US Identity Papers on the Way

From 11 April 2025, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will begin enforcing a regulation that requires all non-US citizens aged 18 and over to carry physical documentation confirming that they have registered their identity with DHS. This policy, detailed in the Interim Final Rule published in the Federal Register ¹, is a renewed application of provisions within the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and is aimed at strengthening immigration enforcement through biometric and document-based identity verification.

The registration process is mandatory for non-US citizens who intend to remain in the United States for a period exceeding 30 days. It involves the submission of biographic and biometric data, including full name, date of birth, nationality, and fingerprint records. This data must be submitted electronically, where it is cross-verified against existing federal and international databases. In many cases, this occurs at the point of visa issuance or upon arrival at a US port of entry, but additional steps may be required depending on immigration status.