Starting April 11, Canadians who stay in the United States for more than 30 days and cross the land border will need to register their details with the U.S. government. This new requirement was revealed through a notice obtained by ABC News.
Under the new rule, foreign nationals who plan to stay in the U.S. for over 30 days will have to apply for registration and provide fingerprints. However, Canadians will not be required to provide fingerprints, which is a requirement for other foreign nationals, according to an immigration lawyer speaking with ABC News.
Previously, Canadians who crossed the northern border by land and stayed longer than 30 days did not have to register with the federal government. However, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security has the authority to change this rule.
Canadians who stay for 30 days or more and do not receive proof of registration, such as Form I-94, when entering the U.S., will need to submit the new Form G-325R via the myUSCIS online portal.
This rule does not require Canadians to apply for a visa but rather for a different federal form when entering the U.S.
Rosanna Berardi, an immigration lawyer based in Buffalo, New York, shared with ABC News that many Canadians are “strongly disappointed” by the new rule.
She clarified that this change only affects Canadian citizens crossing land borders who intend to stay in the U.S. for more than 30 days. Casual tourists or shoppers will not be impacted, but Canadian professionals who frequently visit the U.S. for business will now have to follow these new registration rules.
Berardi noted that some Canadians are reconsidering their trips to the U.S. due to the “recent tensions” between the two countries. “Canadians have historically enjoyed visa-exempt status and never had to formally register in the U.S.,” she said. “This change seems to reflect the current tensions in U.S.-Canada relations, including discussions around becoming the 51st state, trade tariffs, and other policy changes.”
The Canadian Snowbird Association, which represents Canadians who spend winters in the U.S., is working with Congress to see if Canadians can be exempted from the new registration requirement.
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