Photos, Fingerprints, and More
If you’ve been following the news, you’ve likely heard some chatter about new requirements for foreign nationals (including Canadians) entering the United States. In addition to the rules that were introduced by Executive Order 14159, requiring all foreign nationals in the United States to register with the government if staying for longer than 30 days, another U.S. Department of Homeland Security regulation titled “Collection of Biometric Data from Aliens Upon Entry to and Departure from the United States” came into effect on December 26th, 2025.
This so-called “Final Rule” advances the Department of Homeland Security’s focus on enhancing national security by verifying the identity of foreign visitors travelling to and from the United States. Essentially, it is an extension of rules that were already in place authorizing border guards to collect facial biometrics from all noncitizens at entry and exit ports. While a lot has been made of this recent development in the news, the truth is that for most visitors to the United States, not much has changed.
We’ll unpack the specifics of this new rule, how it pertains to the previous 30-day registration rule, and what Canadian snowbirds can expect when showing up at a U.S. border crossing.
New Requirement: Photo & Biometric Identification at Entry/Exit Ports
Starting December 26, 2025, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security expanded biometric entry/exit requirements for all foreign nationals entering or leaving the United States, including Canadian citizens.
Under the new rule, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will photograph travellers at entry and exit points and may collect biometric data including facial recognition and, in certain instances, fingerprints (more on this below). It’s important to note that CBP was already authorized to do this in many cases, but the new rule expands the existing program in at least two significant ways:
- Prior exemptions for diplomats and most Canadian visitors have been removed.
- The rule now applies everywhere, including airports, vehicle entry/exit crossings, pedestrian crossings, and seaports.
Previously, Canadian visitors to the U.S. had the right to refuse getting their photo taken as part of U.S. entry/exit processing; they could instead submit to a manual identity check. Now, that right of refusal no longer exists for non-U.S. citizens. If you refuse to have your photo taken, you can be refused entry to the United States or required to submit to other biometric identity verification processes.
Similarly, the application of identity verification processes used to differ significantly depending on how you were entering or exiting the United States (e.g., via a commercial airline vs. a watercraft vs. a land border crossing). Now, in theory at least, the processes should be more uniform.
Slightly Older Requirement: Registration if Staying More Than 30 Days
We previously wrote about the new rules for alien registration that were introduced in April 2025 with Executive Order 14159. Under these rules, any foreign national (including Canadian citizens) staying in the U.S. for 30 days or longer must be registered with U.S. immigration authorities.
We won’t go into too much detail on these rules here since it’s all covered in the blog post linked to above, but the important things to note are:
- Registration is now required for all stays longer than 30 days in the United States.
- Registration can take different forms, but for most Canadians, it will be either Form I-94 or Form G-325R.
- If you enter the U.S. by air, you’re typically automatically issued an electronic I-94 and no further action is needed.
- If you enter the U.S. by land, you may or may not get an I-94 automatically. If you don’t get one and you plan on staying for longer than 30 days, you can instead file Form G-325R after your entry to the United States.
- Note that it is also possible to apply for Form I-94 in advance for a $30 fee, but in our experience, this is entirely unnecessary.
- Failure to register your stay in the United States through either the I-94 method or the G-325R method could result in fines of up to $5,000, deportation, or imprisonment for up to six months.
What About Fingerprints?
As part of the April 2025 registration requirement, most foreign nationals now need to provide fingerprinting or other biometric identification if staying in the United States for longer than 30 days. However, according to the U.S. Federal Register, Canadian nonimmigrants are exempt from the fingerprint requirement.
While the December 2025 rule change removed the exemption for Canadians needing to have their photograph taken at border crossings, the fingerprint exemption still stands. The new U.S. federal guidelines on registration and fingerprinting, which have been updated following the implementation of the Final Rule, make it clear that “other biometrics”, including fingerprints, are not required for Canadians. That is to say, if you’re filling out form G-325R as a Canadian, you shouldn’t be required to book a Biometrics Services Appointment to have your fingerprints taken. Nor should you expect to have your fingerprints taken at a U.S. port of entry.
As with most things related to crossing the border, however, the interpretation and enforcement of the rules depends heavily on the specific border guard you encounter. Some snowbirds entering the U.S. at land borders have reported inconsistent experiences, including being asked to be fingerprinted during secondary inspections. It is therefore wise to be prepared for all possibilities when entering the U.S. as a Canadian.
Our Experience
Our experience with crossing the border dozens of times ourselves over the past year, and facilitating hundreds of other border crossings for our clients and with our team, is that not much has changed in terms of day-to-day practicalities. You can still show up at the border as usual without having to fill out any paperwork in advance, and chances are, you will be asked the same standard questions and admitted to the U.S. without additional hassle.
Although it’s true that border agents are now authorized to photograph Canadians at border entry/exit points, keep in mind:
- Being photographed when entering the United States was already standard practice, whether you were aware of it or not.
- There’s a difference between “authorized to” and “required to”. Just because a border agent has the authority to do something, doesn’t mean they will.
While a small number of Canadian snowbirds have reported being asked to provide fingerprints at border crossings as part of their I-94 processing, this experience is uncommon. If asked to do so, the best practice is to comply with the border officer’s request rather than attempting to argue the letter of the law.
Summary and Advice for Snowbirds
Despite some alarming headlines, the December 2025 changes to U.S. entry and registration rules do not fundamentally alter how most Canadian snowbirds experience crossing the border. The biggest practical change is that Canadians can no longer refuse to have their photograph taken at U.S. entry or exit points, but our guess is that only a small minority were doing this in the first place.
The separate requirement to register stays longer than 30 days, introduced in April 2025, remains unchanged by the new Final Rule. Canadians must still ensure they are properly registered either through an automatically issued I-94 or by filing Form G-325R if entering by land and staying beyond 30 days. While penalties for failing to register are technically severe, compliance is straightforward and typically requires little to no advance preparation.
Overall, for Canadians heading south, the best advice is simple: understand the rules, ensure you’re properly registered if staying longer than 30 days, and approach the border as you always have. More likely than not, your experience will be consistent with how it’s always been.
Heading down to the U.S. this winter? Learn more about our car transport service for snowbirds.