwealth Code names one economic incentive district, 20 hectares at Saipan International Airport, and lets legislative delegations designate others; no list was found.
Source: Commonwealth Code, 4 CMC section 51102, amended July 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of July 22, 2025
3. Steps to set up
The main steps, in order, each with the body responsible and its official page.
Setting up in the Northern Mariana Islands
- Commonwealth: Register a corporation with the Registrar of Corporations, which files its articles and issues the certificate of incorporation a business license needs.Office of the Registrar of Corporations, Department of CommerceOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: CNMI Revenue and Taxation, business license requirements (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
- Commonwealth: Get a business license and register for taxes at Revenue and Taxation; the Business Gross Revenue Tax is imposed under 4 CMC section 1305.Division of Revenue and Taxation, Department of FinanceOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: CNMI Revenue and Taxation, business license requirements (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
- Commonwealth: Apply to the Secretary of Commerce for a Foreign Investment Certificate, which the Foreign Investment Review Committee reviews; confirm the process, since federal immigration law replaced Commonwealth entry permits.Department of CommerceApplication fee US$10,000; approval letter due within 45 daysOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Commonwealth Code, 4 CMC section 5953 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
- Commonwealth: To use an economic incentive district, apply to the Commonwealth Economic Incentive Authority for a license; incentives run from 1 to 20 years.Commonwealth Economic Incentive AuthorityOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: Commonwealth Code, 4 CMC section 51136, amended July 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of July 22, 2025
Show 2 more set-up steps
- Federal: For foreign workers, an employer files a CW-1 petition with USCIS; the classification ends December 31, 2029.U.S. Citizenship and Immigration ServicesOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: USCIS, CW-1 transitional worker page, December 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of December 12, 2025
- Commonwealth: For land, ask the Department of Public Lands about public land leases; long-term interests in land can be restricted to persons of Northern Mariana Islands descent.Department of Public LandsOfficial page (opens in a new tab)
Source: CNMI Law Revision Commission, Covenant text (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
4. Organizations that help investors
Start with CEIA, Customs and Biosecurity and Commerce. Each card links to the organization’s own site.
Each card says what it can help with:Get adviceFind financeMeet requirementsResearch markets
Investment and business setup
Economic incentive authority
CEIA
Commonwealth Economic Incentive Authority
Promotes the Commonwealth to businesses and licenses firms in its economic incentive districts, which carry tax incentives the Authority sets.
Visit CEIA (opens in a new tab)Source: CNMI Public Law 24-05, economic incentive districts, July 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of July 22, 2025
Commonwealth commerce department
Commerce
CNMI Department of Commerce
Houses the Office of Foreign Corporation Liaison, which a 2025 law makes the one-stop shop helping investors obtain Commonwealth permits and licenses.
Show 4 more organizations
- Meet requirements
Company registry
Registrar of Corporations
Office of the Registrar of Corporations
Issues and holds the certificates and records that business entities must file with the Commonwealth government.
Visit Registrar of Corporations (opens in a new tab)Source: Commonwealth Code, 4 CMC section 4201 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Public land agency
Public Lands
Department of Public Lands
Manages public land and posts notices of proposed leases; its investor page describes private land leases of 55 years.
Visit Public Lands (opens in a new tab)Source: CNMI Department of Public Lands, investor information (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
- Meet requirements
Federal immigration agency
USCIS
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
Handles petitions for CW-1 transitional workers, the Commonwealth-only worker classification that runs through December 31, 2029.
Visit USCIS (opens in a new tab)Source: USCIS, CW-1 transitional worker page, December 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of December 12, 2025
Law publishing commission
Law Revision Commission
CNMI Law Revision Commission
Publishes the Covenant, the Commonwealth Code, public laws and the Commonwealth Register.
Visit Law Revision Commission (opens in a new tab)Source: CNMI Law Revision Commission, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Customs and tax
- Meet requirements
Customs and biosecurity division
Customs and Biosecurity
Division of Customs and Biosecurity
Enforces excise taxes, inspects and clears cargo and baggage, and applies quarantine and biosecurity controls at the ports of entry.
- Meet requirements
Tax and licensing division
Revenue and Taxation
Division of Revenue and Taxation
Takes business license applications and sets the documents each type of business must file.
