Canadian snowbirds fingerprinted and photographed at US border as part of new requirement
Several Canadian snowbirds reported being fingerprinted and photographed at the U.S. border when they registered this monthU.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is preparing for its winter migration, told CBC News this is now standard procedure.
Jackie and Steve Rea, of Ladysmith, BC, arrive at the Peace Arch border crossing between Surrey, BC, and Blaine, Washington, on October 9.
Snowbirds knew they would have to comply with a new registration requirement for travelers staying in the United States for more than 29 days. So when a CBP officer said they could complete the process at the border, the couple agreed, not knowing what was going to happen next.
Jackie Rea said she was sent for secondary inspection where her motorhome was searched.
“I’m watching them open all our doors and we’re thinking, Oh my God,” she said. “They went through our entire RV.”
Ree says she and her husband waited in line for 1.5 hours, but finallyOlder by another CBP officer They could not register at the border. but when they were A third officer was about to leave.ID he could register the couple, and proceeded to take their photographs and fingerprints for data collection purposes.
“I thought, ‘God, I hope there’s nothing on my record that they’re going to find,'” Rea said, adding that that wasn’t the case.
The couple was charged $Total 60 US for thEIR has completed registration.
Rea said she felt the fee was “a bit of a money grab”, and that she found the process frustrating because CBP officers had conflicting notions about whether they could register travelers.
“They really didn’t know what they were doing,” she said. “I felt bad for them.”
continued confusion
Confusion regarding registration rules is increasing after the order issued by US President Donald Trump. executive Order again earlier this yearA number of foreign visitors staying 30 are being interrogated Days or more to register with the US government.
Those who do not comply could face fines of up to $5,000 US or jail time.
Demand Effective from AprilHowever, as the new snowbird season begins, it is the first time that many Canadians are dealing with snowbird rules – resulting in some uncertainty and frustration.
Air travelers are generally exempt from the registration requirement, as they are issued an Electronic Arrival Record (I-94) when entering the US.However, land travelers generally do not get one.
Snowbirds say they are insulted that the Trump administration will begin enforcing an existing law for Canadians that requires anyone crossing the land border to register with U.S. immigration authorities for a stay of more than 30 days.
a cbp online postUpdated October 2, offers land travelers two options to get their I-94: They can pre-apply through. I-94 website Or CBP One App Within seven days before entering the United States, or they can register at the border.
cbp spokespersonWhatever method they choose, travelers will be charged US$30 each, and officers will photograph and fingerprint them at the border — all part of the I-94 application process, son Jessica Turner told CBC News.
“These measures are necessary under U.S. immigration law to enhance border security, verify travelers’ identities, and ensure compliance with U.S. entry and exit requirements,” Turner said in an email to CBC News.
But immigration lawyer And Snowbird Organization Says there’s another option for land travelers with long-term stays: If border officials let them enter the U.S. without an I-94, they can register Visit your destination online by filling out the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) The form is called G-325R,
The form asks travelers a long list of personal questions such as their US address, email and marital status. This must be completed within 30 days of arrival, and no fee or fingerprinting is required for CAnadians.
U.S. immigration attorney Jennifer Behm says it will be up to individual CBP officers to decide whether they will insist travelers apply for their I-94 at the border or give them the option to complete the optional G-325R form at their U.S. destination.
“It’s completely up to their discretion,” he said.
Snowbird Rea said she was told at the border she could fill out the G-325R form online, but she opted to register at the border.
However, when snowbirds Brenda Paige and her husband Dan of Calgary arrived at the U.S. border in Sweet Grass, Mont., on Oct. 2, there was no mention of it. G-325R form option.
Instead, she says she was automatically sent to secondary inspection as a CBP officer They can get help completing the I-94 application process.
“He just said, ‘Okay, who goes first?'” Page said. “It seemed like he had a list of things that had to be done.”
Paige said the couple were photographed, fingerprinted and charged a total of US$60. He said no part of the process was presented as optional.
“We wanted to keep coming back every year, so we did.”
Another snowbird, Caroline Horn of Burlington, Ontario, said she and her husband had a completely different experience at the Peace Bridge border crossing in Buffalo, NY, on Wednesday.
He said the couple told the border officer they planned to stay in Florida for about 30 days, and he let them enter without making any mention of a registration requirement.
“Nothing came up other than what we do for work and whether we use alcohol or tobacco,” Horn said.
CBC News sent Horn a link to the G-325R form, which he immediately filled out.
Different departments are creating confusion
CBC asked CBP’s Turner about the G-325R form option. He rejected it.
“It does not replace the I-94 requirement, nor is it relevant to the entry process for Canadian citizens,” Turner said.
Lawyer Beham attributes this to ConfuciusFor the fact that two different immigration agencies are based on registration optionsCBP and the US Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS), are involved in this process.
“They are not always variable in the way they operate or how their operations or decisions affect each other,” said Behm, a partner at Berardi Immigration Law in Buffalo, NY.
She says if snowbirds pre-register online or register at the border, they will likely be sent for secondary inspection, which automatically means they will be fingerprinted and photographed to verify their identity.
“When you go to the secondary inspection office, it’s part of their normal course of action,” she said.
Snowbirds who complete USCIS’s G-325R form while in the U.S. may find this a more seamless experience, Behm says.
“If you’re computer savvy…it’s not an overly cumbersome application.”
The Trump administration is being sued over increasing requirements for travelers to register with the government if they stay for 30 days or more. The rule, which began April 11, has alienated many Canadian snowbirds, who now say they plan to leave the U.S. because of it.
‘So many questions are coming’
Stephen Fine, president of Snowbird Advisor, a company that runs a resource website, says he’ll keep an eye on how the registration process progresses this season so he can update snowbirds.
“There are a lot of questions coming in,” he said. “We get dozens of emails weekly about this issue.”
Fine says he’s concerned some snowbirds may Forced to apply for I-94 at the border, and not offered option: registering online once in US
“I think there may be some CBP officers who will not give you a choice or will give you the impression that you have (no other) choice,” HE said.
Snowbird Paige, who was given no other options at the border, said she had no objection to the process, including fingerprinting and photo scans.
“I wasn’t worried about it. I haven’t done anything wrong.”
Canadians are already in America Check out this CBP webpage Check to see if they were automatically issued an I-94 upon entry.
