Foreign nationals visiting the United States for more than 30 days will have to register with the government in order to avoid penalties, a change that could have an impact on millions of Canadians who are southern each year, including snowbirds.
The rule was part of the American president Donald Trump“Protecting the American people against the invasion”, which he signed on January 20 and applies to anyone who is not a permanent resident.
This order orders the Ministry of Internal Security “to ensure that foreigners comply with their duty to register with the government under article 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.”
This is mainly part of the Trump administration’s efforts to suppress illegal immigration and undocumented migrants, but only one line in an article on the registration on the website of citizenship and immigration services in the United States shows that Canadians are now part of this change.
The section can be read as follows:
“Anyone who did not receive one of the documents designated as proof of registration under 8 CFR 264.1 (B) and did not submit one of the forms designated at 8 CFR 264.1 (A) and provided fingerprints (unless it was). The extraterrestrials who have not registered include:
- Aliens which are present in the United States without inspection and entry or inspection and parole;
- Canadian visitors who entered the United States in the land entrance ports and have not received proof of recording; And,
- Foreigners who have submitted one or more requests for benefits to USCIS not listed in 8 CFR 264.1 (A), including deferred action requests for children’s arrivals or temporary protected status, which have not received proof of registration. »»
Non-compliance could cause criminal or civil sanctions, The message can be read
“This one has passed under the radar,” said Rosanna Berardi, director of Berardi Immigration Law, who is based in Buffalo, NY
“At the beginning, we said to ourselves:” Very well, not a big problem “, then at the bottom of the order said a sentence which is very worrying,” the Canadians who have entered the ground and are in the United States for 30 days or more (must register) “”
This includes about a million Canadian snowbirds who often go to warmer destinations in the United States to escape the cold, According to the Canadian Snowbirds Association.
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“An electronic i-94 is automatically generated for travelers, after obtaining entry into the United States, including most Canadians. However, in certain situations, an i-94 may not have been generated, “said the association.
“It is advisable for snowbirds to check if they have received an electronic i-94 at the entrance to the United States.”
The association said on Monday that it was pressure in the United States to try to get an exemption for Canadian travelers.
Travel councils provided by the Federal Government in the United States claim that visitors can generally stay in the country for six months without a visa, although they have to declare their planned length of stay.
Those who go to the United States by air are generally issued a form I-94 by pre-elimination.
People admitted with an American visa will also be exempt.
Canadians also plan to travel for March holidays for a week or two will not have to register either.
The Canadians who cross the border on the ground, however, do not always receive this form, given the typical or less minute that they spend with the border agent, said Berardi.
It is not clear either if people who have the link between the link will be exempt.
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada told Global News in an email that the government was aware of the recently published directives and monitored development, but added that each country decides that between its borders.
“The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveler,” said the press release, also indicating travel advice and the entry requirements for more information.
The Ministry of Internal Security says that it will soon announce a form and a process to complete the registration. However, Friday, neither a form nor a process was made available.
Global News contacted US citizenship and immigration to more details, but was returned to the Ministry of Homeland Security (DHS). This department did not respond by publication.
Berardi said it expects it to be a fairly simple process, people with entering their name and address.
The American order indicates that foreign nationals are required to submit for fingerprints as well as for registration.
The American change on which must register comes when more and more Canadians slow their trip to their southern neighbor in the middle of the anger of the trade war launched by Trump’s prices, as well as a hoard weak.
The Flight Center Center Group Canada indicates that leisure reservations in American cities dropped by 40% in February compared to the same month in 2024, while Air Canada reduced 10% of flights to major sun destinations like Florida from this month.
The airlines of Westjet and Flair have also seen falls in flights and reservations linked to the United States.
A decrease of the same 10% could lead to two million less visits, $ 2.1 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses, warned the US Travel Association last month, noting that Canadians generated $ 20.5 billion in spending last year.
A portal to submit registration documents is not currently available but is underway.
“(The Ministry of Internal Security) will soon announce a form and a process for foreigners in order to fulfill the registration requirement,” said the American announcement.
“From February 25, 2025, the extraterrestrials necessary to register should create a USCIS online account In preparation for the recording process. See our How to create an USCIS online account page for more information. Once the registration process is implemented, the extraterrestrials will submit their registration and the parents and the tutors will submit registration requests on behalf of their children under the age of 14, through their USCIS online account. »»
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