U.S. employers should provide this notice to their foreign national workers.
As of April 11, 2025, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) began enforcing a new online registration requirement for foreign nationals who will remain in the United States for 30 days or longer. The new requirement aims to ensure that foreign nationals comply with their obligation to register under the Immigration and Nationality Act. An individual's willful failure to register may result in imprisonment for up to six months, a fine not to exceed $5,000, or both.
As outlined below, many foreign nationals are considered already registered by virtue of their method of entering the United States or their current U.S. immigration status. For example, H-1B and L-1 workers with an I-94 document are considered already registered. Notably, individuals who turn 14 years old while in the United States must register using the new online system, even if they had previously registered through a visa application or other process.
Who Is Already Registered
The following foreign nationals are considered already registered; they are not required to register using the new online system.
- Lawful permanent residents (green card holders);
- Individuals paroled into the United States under INA 212(d)(5), even if the period of parole has expired;
- Individuals admitted to the United States as nonimmigrants who were issued Form I-94 or I-94W (paper or electronic), even if the period of admission has expired;
- Individuals present in the United States who were issued immigrant or nonimmigrant visas before their last date of arrival;
- Individuals whom the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has placed into removal proceedings;
- Individuals issued an employment authorization document (EAD);
- Individuals who have applied for lawful residence using Forms I-485, I-687, I-691, I-698, or I-700, and provided fingerprints (unless waived), even if the applications were denied; and
- Individuals issued Border Crossing Cards.
Who Is Required to Register
The following foreign nationals who will remain in the United States for 30 days or longer are required to register using the new online system.
- Visa-exempt individuals of any age who entered the United States at a land port of entry using a Canadian passport who do not have an I-94 record;
- Non-U.S. citizens 14 years of age or older who were not registered (see qualifying registration options above) and fingerprinted (if required) when applying for a visa to enter the United States. They must register within the first 30 days of their stay in the United States;
- Parents or legal guardians must register non-U.S. citizen children under the age of 14 who have not yet been registered (see qualifying registration options above). They must register each child through an online account, set up under the child’s own name, within the first 30 days of their stay in the United States;
- Any non-U.S. citizen who turns 14 years old in the United States. They must register (or re-register) within 30 days after their 14th birthday;
- Individuals who entered the United States without inspection and have not been fingerprinted and issued evidence of registration in connection with a request for an immigration benefit.
Individuals who entered the United States without inspection, or those who have a criminal history, should consult legal counsel to fully understand the potential consequences of complying with the new online registration requirement.
How to Register
Those who are required to register must create their own unique account, or an account for their child, in myUSCIS at https://my.uscis.gov/ and then complete G-325R Biographic Information (Registration), which is currently free of charge. If the registrant is 14 years of age or older, USCIS will then send the registrant an appointment notice for the collection of biometrics (fingerprints, photograph, and signature), at a USCIS Application Support Center (ASC).
Once the registrant completes the biometrics appointment at an ASC, the system will create the “Proof of Alien Registration” with a unique identifier printed on the document. For those individuals, such as Canadian visitors and children under the age of 14, required to register but for whom the fingerprint requirement is waived, the system will trigger the creation of the “Proof of Alien Registration” upon receipt of Form G-325R. This document will be available for download in .PDF format through their myUSCIS account.
Additional Requirements for Foreign Nationals
As a reminder, foreign nationals are required to do the following while they are in the United States, even if they will remain in the United States for fewer than 30 days:
- All non-U.S. citizens 18 years of age and older must carry evidence of their registration at all times while in the United States. Such evidence could include documentation of their prior registration (green card, I-94 document, etc.) or their “Proof of Alien Registration.” Failure to comply may result in imprisonment for 30 days, a fine not to exceed $5,000, or both.
- All non-U.S. citizens, regardless of age, must report a change of their U.S. address to USCIS within 10 days after the move. Individuals may report this change though their myUSCIS account. Failure to comply may result in imprisonment for 30 days, a fine not to exceed $5,000, and/or deportation (if the failure was willful).
Please contact Kelly Fortier, Kelly Rourke, or Carrie Ziegler Thomas with questions or concerns.