US hardens rules for visiting Canadians

WASHINGTON: The United States will require Canadians visiting for more than 30 days to register with authorities, the federal register showed on 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 US media said Canadian nationals had typically been exempt.

It will likely impact the estimated 900,000 Canadians -- known colloquially as “snowbirds” -- who spend winters in warmer southern US states such as Florida, Texas and Southern Carolina.