Entering Canada With A Criminal Record

[Healthynut]

Pay the ticket !!! :)

 

a Provincial or municipal (city) ticket will not create an issue at the border. The only issue would be if you returned to the jurisdiction that issued it and they might arrest you..

[Ephraim]

I'm glad I found this topic. My problem has a twist. I'm a U.S. citizen and I got a ticket in Canada for making a U-turn on an expressway.

 

If this offense happened in the U.S., it probably wouldn't be a problem, but because it happened in Canada, people who often travel across the border tell me I won't be admitted into Canada.

 

A lot depends on what they consider "dangerous driving", which makes one inadmissable. Is a U-turn "dangerous driving"? This decision could likely be at the discretion of the border crossing personnel, what kind of the day he is having, and if he doesn't like the color of my coat.

 

So here I sit with my train ticket to Vancouver and a deposit on a cruise originating in Canada. I don't want to spend another $200 for the Canadian government to "pardon" my offense, but if I want to cruise, I might not have a choice.

 

Now what do I do????

 

Pay the ticket and the added interest. Won't keep you out of Canada but can create a lot of other problems. For example you might be in one of the states that exchange ticket information with other states/provinces. You must check if your state is signatory on the Drivers License Compact (DLC), Non-Resident Violator Compact (NRVC) or the Drivers License Agreement (DLA) for the transfer of information on your ticket and your violations. Even if it isn't, there may be private agreements in place.

[Sprucetree]

Let me re-phrase that. I got a ticket in Canada, which I already paid the fine on. The fine is paid.

 

The $200 I was referring to is what the Canadian government charges to get your record expunged in order to be able to cross the border in the future.

[Sprucetree]

I did pay the ticket for the U-turn.

 

The $200 I was referring to is the Canadian Government's fee for expunging your record so you can enter Canada in the future.

[Sprucetree]

Sorry for the double post. My error.

[Ephraim]

Let me re-phrase that. I got a ticket in Canada, which I already paid the fine on. The fine is paid.

 

The $200 I was referring to is what the Canadian government charges to get your record expunged in order to be able to cross the border in the future.

 

You don't get a record for a u-turn. That's a summary offence, it has no bearing on a criminal record at all.

[1stXcruisers]

From www.amcits.com

Drunk Driving or other Criminal Record

Anyone with a criminal record (including a drunk driving conviction) may be excluded from Canada. A waiver of exclusion may be issued but several weeks are required and a processing fee must be paid. Contact the Canadian Embassy or a Canadian Consulate in the U.S. or use the link below for more information (link is cic.gc.ca).

 

I wouldn't take the chance of not having the waiver, it could really ruin your vacation.

 

If you paid your ticket here, no problem. As far as I know they don't keep track of tickets outside of the country so nothing would show up.

My husband is a Chaplain in a prison here and he has had volunteers denied access into the prison because they had unpaid parking tickets. We also had a case this summer where a 10 year old boy was denied access on a plane because his name appeared on a list of known terrorists . You should have heard the media reaction to that.:eek:

 

Don't take the chance,

B&R

[Sprucetree]

From www.amcits.com

Drunk Driving or other Criminal Record

Anyone with a criminal record (including a drunk driving conviction) may be excluded from Canada. A waiver of exclusion may be issued but several weeks are required and a processing fee must be paid. Contact the Canadian Embassy or a Canadian Consulate in the U.S. or use the link below for more information (link is cic.gc.ca).

 

I wouldn't take the chance of not having the waiver, it could really ruin your vacation.

 

If you paid your ticket here, no problem. As far as I know they don't keep track of tickets outside of the country so nothing would show up.

My husband is a Chaplain in a prison here and he has had volunteers denied access into the prison because they had unpaid parking tickets. We also had a case this summer where a 10 year old boy was denied access on a plane because his name appeared on a list of known terrorists . You should have heard the media reaction to that.:eek:

 

Don't take the chance,

B&R

 

I agree with you and I won't take the chance. Not only would it ruin the vacation, but I doubt that my travel insurance would refund the cruise amount. Some people don't seem to realize that, although a traffic offense is not a criminal offense, the Canadian government disallows traffic offenders if, among other things, they (the Canadian government) deem the offense to be "dangerous" driving.

