Canadians and other foreign nationals who plan to stay in the United States for 30 days or more will soon have to request registration and fingerprints with the Ministry of Internal Security.
The draft rule, which follows from a decree of January 20, should be put into force on April 11, According to media relationships. Citizenship and immigration services of the United States (USCIS) have not responded to the request for CBC News in publication.
Although Canadians have long benefited from the exceptions to certain American travel laws due to the close links of countries – citizenship alone will not exercise travelers, including snowbirds, of these new regulations.
A spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada said that he was “closely monitored this development”.
Changes are taking place as President Donald Trump’s pricing threats continue to endanger the economies of the United States and Canada.
Immigration lawyer based in Montreal, Patrice Brunet, said that changes would mark “a very drastic change in policy”, where Canadians will be taken into account, in the foreseeable future, “regular citizens from any other country” rather than friends of the United States
Any foreign national over the age of 14 who must register or submit a request in the name of their children must create a USCIS online account. More information on how to create an account is available on USCIS website.
The requirement applies to children under the age of 14, but parents or tutors are responsible for signing them.
Snowbirds “treated as extraterrestrials,” said the lawyer
Rudy Buttignol, President of the Canadian Association of Retirees (CARP) – a plea organization which represents around 250,000 members across Canada – said that snowbirds who regularly visit the United States for six months a year are “really shocked to be treated as extraterrestrials”, after having established themselves in communities south of the border.
“I hear that people are not only bored, but they are also insulted,” said buttignol. “Together, with the idea that Canada becomes the 51st state, it seems to be a deliberate attempt to irritate Canadians.”
Examples of people who are already registered include permanent residents of the United States and foreign nationals who have received employment authorization documents, border crossing cards and immigrant or non-immigrant visas. Foreign nationals who have received I-94 or I-94W forms are also exempt, even if the listed admission period has expired.
Transporting proof of registration at any time
Once the DHS has published evidence of recording to an adult traveler, they will have to wear it at any time in the United States
Brunet noted that the Order hindered the police to “arrest anyone who seems to be American, which is just anyone”.
A declaration of the White House published on January 20 explains that people who violate immigration laws are faced with civil and criminal sanctions, such as fines and prosecution.
It seems that any Canadian travels to the United States over Earth for more than 30 days will now have to register with the United States government and be fingerprint.
Brunet highlighted the “hard language” used in the executive decree Describe foreign nationals that go beyond their visas.
The document entitled “US people protection against the invasion” says that many people who are in the United States “illegally present significant threats to national security and public security” and “their presence in the United States cost taxpayers of the billions of dollars at the federal, state and local levels”.
“It’s very different, you know, the typical snowbird that goes to Florida or Arizona for the winter,” said Brunet.
