New U.S. Immigration Rule on 'Fingerprints' creates uncertainty for Canadians

The Federal Register Interim Rule was released today by the United States of America and will take effect on 11 April 2025, reports Newsweek.

Under this rule, individuals are generally required to provide fingerprints when crossing the US border.

However, Canadians are exempt and must instead create an account with U.S. Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) to register their biographical details and presence in the United States.

According to the rule, once an individual completes their biometric appointment at an Application Support Centre (ASC), the Electronic Immigration System (ELIS) will generate a "Proof of Alien Registration" document, which includes a unique identifier.

For those exempt from fingerprinting, such as Canadian non-immigrants and children under 14, this document will be issued upon registration.

This new requirement follows legal guidance introduced by the Trump administration on 25 February.

Foreign nationals entering the U.S. by land without receiving a document from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) must register with the U.S. government if they remain in the country for more than 30 days.

Rosanna Berardi, an immigration lawyer from Buffalo, New York, told Newsweek that these new requirements have caused confusion among many Canadians, approximately 95 percent of her clientele.

The change affects Canadian "snowbirds" who typically spend the winter in the southern U.S. Those who do not comply with these regulations could face a fine of $5,000, six months in prison, or both.

While such penalties are unlikely to be enforced in most cases, Berardi warned that the strict wording of the rule could have unintended effects on the U.S. economy.

Many older Canadians who own property in the U.S. and have paid taxes for years are now reconsidering whether to continue spending time there.

"This is leaving a bad impression," she said. "[Canadians] have been coming here for generations."