Micronesian citizens can use a passport and I-94 to document their right to work in the US

Plan travel with a valid passport, including for children

Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia planning to live or work in the United States should check their travel documents before departure and their admission record after arrival. This current guide explains the distinction between travel, immigration status and employment evidence; it does not announce a new US visa concession.

The FSM embassy's citizen-information page says FSM citizens need valid passports to enter the United States, including minors. It identifies the Immigration and Passport Office in Pohnpei as the only government agency authorised to issue FSM passports. An overseas embassy can provide information and assistance, but a traveller should not assume a last-minute request there will produce an immediately usable replacement.

The embassy encourages citizens to contact an overseas mission before travel or on arrival and to plan for housing, food, transport, education and healthcare. Compact eligibility does not supply those living costs. Its published passport charges distinguish a new or renewed passport from a lost or damaged one; choose the correct application category before sending payment.

Obtain the I-94 that records Compact admission

USCIS's published fact sheet explains that eligible FSM citizens admitted under the Compact may reside, work and study in the United States. That admission is a special nonimmigrant status, rather than lawful permanent residence or US citizenship. Someone seeking a green card must meet a separate immigration-law basis.

The fact sheet describes the passport admission notation, typically CFA/FSM, and the associated Form I-94 arrival record. Air and sea admission records are generally created electronically. Travellers can obtain a printable version through CBP's official I-94 service instead of assuming the absence of a paper form means that no record exists.

The document explains that a passport admission stamp alone does not replace the printed I-94 when using the FSM-passport-and-I-94 employment-document combination. Check the record matches the traveller and the admission being relied upon. The fact sheet is a longstanding explanation of Compact administration, not evidence of a new November rule. Questions about an incorrect or unavailable entry record should be addressed to CBP.

CBP's current I-94 help page says to retrieve the record using the passport associated with that admission, even if the passport has since expired. A renewal does not change the document number used for the earlier entry. For a CBP-issued record or admission error, its guidance directs travellers to the nearest Deferred Inspection office within thirty days of admission or to the official inquiry portal.

Choose acceptable employment documents without buying an unnecessary permit

The US Justice Department's employer guidance, updated in April 2025, says Compact citizens can choose acceptable Form I-9 documents. For FSM citizens, a valid FSM passport accompanied by an I-94 showing Compact admission is an acceptable List A combination. Another option can be a valid List B identity document with a List C employment-authorisation document, such as an unrestricted Social Security card.

The guidance says an Employment Authorization Document is optional. Employers should not demand particular or extra documents because of citizenship, immigration status or national origin. Use the Justice Department guidance to discuss such a request or seek assistance from its Immigrant and Employee Rights Section.

Renew or replace the passport using the appropriate evidence

The FSM passport instruction sheet requires a fully completed, signed and notarised application in block letters. For renewal, it asks for the expired passport and two identical passport photographs, with the renewal payment to the FSM National Treasury. New applicants have a different evidence list, including a court-registered birth record and, where relevant, a marriage record for a maiden-name change or naturalisation certificate.

For a lost, stolen, damaged or mutilated passport, the instructions call for a sworn affidavit describing the circumstances, the passport if available, photographs and the replacement payment. The published rates are USD 50 for a new or renewed passport and USD 75 for the listed loss or damage replacement. Verify current payment and delivery arrangements before mailing original documents.

The instruction sheet does not guarantee delivery by a travel date. Allow time for issuance and onward delivery before relying on the passport for travel or employment-document presentation.