Visit Revenue and Taxation (opens in a new tab)Source: CNMI Revenue and Taxation, business license requirements (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Show 1 more organization
- Meet requirements
Federal customs agency
CBP
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Lists three federal ports of entry in the Commonwealth, at the airports on Rota, Saipan and Tinian.
Visit CBP (opens in a new tab)Source: CBP, ports of entry in the Northern Mariana Islands (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Chambers and industry associations
- Get advice
Chamber of commerce
Chamber
Saipan Chamber of Commerce
Runs committees, events and membership meetings for businesses on Saipan.
Visit Chamber (opens in a new tab)Source: Saipan Chamber of Commerce, home page (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
5. Worth knowing
Customs territory
The Commonwealth is outside the customs territory of the United States, and the Covenant treats its imports into that territory like imports from Guam.
What to do: Confirm duty treatment and origin rules with CBP before you price a shipment to the mainland.
Sources: CNMI Law Revision Commission, Covenant text (opens in a new tab); Code of Federal Regulations, 19 CFR 101.1, 2025 edition (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Typhoon recovery
The Governor declared Typhoon Condition II on April 12, 2026, and the Saipan Chamber of Commerce is collecting impact data from businesses hit by Super Typhoon Sinlaku.
What to do: Check port, power and flight status with the agencies before you set delivery dates.
Sources: CNMI Governor, Typhoon Sinlaku bulletin 2, April 2026 (opens in a new tab); Saipan Chamber of Commerce, Typhoon Sinlaku resources hub (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Logistics and border performance
The Ports Authority reports that airport revenue fell 30 percent and seaport revenue 12 percent in fiscal 2025, with harbor fees down 9 percent on reduced cargo.
What to do: Confirm sailing and flight schedules before you commit to delivery dates.
Sources: Commonwealth Ports Authority, citizen centric report, fiscal 2025 (opens in a new tab); CBP, ports of entry in the Northern Mariana Islands (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Foreign worker permits
The CW-1 transitional worker program is scheduled to end on December 31, 2029, and a yearly cap limits how many workers can hold the status.
What to do: Schedule hiring around the end date and check the current annual cap with USCIS.
Source: USCIS, CW-1 transitional worker page, December 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Show 4 more
Land ownership limits
The Covenant lets the Commonwealth restrict long-term interests in land to persons of Northern Mariana Islands descent, and the Department of Public Lands describes private leases of 55 years.
What to do: Confirm lease term and land status with the Department of Public Lands before you choose a site.
Sources: CNMI Law Revision Commission, Covenant text (opens in a new tab); CNMI Department of Public Lands, investor information (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Investor thresholds
A Foreign Investment Certificate needs an approved investment of at least US$250,000 for one person and a US$10,000 non-refundable fee.
What to do: Check the thresholds and fee in the Commonwealth Code before you apply.
Sources: Commonwealth Code, 4 CMC section 5952 (opens in a new tab); Commonwealth Code, 4 CMC section 5956 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Incentive authority renamed
Public Law 24-05, signed July 22, 2025, renamed the zone authority and its zones, which licensed businesses use for tax incentives of up to 20 years.
What to do: Confirm current incentive terms with the Authority before you start a project.
Sources: CNMI Public Law 24-05, economic incentive districts, July 2025 (opens in a new tab); Commonwealth Code, 4 CMC section 51136, amended July 2025 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
Investor immigration status
USCIS rejects initial petitions for the Commonwealth-only investor status filed after January 18, 2013, and existing holders can extend only to December 31, 2029.
What to do: Confirm the investor's own federal immigration status with USCIS before you commit capital.
Source: USCIS, E-2 CNMI-only investor page, July 2019 (opens in a new tab) · as of November 1, 2026
6. How Promote:Global helps
- Compare the Northern Mariana Islands with other countriesSet the Northern Mariana Islands beside other countries on investment momentum, fundamentals and trade access, before site, tax and legal work.
- Find advisors and service firmsAsk an advisory firm a scoped, paid question, or browse firms that list their own services, from legal work to logistics.
- Organize your next stepsKeep each product and market in a project, with a roadmap of steps you work through.
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Promote:Northern Mariana Islands is an independent guide by Promote:Global, not an official government portal. The organizations named here are independent public and membership bodies, not Promote:Global partners, and every link goes to their own site.
Facts read from public sources, with an editorial cut-off of November 1, 2026. Nothing here is investment, legal, tax or sanctions advice. Check current status with the organization before you rely on it.