United States Entry Waiver
If you have a Canadian criminal record and wish to travel to the United States, you must apply for a U.S. entry waiver. Waivers are granted on a 1, 2 or 5 year basis and will allow you to enter the United States. The validation period of an Entry Waiver depends on the extent of your criminal record.
The only exception to entering the U.S. with a criminal record and without the need a U.S Entry Waiver is a DUI (Driving under the influence).
A US Entry Waiver is obtained by submitting an Application to the American government, Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
If you have a Canadian criminal record and you attempt to cross the U.S. border by sea, land or air, without a U.S. Entry Waiver, you are committing a serious offence, which can result in, including but not limited to, the confiscation of your vehicle, criminal charges and jail sentences. Anyone who is traveling with you can also face stiff penalties for aiding a criminal and this can lead to them becoming inadmissible.
If you have a criminal record and/or immigration violations in Canada and intend to cross the border, you may also need to obtain a Canada Pardon.
If my charge was withdrawn do I still need a waiver?
No, but you will need the court documents that verify this.
Can
my waiver application be denied?
Certainly, if you are deemed to be of high risk and are likely to re-offend.
How long does it take to process a US Waiver application?
Due to the time it takes to get records from the RCMP in Ottawa, waiver applications can take up to 7
months to complete and another 6 to 10 months of processing time. In total it could be a year and a half. It is important to avoid delay in applying.
Our fee for a waiver application is $380.00. You get a 50% discount if you also need a Canada pardon.
Having a Criminal Record is like having
invisible leg irons; it severely restricts you although it can’t be seen by
anyone else. You most likely will be denied employment by Banks, Insurance
companies, Governments and most of the Fortune 500 corporations.
Even if you are not seeking employment or a career move, a criminal record could hinder your career advancement. Your traveling could also be restricted.
Once your pardon is granted you will no longer be obligated to reveal to anyone, that
you had a criminal record. A pardon granted by the federal government of Canada
seals your entire criminal record.
All charges and all convictions will be removed and kept separate from active criminal files stored by the RCMP (CPIC). This file is henceforth only accessible with written permission from the Minister of Public Safety Canada.
To be eligible for a
pardon, all the demands of the court must have been met. All fines paid, community service performed,
jail time served etc. Keep in mind court
decisions vary according to jurisdictions.
Nonetheless, a waiting period of 3
years is required for summary offences and 5 years for indictable offences,
before you can be eligible for a pardon. Sexual summary conviction offences require a waiting period of 5 years.
Pardon eligibility: Sexual offences and serious personal injury offences may require a 10 year waiting period.
For most people the
peace of mind which comes with knowing a personal criminal record has been
removed is enough reward. However, the benefits extend into other areas of life
as well. Most notable is the removal of restrictions on employment and the
ability to travel to the United States.
Our fee for a Pardon application is $380.00. Keep in mind it takes over a year to complete the process.
Contact us to apply for a pardon today. Go here