Canadians planning to spend more than 30 days in the United States will soon be required to register with authorities and provide fingerprints, as part of the Trump administration’s efforts to enforce stricter migration rules amid increasing tensions between the nations. Beginning April 11, the policy will enforce an existing law mandating that foreign nationals aged 14 or older, who plan to stay in the US for 30 days or more, must register with the authorities. Previously, this rule has not been consistently applied to Canadians entering the United States by land.

According to an executive order signed by Donald Trump on his first day in office, “Failure to comply may result in criminal and civil penalties, up to and including misdemeanor prosecution, the imposition of fines, and incarceration.”

The move reflects the deteriorating relationship between the US and Canada, with Trump having previously called for Canada to become the 51st US state – a suggestion perceived by some as a veiled threat of annexation. Additionally, the implementation of the new rule coincides with the introduction of fresh 25% US tariffs on steel and aluminum, widely seen as detrimental to Canada’s economy, which has retaliated with tariffs on nearly C$30bn worth of American imports. This will likely affect the approximately 900,000 Canadians, known as “snowbirds,” who typically spend their winters in warmer southern US states.

The Department of Homeland Security estimates that between 2.2 million and 3.2 million people will be affected by the new rules. Immigration attorney Rosanna Berardi clarified that the measure is specifically targeted at Canadian citizens crossing land borders with an intention to stay in the United States for more than 30 days, expanding the scope of affected individuals beyond the traditional “snowbirds” demographic.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/mar/13/canada-fingerprint-visit-us