Considerations For Navigating The New Alien Registration Process: Effective April 11, 2025

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has announced expected changes to the registration requirements for foreign nationals in the United States. Under a newly issued Interim Final Rule (IFR), noncitizens who have not complied with registration mandates outlined in the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) will now face enhanced enforcement efforts. Effective April 11, 2025, the updated process introduces a digital registration system and heightened compliance obligations that employers and foreign nationals alike should carefully review.

While this rule applies broadly to foreign nationals residing in the United States for more than 30 days, and many foreign nationals have already complied, certain populations—including Canadian visitors and U.S. visa holders with young children—should understand specific implications of the rule and how the new processes might impact their travel or stay in the United States.