 

No. I don't think any U.S. Citizen with a traffice violation within Canada should take the chance. Thanks for telling us about some of the other situations you and your husband have run into.

[Ephraim]

Driving while Impaired isn't a driving offence and it isn't a summary offence, it's a criminal offence. Getting a ticket for a U-Turn is a summary offence.

 

It's easy to tell the difference. A summary offence usually involves paying money and never going to court. You don't get a ticket for impaired driving, you get summons to appear in court. The reason that impaired driving is mentioned is because many people THINK it's a summary offence, but in Canada it is NEVER a summary offence. Sure, it might be pleaded down to a summary offence, but it isn't one.

 

U-Turn... summary offence

 

Driving while Impaired... criminal offence

 

You can call the Canadian government at 1-800-O CANADA if you are really worried, but it's nothing to worry about.

[giblert]

No. I don't think any U.S. Citizen with a traffice violation within Canada should take the chance. Thanks for telling us about some of the other situations you and your husband have run into.

 

You do realize that the rules for entering the United States are considerably more strict than to enter Canada? The US can deny you entry without having any record at all, merely a connection to something that may against US law. Recently a Canadian professor who had done research into addictive drugs was denied entry while having no convictions for anything.

 

Canada is not going to prevent you from entering if you're been caught speeding, or made an illegal left turn(*1) in your past. However a DUI conviction may be a felony in some states, and may cause minor problems. Call the government if you really have concerns and confirm it in advance.

 

 

*1: Trvia; Your left turn may have been legal in British Columbia. It is LEGAL to make a left turn on a red light if you're turning onto a one-way here

[RCCLismyfav1]

I will say that I done some research and called the Canadian Consulate and the American consulate a few months ago. We had a couple that wanted to join us on our next cruise to Alaska leaving form Vancouver. Our friend was charged with a dui in Indiana and was fined and on his record about 10 years ago. According to the Canadian Government it all depends who and what kind of a mood the officer is in that day. They may or they may not deny you entrance so on that note I would think it would be smart to get the permission needed before hand.

 

My thought on all of this is it is just a money game being played:o .

[Ephraim]

I will say that I done some research and called the Canadian Consulate and the American consulate a few months ago. We had a couple that wanted to join us on our next cruise to Alaska leaving form Vancouver. Our friend was charged with a dui in Indiana and was fined and on his record about 10 years ago. According to the Canadian Government it all depends who and what kind of a mood the officer is in that day. They may or they may not deny you entrance so on that note I would think it would be smart to get the permission needed before hand.

 

My thought on all of this is it is just a money game being played:o .

 

Honestly, what kind of MONEY do you think that the Canadian government could be earning from a few tourists with records? It's probably more of a pain in the neck to bother writing all the paperwork for the officer. He doesn't get to keep a penny. And the Canadian government's budget is not only balanced, we have had a multi billion dollar surpluses for at least ten years and the government has been lowering our taxes (including our sales tax) for the last few years.

 

As I have stated before, Impaired Driving (what you call DUI in the US) is an indictable (criminal) charge in Canada, even if it can be pleaded down to a summary charge. When the Canadian (or US) government looks at your record it sees this as a criminal record.

 

Without regard to why someone has a criminal record... would you really want people let into your country with a criminal record?

 

Maybe the best thing to do is to put pressure on the US government to accept and exchange pardons with Canada. This way, if you get your record clear in the US it would have standing in Canada. Of course, this relies on the US accepting Canadian pardons as well. Until then, people with a record are going to have to accept that one of the rights they lose when they get a criminal record is an inability to travel. And as I said, the US government is seeking to extend their access in Europe and soon that will be the exact same situation as well. You reap what you sow, change begins at home.

[giblert]

...You reap what you sow, change begins at home.

 

Well put.

 

As a Canadian, this forum is a sure-fire way to raise your blood pressure. Americans complaining about Canadian policy, which is far far more lenient than the USA equivalent, and in place only because the USA insisted we exchange the data with them.

