Had a friend that got a DUI in the US and later we tried to go to Canada. Stopped at the border he was given a choice of using his one-time entry into Canada. He used it and now can never enter Canada again.
Canadian border crossing
- Thread starter Wingmaster
- Start date
Big loss, eh?
Canadians treat any DUI as a felony. My wife got one around five years ago and we were told that she could be denied entry. She did not get convicted, due to Covid at the time she was given a ticket for Reckless Driving which still required a serious ding on our insurance and filing with the state. With the computer systems today I am not too sure how much information they can get off your passport/driver's license, etc. I don't know if they can see your arrest information, they can see what you have been convicted of. One of my friends was turned around due to a felony conviction when he was younger. Another friend of my son was turned around because he did not have a valid birth certificate, he had the hospital paperwork with your feet prints. I had a buddy that worked on the Canadian side, they can run your plates while you are in line and often do just to speed things up. In the dozen or so years that we went up to our lake cabin that had been in my wife's family since the 30's we never had any problem going into Canada. Our issues were always the U.S. return crossing, I disliked the U.S. crossing very much. The Canadians got to the point they almost waved us through, simply asking if we had anything to declare. The U.S. side treated us like criminals on more than one occasion. I got asked if I had any fruits or vegetables, I replied "No", she asked me if I had made any purchases, I replied "No", she asked me again if I had any fruits or vegetables to which I said "No", a few more questions and back to fruits or vegetables. I told her "Wait a minute, I have a box of Raisin Bran, raisins are dried grapes, grapes are fruit, so yes I do have a box of Raisin Bran." I got the look and she waved me on."
That is simply... wrong
G*d knows have FAR more things to worry about than an old DUI conviction on the US side.Is it a conviction related to a crime that Canada says makes you inadmissible? Could be 40 years ago… Could be yesterday… unless there is a specific way they distinguish one as ok and another as “bad,” it’s unfortunately the same conviction.
We have a few guys that have to get waivers due to a single joint ticket in the 1970s… another got popped with codeine in his vehicle (Food & Drug Act violation). One guy told me he had a 1/2 pound of weed… my FTO replied that is how those guys knew that they needed more weed in the 1970s. Unfortunately, immigration law rarely has benefits for emotional stories. Really, it comes down to conviction, time sentenced and sometimes maximum sentence.
I know a guy who was getting a prosthetic nose, and another officer refused him from coming in… again, a single weed charge. We have stuff in place to allow us to not “admit” the person but let them in, and they didn’t even asked about that. Guy eventually got his waiver (how I met him) and got his nose.
I’ve heard stories about CBSA that will shock you. I’ve also heard stories where they completely miss things. Unfortunately, I can’t say who is going to do your inspection. I know US citizens that have had DUIs that enter Canada… but they had to pay for rehabilitation (their version of our inadmissibility waiver).
For it being up to the official… it’s likely a similar line that we tell people on this side. “Each person is subject to inspection and every inspection is unique.” If A inspector doesn’t ask you if you have a DUI… and lets you in… that person let you in. If B inspector feels you look like a guy with a DUI (sarcasm, not suggesting there is a look), sends you in and you are refused… both did their job. Just one got a different result.
That being said, being in a similar career, I can’t answer whether or not you’d be let in. Nor can I talk about the specifics related to their inspection process… mainly because I was never training in Canadian L/E. But choices we make define the path we follow. Not talking about 40 years ago, but if on this trip you say, “yes, I never was arrested” and they find out otherwise… lying to a Federal officer isn’t going to end out well. Risk verses reward for you.
If you wanted to be proactive, I’d definitely start by seeing if it is even on your US criminal record. 1984 and now is very different. Hell, how different states handled those crimes in 1984 had more variance than the time difference. But if it is something that was just on a small department’s daily blotter… your chances of being refused changes very much.
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Well, it seems that some people - even on this Forum
- do want to go "abroad' to The Great White North, as strange it may seem 
But YMMV.
Screwball mentoned it, but I'll ask if you have requested your local PD or SO to run your name, DOB, etc. through NCIC to find out if you even have an existing record. Apologies if you addressed this in a prior post.
...And people ask me why I haven't traveled outside the U.S. in 36 years...
Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
Kaaskop49
Shield #5103
I don't drink beer...but if I did, I would go to Canada to get it.
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E064kb3UnU[/ame]
[ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2E064kb3UnU[/ame]
IIRC, there is a $200 fine for having a DUI that allows you to over ride the Canadian border admittance step. Look deep into their regulations. That was in 2016 or so but it allowed a friends son living in Calgary to return home.
Our last crossing we were held up because we didn't have paperwork showing custody of our grandchildren. They had their own passports but not Drivers License's as they were 13 and 15.
For those who wonder why someone would go north, they must never have fished the prairie lakes.
Our last crossing we were held up because we didn't have paperwork showing custody of our grandchildren. They had their own passports but not Drivers License's as they were 13 and 15.
For those who wonder why someone would go north, they must never have fished the prairie lakes.
Sounds like their law is more about raking in some extra cash than protecting the safety interests of their citizens. I don’t have one, but if ANY country ever proposed to deny me entry based on a 40 year old DUI without further incidents they would not get the paltry $200 and they’d not ever see me again.
The “computerization” of all sorts of records seems like it has reached a point where there is the potential for more harm than good. I wish my doctor was still “allowed” to keep his records with paper and pen.
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LOL!
There's hope for us yet!But as to stronger beer, he's clearly never enountered Founder's Breakfast Stout from Grand Rapids MI.
I got some a few years ago and had it with McCann's Irish Oatmeal on a cold winter's day when I had to get the tractor out and clear driveways. It's powerful stuff. I needed some strong coffee to proceed to my morning duties. Now whether this qualifies as "beer" in the usual sense is open to interpretation.
Attachments
The US has a lot of laws to keep people out… but there are only limited circumstances where they can’t pay for a waiver to enter. All on how much you want to pay to enter.
Again, I know people that got a weed ticket in the 1970s that need a waiver for entry. If they got lucky, they got the lifetime waiver before that ended. I know another person who stole chicken nuggets in like 1970… and the law then had a max sentence of 2 years.
Now, waivers can last up to 5 years and cost $1,100. Used to be $585.
But when it comes down to it, if it’s your country… it’s your rules. I get a kick when Canadians pull up and tell me what they are doing like they own the place. Not a right for them to enter, it’s a privilege.
