DUI and entrance into Canada confusion...

[Earl Rosebery]

In Canada a DUI conviction is a criminal offense. The US denies entrance to Canadians who have a criminal conviction as well. It works both ways.

You have to wait five years to apply for re-entry to the US as well.

 

We know that. We're just saying they're not going to know or care. She's not coming here to live or work. Just going to transit Vancouver for an hour. Canada is not yet a police state.

[Ephraim]

Canada's rules are generally retaliatory, as stupid as that seems. So basically the US refuses to accept our pardons, so we refuse to accept US pardons. The US refuses entries to Canadians with criminal records, so Canada refuses entry to Americans with criminal records. The stupidest part is that as Europe's borders go down, the border between the US and Canada gets worse and worse. And the Bush era raised them to new heights.... we use to go for a drive and shopping in the US... we don't anymore because it takes too long at the border.

 

Want more reasonable access... talk to your politicians. Canada hasn't yet changed the law, US citizens don't need a passport to visit Canada... just to get back into the US. I would love to back to the kinder and gentler border we used to have. And then some idiot (Sharron Angle, running for office in Nevada) states misinformation about Canada and we have another bilateral incident.

 

The Canadian government is not responsible for the adjudication of crimes in the US. When someone with a record comes over the border, the crime is seen as it would be adjudicated in Canada. Which is exactly the same way that the US does this process.

 

I don't like any of this. It's petty. It's silly. It's stupid..... it's government.

[Thoth]

Canada's rules are generally retaliatory, as stupid as that seems. So basically the US refuses to accept our pardons, so we refuse to accept US pardons. The US refuses entries to Canadians with criminal records, so Canada refuses entry to Americans with criminal records. The stupidest part is that as Europe's borders go down, the border between the US and Canada gets worse and worse. And the Bush era raised them to new heights.... we use to go for a drive and shopping in the US... we don't anymore because it takes too long at the border.

 

Want more reasonable access... talk to your politicians. Canada hasn't yet changed the law, US citizens don't need a passport to visit Canada... just to get back into the US. I would love to back to the kinder and gentler border we used to have. And then some idiot (Sharron Angle, running for office in Nevada) states misinformation about Canada and we have another bilateral incident.

 

The Canadian government is not responsible for the adjudication of crimes in the US. When someone with a record comes over the border, the crime is seen as it would be adjudicated in Canada. Which is exactly the same way that the US does this process.

 

I don't like any of this. It's petty. It's silly. It's stupid..... it's government.

 

What is the world coming to when 2 friendly neighbors get like that ?

[PennyAgain]

I travel to Canada often as part of my work. However, I never say more than 'attending a meeting.' If I say 'work' that opens up a whole can of worms. Each trip there are more questions (and more of my personal information is in their computer.)

 

Don't rely on the general advice you get on a public bulletin board about whether or not a person will be allowed into Canada. Call the Consulate and get the correct information.

[elcuchio24]

They are getting really tough at the land crossings and I would assume nothing. We go over a lot. My mom goes over with seniors' groups and they recently asked every single one of them (about 20 on a small bus) whether any of their children had drug records. The people were 70-90 and that really scared them, because most of them really could not be certain.

 

I've been given grief for having no US $$ on me when I've said I'm going shopping, even though I can tell them exactly what ATM I'll be hitting south of the border.

 

Two weeks ago I went to Seattle through Peace Arch, south of Vancouver, to meet a friend from Houston who was there on business. They GRILLED me about how I knew her. Fortunately I had her cell phone number and said they were free to call her. That seemed good enough. They must have been doing training sessions because at least half the cars were pulled out of line to go inside.

 

Viv

 

They have gotten WAY tougher on Canadians now, on both sides of the line.

[LeftcoastBC]

They have gotten WAY tougher on Canadians now, on both sides of the line.

 

and as a result "They" have gotten way tougher on Americans on both sides of the line.

 

We cross often with nexus and it's getting to be a bit of a drag even with that so called "pre-cleared Pass with exceptions"

[Putterdude]

and as a result "They" have gotten way tougher on Americans on both sides of the line.