[Eeyoregon]

Unfortunately' date=' that wouldn't help. :( Any Alaska cruise will stop briefly in British Columbia so that they have at least foreign port stop, so unless you have legal permission to be in Canada, you can't legally get on the ship. [/font']

 

Except that they didn't ask for or look at ANY documentation getting on or off the ship in Canada. We just swiped our shipboard cards, walked off the ship and off we went into Canada. Then we swiped our cards and got back on. We were on Celebrity last September that left from Seattle. I was just glad I hadn't spent the money on a passport as no one ever asked us for anything even though I had my photo ID and birth certificate all ready.

 

In June of last year we were on Norwegian out of Seattle and smoothly went in and out of Canada at Prince Rupert and no one asked for anything other than our shipboard cards.

[Eeyoregon]

Also, what is the screening process when leaving the ship and entering Canada. Is everyone screened onboard the ship prior to debarking? Do you leave the ship and then go through Canadian Customs.

 

June 2007: NCL cruise from Seattle with stop in Prince Rupert = no screening getting on or off the ship other than the usual going through the metal detectors and swiping your onboard ship card.

 

September 2007: Celebrity cruise from Seattle with stop in Vancouver. Same story. We were not screened (did not show passports/birth certificates or photo ID) coming or going.

 

I was honestly shocked. I had everything in my hands ready to pounce but no one seemed to care. None of the passengers were being stopped...as a matter of fact I never saw any officials at all.:confused:

 

Don't understand why Canadian officials are so strict when arriving by car/plane but aren't concerned if you arrived via cruiseship. Apparently terrorists don't cruise?????

[RCCLismyfav1]

Honestly, what kind of MONEY do you think that the Canadian government could be earning from a few tourists with records? It's probably more of a pain in the neck to bother writing all the paperwork for the officer. He doesn't get to keep a penny. And the Canadian government's budget is not only balanced, we have had a multi billion dollar surpluses for at least ten years and the government has been lowering our taxes (including our sales tax) for the last few years.

 

As I have stated before, Impaired Driving (what you call DUI in the US) is an indictable (criminal) charge in Canada, even if it can be pleaded down to a summary charge. When the Canadian (or US) government looks at your record it sees this as a criminal record.

 

Without regard to why someone has a criminal record... would you really want people let into your country with a criminal record?

 

Maybe the best thing to do is to put pressure on the US government to accept and exchange pardons with Canada. This way, if you get your record clear in the US it would have standing in Canada. Of course, this relies on the US accepting Canadian pardons as well. Until then, people with a record are going to have to accept that one of the rights they lose when they get a criminal record is an inability to travel. And as I said, the US government is seeking to extend their access in Europe and soon that will be the exact same situation as well. You reap what you sow, change begins at home.

 

 

I really think you are blowing this way out of porportion...

It is a huge money game just like so many other Country's play including the USA. Having to go through all of this when the charge is at least 10 years old is a HUGE MONEY GAME! If it was murder or something to that affect or rape or etc... I'm not going to go down the list but a first time offender that happen when they were teens and now later 20's is just money grabbing IMO...

[Ephraim]

I really think you are blowing this way out of proportion...

It is a huge money game just like so many other Country's play including the USA. Having to go through all of this when the charge is at least 10 years old is a HUGE MONEY GAME! If it was murder or something to that affect or rape or etc... I'm not going to go down the list but a first time offender that happen when they were teens and now later 20's is just money grabbing IMO...

 

Huge money? With a $14 billion dollar surplus, I hardly think that Canada is worried about a few hundred people paying $200 to get their records reviewed. And numerous times it has been said that they will forgive one offence that is older than 10 years at the discretion of the border guard. So... does the US do the same? Don't think so. And the only people paying the $1000 fee as far as I can tell from this side of the computer are people like Martha Stewart who needed a ministerial permit to visit Canada because of her record and it being less than a year from being jailed.

 

What it's really about is tit-for-tat. The US excludes Canadians with a record, Canada excludes Americans with a record. The US charges Canadians a fee, Canada charges a fee. The US refuses to accept Canadian pardons, Canada refuses to accept US pardons.

 

If you think I'm kidding... Since the US increased their fees astronomically, the result has been a fee worldwide called a "reciprocity fee". For example a Canadian visiting Brazil pays USD$65 for a visa. But Americans pay USD$130. China (PRC) charges CAD$50 to a Canadian and Americans pay $130. In fact almost all countries charge US citizens a $130 fee, since the fee increased on the first of January.

