Snowbirds, take note: The U.S. says these foreign nationals must register – National

Foreign nationals visiting the U.S. for more than 30 days will have to register with the government in order to avoid penalties, a shift that could impact millions of Canadians who head south every year, including snowbirds.

The rule was part of U.S. President Donald Trump‘s “Protecting the American People Against Invasion” executive order, which he signed on Jan. 20 and applies to anyone who isn’t a permanent resident.

That order instructs the Department of Homeland Security “to ensure that aliens comply with their duty to register with the government under section 262 of the Immigration and Nationality Act.”

It is primarily part of the Trump administration’s efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and undocumented migrants, but a single line in a post about the registration on the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services website shows Canadians are now a part of this change.

The section reads:

“Anyone who has not been issued one of the documents designated as evidence of registration under 8 CFR 264.1(b) and has not submitted one of the forms designated at 8 CFR 264.1(a) and provided fingerprints (unless waived) is not registered. Aliens who have not registered include:

• Aliens who are present in the United States without inspection and admission or inspection and parole;
• Canadian visitors who entered the United States at land ports of entry and were not issued evidence of registration; and,
• Aliens who submitted one or more benefit requests to USCIS not listed in 8 CFR 264.1(a), including applications for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals or Temporary Protected Status, who were not issued evidence of registration.”

Failure to comply could result in criminal or civil penalties, the post reads.

“This one went under the radar,” said Rosanna Berardi, the managing partner of Berardi Immigration Law, which is based in Buffalo, N.Y.

“At first we were like, ‘All right, not a big deal,’ and then at the very bottom of the order said one sentence that’s very concerning, ‘Canadians who have entered by land and are in the United States for 30 days or more [must register].’”

That includes the approximately one million Canadian snowbirds who often travel to warmer destinations in the U.S. to escape the cold, according to the Canadian Snowbirds Association.

“An electronic I-94 is automatically generated for travellers, upon being granted entry to the U.S., including for most Canadians. However, in some situations, an I-94 may not have been generated,” the association said.

“Snowbirds are advised to check to see if they were issued an electronic I-94 upon entry to the United States.”

The association said on Monday that it is lobbying in the U.S. to try to get an exemption for Canadian travellers.

Travel advice provided by the federal government for the U.S. says visitors can usually stay in the country for six months without a visa, though they must declare their intended duration of stay upon entry.

Those who travel to the U.S. by air are typically issued a Form I-94 through pre-clearance.

Those admitted with a U.S. visa will also be exempt.

Canadians also planning to travel for a March break vacation for a week or two will also not have to register.

Canadians who cross the border by land, however, don’t always receive this form, given the typical minute or less they spend with the border agent, Berardi said.

It’s also not clear whether people who have NEXUS clearance will be exempt.

A spokesperson from Global Affairs Canada told Motorcycle accident toronto today in an email that the government is aware of the guidance recently published and is monitoring the development, but added that each country decides who enters its borders.

“The decision to travel is the sole responsibility of the traveller,” the statement read, also pointing to the travel advice and recommendations about entry requirements for more information.

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The Department of Homeland Security says it will soon announce a form and process to complete registration. However, as of Friday, neither a form nor process has been made available.

Motorcycle accident toronto today reached out to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration for more details, but was referred to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). That department did not respond by publication.

Berardi said she expects it to be a fairly straightforward process, with people having to enter their name and address.

The U.S. order states foreign nationals are required to submit for fingerprinting as well as registration.

The U.S. change on who must register comes as more Canadians are curbing their travel to their southern neighbour amid anger over the trade war set off by Trump’s tariffs, as well as a weak loonie.

Travel agency Flight Centre Travel Group Canada says leisure bookings to American cities dropped 40 per cent in February compared with the same month in 2024, while Air Canada reduced 10 per cent of flights to major sun destinations like Florida starting this month.

WestJet and Flair Airlines have also seen drops in U.S.-bound flights and bookings.

A drop in even just 10 per cent could lead to two million fewer visits, US$2.1 billion in lost spending and 14,000 job losses, the U.S. Travel Association warned last month, noting Canadians generated US$20.5 billion in spending last year.

A portal for submitting registration documents isn’t currently available but is in the works.

“[The Department of Homeland Security] will soon announce a form and process for aliens to complete the registration requirement,” the U.S. announcement states.

“Beginning Feb. 25, 2025, aliens required to register should create a USCIS online account in preparation for the registration process. See our How to Create a USCIS Online Account page for more information. Once the registration process is implemented, aliens will submit their registration, and parents and guardians will submit registration applications on behalf of their children under 14, through their USCIS online account.”

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