 

We cross often with nexus and it's getting to be a bit of a drag even with that so called "pre-cleared Pass with exceptions"

 

I have horror stories to tell crossing sometimes more than once a week for years ...pre and post 9/11, with and without PACE and NEXUS...however I have far more good stories....like on dark, rainy Monday morning this week in the NEXUS the officer asked, "anything to declare" answered "no" and we were on our way to AZ.:)

[Putterdude]

Kind of reinforces what I said earlier. I wouldn't spend any more money. i wouldn't raise any flags at the Canadian consulate in the US. When the Canadian border people scan your Mom's US passport it isn't going to show an old DUI. Take the princess transfer to the cruise terminal. Have a great cruise.

 

As I have posted previously even with a Princess Transfer (USA Direct) she runs the risk of be deinied entry without having applied for a pardon or paying the fine at the border. This happens daily at YVR and people have posted about the occurance. Will she slip in under the radar ...yes she may... but you nor anyone other poster can make any representation that this will happen, the government is pretty explicit on this issue.

[PennyAgain]

Remember, if a person is denied entry to Canada the cruise line does NOT give a refund for the missed cruise.

 

Why risk it?

[RDR]

Today it is a bit more confusing who to contact because of the recent establishment of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), but you need to contact Canada Immigration, "admissions", advise them of the circumstances surrounding the DUI and ask if your mother requires a "Minsters Permit" under the circumstances. A "Ministers Permit" may take a couple of months. Note the name of the individual(s) you speak with. You could also speak to a Canadian representative at a visa office in the USA. A google search should locate the centers of the various Visa offices, as they are only in a few major centers.

[scottbee]

Today it is a bit more confusing who to contact because of the recent establishment of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), but you need to contact Canada Immigration, "admissions", advise them of the circumstances surrounding the DUI and ask if your mother requires a "Minsters Permit" under the circumstances. A "Ministers Permit" may take a couple of months. Note the name of the individual(s) you speak with. You could also speak to a Canadian representative at a visa office in the USA. A google search should locate the centers of the various Visa offices, as they are only in a few major centers.

 

20 is a little more than a 'few'

 

The Government of Canada operates the following offices in the United States:

• The Embassy in Washington, D.C.
  
• Consulates General in Atlanta, Boston, Buffalo, Chicago, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, New York, San Francisco/Silicon Valley and Seattle
  
• Consulates in Anchorage, Houston, Raleigh, Philadelphia, Phoenix and San Diego
  
• Trade Offices in Princeton and Palo Alto
  
• And Honourary Consuls throughout the U.S.
  

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/washington/offices-bureaux/index.aspx

[RDR]

"Visa offices".

[RDR]

"VISA offices".

[missmollytoo]

Again I'd like to remind everyone that Canada is MUCH more lenient than the US if the situation is reversed. Before you start calling Canada 'petty'; you might want to consider what the USA does.

 

After all we are all "aliens" in the US, not visitors! The people at the consulate will give good advice.

[6rugrats]

OP - I don't know if you are still checking this thread, but I have some first hand experience to report. Took the ferry to Victoria, BC today. When I made my reservations, I was warned by the agent that I would not be allowed to enter Canada if I had a DUI/DWI. Was warned again when I checked in, and again when I presented my boarding pass.

 

The agent who took the pass said he gets several people each day who admit to having a DUI. When this happens, they are denied boarding. There were signs everywhere in the terminal warning about nonadmittance to Canada if you've been charged with a DUI.

 

Your mom should really take care of this to avoid losing her cruise fare.

[LeftcoastBC]

Hey 6R's which ferry did you take. Is the fast ferry running in the winter and or did you do Blackball.

[6rugrats]

Hey 6R's which ferry did you take. Is the fast ferry running in the winter and or did you do Blackball.

Yes, took the Victoria Clipper; runs all year.

[LeftcoastBC]

Thanks

You are using the word agent... were those agents employees of the ferry or government officials ?

 

Could you also clarify where you were actually checked by Canadian Customs and Immigration. In Seattle or Victoria when you landed .?

 

Thanks again for this

[ODA 564]

They are getting really tough at the land crossings and I would assume nothing. We go over a lot. My mom goes over with seniors' groups and they recently asked every single one of them (about 20 on a small bus) whether any of their children had drug records. The people were 70-90 and that really scared them, because most of them really could not be certain.

