The US government said his rule This will require foreign nationals, including some Canadians, the visit of 30 days or more to register will come into force next month.
The rule was part of the American president Donald Trump The decree “protecting the American people against the invasion”, which was signed on January 20 and applies to anyone who is not an American citizen or a permanent resident.
What are we learning now?
On Wednesday, an temporary final rule was published on the US Federal Register And said the Ministry of Internal Security (DHS) and American citizenship and immigration services (USCIS) has changed the regulations to “designate a new recording for foreigners to comply with the statistical provisions of the recording of extraterrestrials and fingerprints”.
This rule, according to immigration lawyer Rosanna Berardi, will apply to some Canadians, including more than a million “snowbirds” who often go south during the winter months.
“This comes into force on April 11, however, if you are a Canadian who, for example, entered in January and you are still in the United States after April 11, this will apply to you,” said Berardi, director of Berardi Immigration Law in Buffalo, NY
Canadians have in the past to visit the United States for six months without a visa, although it must declare their planned length of stay, according to the federal government.
Under the new rule, DHS says that “certain groups of foreigners” may not have been recorded at the entrance.
The rule notes under current regulations:
- Many Canadian non-immigrants for business or pleasure do not receive a form I-94 even if they have not been recorded in the visa process.
In addition, he continues by saying that the unregistered population covered by this registration rule, estimated between 2.2 million and 3.2 million people, includes:
- Canadian visitors who entered the United States in land entrance ports and have not received proof of recording (for example, form I-94)
He added that the most recent population estimate for foreigners without legal status residing in the United States was 11 million on January 1, 2022.
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Most of them entered the United States without inspection or have been temporarily admitted and remained after the date necessary to leave. This includes Canadians and others who received an I-94.
What it means if you enter the United States by car
The Canadian Snowbirds association notes that even if the form is “generated automatically for travelers, after obtaining entry into the United States, including most Canadians”, in certain situations, this does not always happen.
Those who plan to stay a week or two do not have to worry about registration, but those who wish to stay more than a month may have to register by filling out the new G-325R form if they are not registered.
Immigration lawyer Stuart Friedman, who has practices in Southfield, Michigan and Windsor, have. And deals with cross-border issues, Global News told that the rule could affect the United States in terms of more Canadians to spend money in the American economy.
“It will make them want to go to Mexico, it will make them want to go to the Dominican (Republic), it will make them want to go anywhere except here,” he said.
“It will lead a hole in an already fractured relationship.”
While customs and the protection of American borders indicate on its website that an electronic form I-94 will be issued on the land border for those who cross it and need it, Berardi says that this is often not the case.
“Just open Pandora’s box to these i-94s,” she said.
If not sure, you can visit the US Customs and Border Protection I-94 Website To find out if you have one. If you don’t, Berardi says it register.
People will have to create an account on the American citizenship and immigration services Website to then choose the G-325R form, which includes questions concerning your past addresses, the criminal record and what you plan to do during your extended stay.
The American order also indicates that foreign nationals are required to submit for fingerprints as well as for registration, however, the provisional final rule notes are among these copies.
What it means if you enter the United States by plane
Those who travel by plane in the United States are also often published a form I-94 by precreation, which means that if you plan to fly in the United States, it is unlikely that you will make an additional form of recording.
However, if you are not sure of your registration status, you can check the US Customs and Border Protection I-94 Website To find out if you have received the form.
If you have it, then there is nothing to do, but if you have not done so, you can create an account on American citizenship and immigration services and register using the G-325R form.
The registration rule causes confusion
The change stimulated confusion on the number of impacted Canadians.
The Canadian Snowbirds Association wrote a letter addressed to the interior security secretary Kristi Noem requesting clarity.
This letter said that Canadian citizens have also said that Canadian citizens are “registered” when inspected and admitted, despite the USCIS website, indicating that “Canadian visitors who have entered the United States in the land entrance ports and have not received proof of registration” are among those included in the registration rule.
Asked earlier this week before the publication of the temporary rule if Canadians who are not registered should do so, a DHS spokesperson told Global News that the announcement was “with regard to extraterrestrials who entered the United States illegally or are illegally present, such as those between the US entrance ports and / or after having escaped Dhs ”.
“It is a separate population of Canadian citizens who are” recorded “when inspected and admitted by American customs and border protection officers (CBP) to American entrance ports. As such, Canadian citizens described in your question that has been legally admitted to the United States as non-immigrant visitors are not required to be registered in accordance with article 262 of INA (8 USC 1302) and the advertisement of February 25. »»
When asked how the interim rule comes into play, as he notes that Canadians who cross the land entrance ports are among the affected people, as well as what the spokesman has referred the world’s news to the American citizenship and immigration services.
Wednesday, USCIS referred the world news to the Federal Register and an article updated on the Extraterrestrial registration requirementWho specifies non-registered people who will have to do so include “Canadian visitors who have entered the United States in land entrance ports and have not received proof of registration”.
Friedman said he encouraged people to register despite everything to avoid problems.
“You can no longer treat the border as relaxed,” he said. “You must treat it as crossing a border where relationships are not as strong.”