 

The only way to get this to change is to have the US government sit down with the Canadian government and work out an agreement. Until that point, this game will continue. And as I stated before, the Homeland Security is supposed to be more actively participating with Interpol and Europe and you will find more and more borders closed as the records are exchanged.

 

I wish more people paid attention. The current US government proposed that all Europeans to visit the US will need to declare their vacations ahead of time, which means an end to last minute trips to the US for business. What did you think the European countries started talking about doing to US citizens who want to visit Europe?

[RCCLismyfav1]

Huge money? With a $14 billion dollar surplus, I hardly think that Canada is worried about a few hundred people paying $200 to get their records reviewed. And numerous times it has been said that they will forgive one offence that is older than 10 years at the discretion of the border guard. So... does the US do the same? Don't think so. And the only people paying the $1000 fee as far as I can tell from this side of the computer are people like Martha Stewart who needed a ministerial permit to visit Canada because of her record and it being less than a year from being jailed.

 

What it's really about is tit-for-tat. The US excludes Canadians with a record, Canada excludes Americans with a record. The US charges Canadians a fee, Canada charges a fee. The US refuses to accept Canadian pardons, Canada refuses to accept US pardons.

 

If you think I'm kidding... Since the US increased their fees astronomically, the result has been a fee worldwide called a "reciprocity fee". For example a Canadian visiting Brazil pays USD$65 for a visa. But Americans pay USD$130. China (PRC) charges CAD$50 to a Canadian and Americans pay $130. In fact almost all countries charge US citizens a $130 fee, since the fee increased on the first of January.

 

The only way to get this to change is to have the US government sit down with the Canadian government and work out an agreement. Until that point, this game will continue. And as I stated before, the Homeland Security is supposed to be more actively participating with Interpol and Europe and you will find more and more borders closed as the records are exchanged.

 

I wish more people paid attention. The current US government proposed that all Europeans to visit the US will need to declare their vacations ahead of time, which means an end to last minute trips to the US for business. What did you think the European countries started talking about doing to US citizens who want to visit Europe?

 

 

What I think is the US has to buckle down due to what happen 911:rolleyes: so I don't think there will be any change. Now if you lived in the US and had to experience what the people of NY did and a long with the other people from the GREAT USA, maybe you would look at it differently. Do I think the US is being to hard on anyone that enters our great Country? Hell No!!!! Do I think this tit for tat crap is just that? Well what do you think? :o

[Urban trekker]

Canadians died on 9/11 as well - in fact the Premier of our Province son had tickets for the World trade center that morning but slept in otherwise he likely would have been a stat as well.

 

Now what country did Timothy McVey come from?

 

Also George W Bush had to have special permission to enter Canada since he has a criminal record from a DUI when he was in the I'm under 25 and just a kid and kids make mistakes part of his life.

 

Ephraim - the only thing that the Americans want to spend money on is guns, bombs and military - not child care or health care - probably not worth getting your blood pressure up with this poster.

 

How much snow did you get from the last big storm.

 

Enjoy your day

 

Dennis

[Urban trekker]

"pan handlers off the street.

 

Yes I did see quite a few on the streets on Boston and Manhattan on my trip there a few months ago.

 

Canadian don't need to be reminded about fighting wars - we entered WWII on Sept 11, 1939 not Dec 7, 1941 - we were in WWI in 1914 not 1917.

 

Thank you

 

Dennis

[karen sharpe]

"What it's really about is tit-for-tat. The US excludes Canadians with a record, Canada excludes Americans with a record. The US charges Canadians a fee, Canada charges a fee. The US refuses to accept Canadian pardons, Canada refuses to accept US pardons."

 

What about this don't you understand!!:eek:

What our esteemed poster was trying to explain to you is that it may be a "Game" but it occurs on both side of the border.If you disagree with this procedure then consult with your own government regarding changes to the regulations...Reciprocity... by other countries is a direct response to current US propositions.

Panhandlers??? This is a universal issue is it not?!

[Host Caroline]

I'm putting this in "time out" for a few days to see if it can come back as discussion of this regulation and not a political debate.. IF you want to debate it please go to Floataway since it isn't cruise related any more?