 

I've been given grief for having no US $$ on me when I've said I'm going shopping, even though I can tell them exactly what ATM I'll be hitting south of the border.

 

Two weeks ago I went to Seattle through Peace Arch, south of Vancouver, to meet a friend from Houston who was there on business. They GRILLED me about how I knew her. Fortunately I had her cell phone number and said they were free to call her. That seemed good enough. They must have been doing training sessions because at least half the cars were pulled out of line to go inside.

 

Viv

 

This is basically in response to the way "we" (the US) have taken a "tough" stance on our side of the northern border.

 

DHS (AKA 'security kabuki') has (since 9/11 - actually in 2002) really increased surveillance , etc. on the northern border. The tipping point in US-Canadian border relations came over a Canadian resident in one of the Maine - Quebec towns that straddles the border went to get gas at night and CBP arrested him because he entered the US illegally (the CBP post was unmanned at night).

 

When Canadian Michel Jalbert pulled into Oullette's Gas Bar - a mere 50 feet inside US territory - one day last month, he was doing what his neighbors always do. Like most residents of Pohénégamook, Quebec, a tiny town on the US-Canadian border, Mr. Jalbert was taking advantage of Maine gas prices that are as much as 20 cents per gallon less than in his hometown.

 

Story here. And here, He was held for 35 days. He had a petty criminal record. Shortly after that, Canada started denying entry to Americans with misdemeanors, etc. Coincidence?

 

He also had a 20 gauge shotgun, which if he had registered it in Canada (like many Canadians he had ignored the national long gun registry which is a failure) which suddenly made him a "felon in possession" in the US (in Canada he wasn't). See here.

 

Canada also started making life miserable for American hunters going into Canada to hunt after that. Coincidence?

 

This incident was national news in Canada. The Canadian PM and Foreign Minister brought it up on US visits and "our" Administration (Bush 43 at the time) had no idea what they were talking about. "Rut-ro, Shaggy!"

 

The supreme irony of all this is that "we" (the US) have irritated our northern neighbor and screwed up what used to be a simple process -deliberately - whilst allowing the southern border (you know, the one with the narco-terrorist cartels, extreme violence, waves of illegals, etc.) to go unsecured - deliberately.

 

"We" (the US) quakes in fear of Mexico's President Calderon's displeasure if "we" do anything to secure our southern border (Mexico uses machine guns on Guatemalans trying to enter Mexico illegally), but "we" blithely treat Canada like its some third world terror haven.

 

So, Canada struck back.

[6rugrats]

Thanks

You are using the word agent... were those agents employees of the ferry or government officials ?

 

Could you also clarify where you were actually checked by Canadian Customs and Immigration. In Seattle or Victoria when you landed .?

 

Thanks again for this

Clipper employees. Said they would not allow anyone to board who admitted to a DUI. You clear immigration/customs in Victoria both ways, not Seattle.

[LeftcoastBC]

Thanks again...

[6rugrats]

Forgot to add; upon return to Seattle, you do have to have a very cursory inspection which consists of officers asking what you did in Canada. Passports are out, but they aren't scanned.

[scottbee]

Forgot to add; upon return to Seattle, you do have to have a very cursory inspection which consists of officers asking what you did in Canada. Passports are out, but they aren't scanned.

 

I believe that for the Clipper, like the Coho, US immigration pre-clearance is done in Victoria, and customs in Seattle; which is what that 2nd inspection is.

[voyager70]

I'm a little confused. We're planning an Alaska cruise round trip from Seattle, with a stop in Victoria, BC. One of the gals in our group has a DUI from several years ago (not sure when) but I know it's not 10 years yet. I was assuming since we're sailing r/t Seattle there wouldn't be any problems, even for her to go ashore in Victoria but now I'm not so sure. Anyone have any advice?

[LeftcoastBC]

Yes

There are ways and means for her to pay off the problem through gov. channels. Find info on Canadian gov sites and deal with it in a official manner

 

Or

 

The worst thing that could happen is she would not be allowed ashore in Victoria

 

But

 

likely if it was a one off conviction there will not be a problem. She should just be forthright with any answers to questions as if it was a registered conviction the authorities will know about it.