On March 12, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) regarding the new alien registration requirement recently announced. This new rule will take effect 30 days after receiving public comments.Registration Requirements
The new rule requires all non-citizens aged 14 years or older who were not registered and fingerprinted (if required) when applying for a U.S. visa to apply for registration and fingerprinting. If a person is under the age of 14, it is the responsibility of their parents or legal guardians to ensure they are registered. Within 30 days of reaching their 14th birthday, previously registered individuals must apply for re-registration and provide fingerprints.
A person must provide personal information, including their address and fingerprints, during the registration process. Additionally, if a foreign national has changed their address, they must file a written report of the change with USCIS within 10 days of the change.
Potential Penalties for Non-Compliance
Willful failure to register, provide fingerprints, or provide fraudulent information is a misdemeanor. The offender may be punished with fines up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. Parents and legal guardians are liable for violations committed by their children. Individuals who fail to provide written notice of a change of address are subject to fines of up to $1,000, imprisonment for up to six months, or both. Willful failure to report an address change may also lead to deportation. The unlawful and willful use of counterfeit documents can result in fines of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to five years, or both.
Who Needs to Register and Provide Fingerprints?
All non-citizens aged 14 or older who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer must register with the U.S. government. Visitors, including Canadians who travel into the U.S. and do not receive a Form I-94, must register if they stay for 30 days or longer. Canadians entering the U.S. for short visits of less than 30 days do not need to register.
Exemptions from Registration
Individuals who have been issued U.S. visas and who have already been registered and fingerprinted through their visa application do not need to register. Holders of A or G visas are also exempt. American Indians born in Canada, who possess at least 50% Native American blood and are present in the U.S. under the authority of 8 USC 1359, are also exempt.
Note: If a green card holder is outside the U.S. when they turn 14, the individual must apply for registration and provide a photograph within 30 days of returning to the U.S.
How to Register
Non-citizens can file Form G-325R, Biographic Information (Registration), online by creating a MyUSCIS account. After submitting Form G-325R, a Biometrics Services Appointment will be scheduled at a USCIS Application Support Center. Once registration is complete, the individual will be able to download and print proof of registration, which they are required to carry with them at all times.
Failure to Carry Proof of Registration
Non-citizens aged 18 years or older must carry proof of their registration and fingerprinting at all times. Failure to do so could result in a misdemeanor punishable by fines, imprisonment, or both. Evidence of registration includes the following documents: Form I-551 (U.S. Green Card), Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record), Form I-95 (Crewmen’s Landing Permit), Form I-184 (Alien Crewman Landing Permit and Identification Card), Form I-185 (Nonresident Alien Canadian Border Crossing Card), Form I-186 (Nonresident Alien Mexican Border Crossing Card), Form I-221 (Order to Show Cause and Notice of Hearing), Form I-221S (Order to Show Cause, Notice of Hearing, and Warrant of Arrest of Aliens), Form I-766 (Employment Authorization Document), Form I-862 (Notice to Appear), Form I-863 (Notice of Referral to Immigration Judge), valid, unexpired nonimmigrant DHS admission or parole stamp in a foreign passport, and proof of registration upon submission of Form G-325R and completion of biometrics.
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