Alien Registration and Form G-325R: What Canadians and Other Visitors Must Know
There is a registration requirement in US immigration law that has existed for decades and was, for most of that time, largely dormant. It is dormant no longer. Since April 2025 it has been actively enforced, and the group most likely to be caught out by it is the one least likely to think of itself as subject to US immigration rules at all: Canadians.
The reason is structural. Canadians crossing by land are frequently admitted without receiving an I-94, and it is the I-94 that ordinarily satisfies the registration requirement. No I-94 means no evidence of registration — and a snowbird spending four months in Arizona has an obligation they have never heard of.
The requirement
Non-citizens who remain in the United States for 30 days or longer must be registered with the government and must carry evidence of that registration. The obligation rests on the individual, not on any employer, host or sponsor.
Most people are registered automatically without doing anything. If you were issued an immigrant or nonimmigrant visa, or you received an I-94 arrival record, or you hold an employment authorisation document or a permanent resident card, you are already registered and the document itself is your evidence.
Why Canadians fall through the gap
Canadian citizens are visa-exempt for most visitor purposes. They do not obtain a visa, and at land border crossings they are frequently admitted without an I-94 being issued — often without a stamp, sometimes without any documentation of the entry at all.
The result is a Canadian who has been lawfully admitted, is lawfully present, and has no document evidencing registration. If that person stays 30 days or more, the registration obligation applies and nothing has satisfied it.
This affects a very large population: snowbirds wintering in Florida, Arizona and Texas; people with vacation property in the United States; those caring for family members over an extended period; and anyone whose visit simply ran longer than planned.
Two ways to comply
Option one: obtain an I-94
You can request an I-94 at the port of entry, or apply for one in advance through the CBP I-94 website up to a week before travel. A fee applies — the amount has been revised recently, so confirm the current figure on CBP's site rather than relying on older guidance. Present the receipt at the border.
This is the better option for most travellers, because the I-94 does two jobs at once: it satisfies registration, and it creates a documented record of your admission and your authorised period of stay. That second benefit is arguably the more valuable of the two, and it is covered in detail in our article on the I-94.
Option two: file Form G-325R
If no I-94 was issued and you will be staying 30 days or more, file Form G-325R online through a USCIS account. It is free. It collects biographical and family information and produces evidence of registration you can carry.
Registration is not an application for status and it confers no benefit — it is a compliance step. But the information you provide is a statement to the government, and accuracy matters accordingly.
Who is exempt
US citizens and nationals.
Anyone staying less than 30 days.
Children under 14, though they must register within 30 days of turning 14 if still in the country.
Those already registered through a visa, I-94, EAD, permanent resident card or certain other documents.
Certain diplomatic and treaty-based categories.
Note the 14-year rule. A family spending an extended period in the United States with a child who turns 14 during the stay acquires a new obligation mid-visit, which is easy to miss.
Penalties
Failure to register is a misdemeanour, with reported exposure to fines of up to $5,000 and up to six months' imprisonment. Failure to carry evidence of registration is a separate offence.
Prosecutions of ordinary visitors have not been the norm, and the realistic risk for most people is not criminal. It is immigration consequence: a registration failure is a violation of US law that can surface at a future port of entry, in a later visa application, or in an adjustment of status case where discretion is being weighed . In an environment where discretionary factors are receiving closer attention, an avoidable violation on the record is worth avoiding.
Practical guidance for Canadians
Before any trip likely to exceed 30 days, decide how you will satisfy registration — advance I-94 or G-325R.
After every entry, check your I-94 record online. It takes two minutes and tells you whether one was issued and what your authorised stay is.
If you already hold an I-94 covering your stay, you are registered. Keep a copy with you.
If no I-94 exists and you are staying 30 days or more, file G-325R before day 30, not afterwards.
Carry evidence — printed or on your phone. Carrying is a separate requirement from registering.
Update your address if you change it during an extended stay. Address change obligations apply separately.
A note on cumulative time
Registration is one of several obligations that turn on how long you spend in the United States. Two others catch Canadians regularly: the substantial presence test for US tax residency and provincial health coverage residency requirements at home. All three are calculated differently and none of them cares about the other two. Anyone spending several months a year in the United States should be tracking days deliberately rather than by memory.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Canadians really have to register?
Yes, if they stay 30 days or more and no I-94 or other qualifying document has already registered them. The visa exemption does not exempt Canadians from registration.
How do I know if I am already registered?
Check your I-94 record at the CBP website. If an I-94 was issued for your current stay, you are registered.
Is Form G-325R free?
Yes. There is no filing fee. Obtaining an I-94 instead does carry a fee.
What if I already stayed more than 30 days without registering?
Take advice on your specific circumstances. Registering late is generally preferable to not registering, but how to handle it depends on the facts.
Does registering give me any immigration status or benefit?
No. It is a compliance obligation only and confers nothing.
Why Work with an Immigration Lawyer?
This is the obligation Canadians are least likely to know they have. Crossing by land, you are often admitted with no I-94 and no stamp — lawfully present, but with nothing evidencing registration. Stay thirty days and the requirement applies anyway. It is a violation that can surface at a future port of entry, in a visa application, or in an adjustment case where discretion is being weighed.
At Tchern McCallum Immigration Law, we:
• Confirm whether an I-94 or another document has already registered you
• Advise on obtaining an advance I-94 or filing Form G-325R before day 30
• Address a stay that has already exceeded thirty days without registration
• Track this alongside your tax residency and provincial health coverage day counts
Our goal is to keep an avoidable violation off your record entirely.
Ready to Cross with Confidence?
If you winter in the United States, own property there, or have simply had a visit run longer than planned, a short compliance review costs a fraction of what a refused entry does.
Contact Tchern McCallum Immigration Law today to book a consultation and confirm your obligations before your next trip.
