The following is not legal advice. Please consult an immigration lawyer and check the latest (and ever-changing) guidelines before making any legal decisions.

In a series of immigration-related executive orders that began January 20, the Trump administration introduced a new wave of strict travel registration rules for people without American citizenship.

These new rules require travelers to register their local address, carry proof of registration with them at all times, and possibly submit their fingerprints—depending on their citizenship and legal status.

For many climbers, legal paperwork is just another line item on the massive checklist for trips abroad: finding a partner, translating YDS grades, and stuffing one’s gear into an overflowing backpack.

But this year, for travelers to the U.S., it’s sure to be more stressful, as this administration has shown an eagerness to cancel visas and green cards, detain visitors without criminal charges, and deny entry for reasons that include social media posts.

Many Canadians are rethinking their summer travel plans as a result. “I have a Ten Sleep reservation booked, but I’m honestly not sure about going anymore,” says Renée Rogge, a Canadian climber and route developer who often parks her van at the Wyoming campground all summer. “I don’t feel super safe about it, especially since I live in my vehicle.”

Another Canadian climber and business owner, who asked to conceal his identity to protect his business interests in the U.S., said, “We have some staff who have been harassed at the border in the past and now they don’t want the threat of being sent back, or worse: to some windowless detention centre.”

Some of the policy changes are new rules, while other, existing rules carry heavier penalties. At least one of these rules will affect every class of travelers: green card holders, visa holders, visa waiver holders, and travelers without a visa.

Most of the non-American climbers I spoke with this week were completely caught off guard about the new registration requirements and how to comply.

So let’s break it down. What exactly are the new regulations? And how should climbers approach them?

Rule #1: Mandatory Registration

Who is affected: Canadians and undocumented immigrants

When it takes effect: April 11, 2025

Who can skip this section: U.S. citizens, plus anyone who’s already been fingerprinted, including visa holders, visa waiver (ESTA) holders, and green card holders

On February 25, the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced that in order to comply with Section 262 of the 1952 Immigration and Nationality Act, which already requires visa applicants and others to submit fingerprints and register with the USCIS, they would be directing “all aliens 14 years of age or older” who are present in the U.S. “for 30 days or longer” to register for fingerprinting on their website.

Likely aimed at collecting a list at undocumented immigrants, this rule takes effect April 11. The announcement has highly impacted Canadian climbers, who previously knew they could stay in the U.S. for six months at a time without further registration requirements.

The good news is that they still can. For now, Canadians are exempt from the fingerprinting requirement (See Toronto immigration lawyer Henry Chang’s legal explanation for why), and they can still stay in the U.S. for up to six months. However, they now need proof of registration, such as an I-94 form, in order to stay longer than 30 days.

For others, such as visa holders to the U.S., registering one’s fingerprints is a normal travel requirement and might not seem like a big deal. However, for undocumented immigrants in particular, the National Immigration Law Center warns that signing up to register could be “very dangerous” because “government officials have said clearly that they plan to use the information they get from registration to arrest people, deport them, or pressure them to leave the United States on their own.”

But for climbers without undocumented status to consider—for example, Canadians entering through a land border—just ask the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol to issue a Form I-94 or a DHS admission passport stamp. Once in the U.S., either can serve as your proof of registration. If you take care of your registration at the border, you won’t have to panic at the end of your trip, when you inevitably one-hang your project and need a few extra days to send.

Note that having the correct paperwork doesn’t guarantee entry. If you are subject to a phone search, you could be turned away, detained, or have your visa revoked for any reason, including the contents of your social media or text messages.

Rule #2: Carrying Proof of Registration

Who is affected: Visa holders, visa waiver (ESTA) holders, green card holders, and Canadians

When it takes effect: It’s already the law, but violations may now result in up to six months of jail time

Proof of registration is the document proving that you entered the country legally. For many people, their proof is the valid, unexpired passport stamp from entering the U.S., but it can also be Form I-94, or the Arrival-Departure Record, which many visa holders and some Canadians receive at the border. Canadians and Mexicans can use their Border Crossing Card, Form I-186, if they have one. And for green card holders, it is—you guessed it—the actual green card, also known as Form I-551. Any of these forms is a valid proof of registration.

It’s a decades-old rule in the U.S. that visitors over 18 must carry their proof of alien registration at all times. But while this rule hasn’t changed substantially from 1952, what has changed recently is how severely the government will be enforcing it.

On January 20, Trump’s administration released an Executive Order called, “Protecting the American People Against Invasion.” According to the National Immigration Forum, this order calls on the Department of Homeland Security to deputize local law enforcement for immigration enforcement functions.

For climbers, this means that instead of just worrying about presenting your proof of registration at border checkpoints or in encounters with U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE), you should also be prepared to show them at any time to local police officers.

In addition, the American government is pursuing harsher penalties for people who fail to show proof of registration. On February 5, the Attorney General issued a directive to all Department of Justice employees to pursue federal charges for anyone who fails to comply with immigration-related administrative rules, such as the mandatory registration.

During your climbing trip, whenever you’re likely to encounter the police, make sure you’ve got your proof of registration handy—for example, in your wallet, backpack, or car. Definitely have it ready when you’re traveling via car, bus, or plane, even if it’s a domestic flight.

However, if you’re in the remote backcountry, or ten pitches up vertical terrain, you can probably focus on more immediate concerns.

Rule #3: Address Updates 

Who is affected: Visa holders, green card holders, and Canadians

When it takes effect: It’s already the law, but violating it now carries criminal penalties

Who can skip this section: Visa waiver (ESTA) holders and diplomats

According to the federal law as of March 25, all alien visitors (except diplomats) who do not possess visa waivers are required to update their change of address within 10 days of moving. This means that any climbers with a visa, a green card, or Canadian citizenship must update their temporary U.S. address using Form I-94 whenever they change locations.

Just like the proof of registration requirement, this rule is already on the books, but the Department of Justice is now enforcing it with strict criminal penalties. Missing the 10-day update deadline could mean nothing—but if the government tries to contact you and realizes you’re not at your existing address, you could face a month of prison time for not submitting the update.

Michelle Voss is an American climber currently living in Switzerland. Whenever she returns to the U.S., she’s not subject to any address tracking, but her French boyfriend is. “This will change things for us,” Voss says, of the address update rules. “But [my partner] has me listed as a contact, and my parents’ address, so he does have that level of privilege.”

For a dirtbag or car-dweller, an address is often a temporary destination for mail—not an indication of where they’re sleeping. So how, exactly, are climbers supposed to fulfill these requirements?

The easy option is to choose campgrounds or hostels that have street numbers. If that’s not in your budget or plan, if you have an American friend, use their house as your home base. Ideally, this will be close enough to your climbing destination but not so far that it’s impossible to reach within a day’s travel. The important thing is that you can receive mail there—and a shower.

Before you head to the U.S. this spring, sit down and make a list of all your intended U.S. addresses, including friends that could help you base yourself there. Finally, make reminders of the dates you need to update your address.

The post What Climbers Need to Know About the New U.S. Entry Rules appeared first on Climbing.