The United States will require Canadians visiting for more than 30 days to register with authorities, the federal register showed Wednesday, toughening rules as trade tensions soar between the North American neighbours.
The new requirement, effective from April 11, would harden enforcement of an existing law from which U.S. media said Canadian nationals had typically been exempt.
It will likely impact the estimated 900,000 Canadians visiting the U.S. during the winter — known colloquially as “snowbirds” — who head to warmer southern states such as Florida, Texas and Southern Carolina.
The move marks a further deterioration in ties between the historical allies since President Donald Trump took office in January.
Fresh U.S. tariffs of 25 per cent came into effect Wednesday on steel and aluminium — widely seen as a blow to Canada, which already faces a separate 25 per cent levy on other goods.
Trump has meanwhile repeatedly called for Canada to become the 51st U.S. state — a taunt seen as an annexation threat.
The Department of Homeland Security estimates that between 2.2 million and 3.2 million people will be impacted by the new visitor registration rules.
This added insult to Canadian snowbirds will keep droves of them from going south. Not to mention thousands will be selling their second homes in Arizona, Texas and Florida. What next? Fingerprints? Retinal scans just to get out of the cold?