Overview
- DHS published the final rule on June 29, 2026, formally adopting the interim online registration and biometric system that has operated since April 2025.
- The rule does not expand who must register and treats people with a valid visa, a Form I‑94 entry record, an Employment Authorization Document, or a green card as already registered and generally exempt from the online process.
- Foreign national children who turn 14 while in the United States and will stay 30 days or more must register or re‑register online and submit fingerprints within 30 days of their 14th birthday.
- DHS estimates roughly 2.2 million to 3.2 million people could be affected, focusing on those who entered without inspection or were not captured in entry systems, and failure to comply can carry civil or criminal penalties under the enforcement priority set by the January 2025 executive order.
- The final rule updates which immigration documents satisfy registration, invites public comment on additional technical changes through Aug. 28, 2026, and preserves existing green‑card reissuance procedures for lawful permanent residents.