USVI-On-Line

I don't hate Canadians, just Canada.

My husband had two DUIs when he was in his early 20's. An idiot, ok. But he has since grown up into a very nice and respectable 47 year old MAN.

He travels to Canada all the time, it is necessary for his business as his division headquarters are there. He has been there 20 times? More?

So he goes to some small airport as there is a meeting nearby, he gets pulled off the plane and is questioned and almost not let in the country.

He has to get a lawyer and has paid over $1000 to an immigration attorney to get this fixed, and this was about 5 months ago. He has not been allowed in. This is hurting his reputation in his company and he is missing meetings. He has also applied for temorary permission to get in while we wait to get this resolved.

To make a long story short, NOTHING has happened. Not a problem or rejection, the process is just not moving. And the icing on the cake is all of this happened AFTER we had made arrangements to fly to Paris through Canada next week using frequent flier miles.

I am so upset and so worried he won't get in. I realize he made a mistake as a young man, but this is ridiculous! Our kids are coming on this trip, if he gets detained we are screwed! I just don't get it. He is being treating like a murderer.

OK, I vented. Travelers to Canda beware!

Hmmm, I don't quite understand why you hate Canada. We have our rules just as the US has their rules. How often do we hear citizens state that if people want to come to their country they need to abide by the rules? Stupid choices made in youth can carry a stigma for life and it is a hard lesson to have to live with but a good lesson to teach your children.

Oh, that stinks, I so feel for you. We encountered a similar situation when we were first dating and took a trip to Niagra Falls to celebrate his 50th birthday. We will pulled out of line, separated and subject to interviews and a physical inspection but eventually allowed to enter. All because my Tommy had dropped anchor in Canadian Waters without checking into customs when he was in his 20's. Not to mention that he had paid the fine of $100 the very day of the original incident via a handy dandy credit card swipe machine that Customs had on boat! I am so with you, love the Canadians, not so sure about their procedures! Anyways good luck in your travels!

Brenda, he broke no rules in your country and he has been severly punished for the one he broke here, over 20 years ago. It is such an old offense it is not on his record anymore.

djmom--while really a pain in the ass, Canada is certainly not special in this area--
the US rules can be very stringent in this regard as well

If you have any criminal record, no matter how minor or how long ago the offense, you may be refused a visa or entry to the United States.

There may also be problems in traveling through U.S. airports. Under U.S. law, a pardon issued by Canadian authorities is not recognized for purposes of entry into the United States. Even though you may have entered the United States without hindrance in the past, you could run into difficulty as U.S. records have been upgraded and persons are checked more vigorously.

Not all criminal convictions create an ineligibility to enter the U.S., but any past criminal record must be declared.

Attempting to gain entry without declaring that you have been arrested could result in a permanent ineligibility or detention at a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enforcement facility while an immigration officer determines your situation."

If you are inadmissible, you must have a U.S. Waiver of Inadmissibility (or Visa Waiver for most non-Canadians from Countries in the Visa Waiver Program) to gain legal entry to the United States.


hopefully you will have a smooth ride thru canada--and the canadians will not still be pissed that the bruins won the stanley cup....

loria wrote:djmom--while really a pain in the ass, Canada is certainly not special in this area--
the US rules can be very stringent in this regard as well

If you have any criminal record, no matter how minor or how long ago the offense, you may be refused a visa or entry to the United States.

There may also be problems in traveling through U.S. airports. Under U.S. law, a pardon issued by Canadian authorities is not recognized for purposes of entry into the United States. Even though you may have entered the United States without hindrance in the past, you could run into difficulty as U.S. records have been upgraded and persons are checked more vigorously.

Not all criminal convictions create an ineligibility to enter the U.S., but any past criminal record must be declared.

Attempting to gain entry without declaring that you have been arrested could result in a permanent ineligibility or detention at a U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) enforcement facility while an immigration officer determines your situation."

If you are inadmissible, you must have a U.S. Waiver of Inadmissibility (or Visa Waiver for most non-Canadians from Countries in the Visa Waiver Program) to gain legal entry to the United States.


hopefully you will have a smooth ride thru canada--and the canadians will not still be pissed that the bruins won the stanley cup....

Thank you for pointing this out, Loria. The US most certainly has similar rules, DJMom.

And no, not all Canadians are pissed about the Cup! I am one of many Bruins fans here! WOOOOOOO!

"And the icing on the cake is all of this happened AFTER we had made arrangements to fly to Paris through Canada next week using frequent flier miles."

I would suggest that you change your flights to avoid Canada at least for your husband.

Have you checked to be sure that the French Authorities are going to let him into their country or at least declare the DUI's prior to entry.

It is not just Canada or the Canadians (who make the rules in Canada btw) who want to know about the foriegn citizens entering their country.

You know, I should rephrase. I am not upset that they have these requirements. I am upset that he applied 5 months ago for some sort of rehabilitation thing. We knew that it might take forever and that might not go through in time. So he also applied for a temporary one that should have arrived a while ago. And it hasn't gotten here. He has provided records from every state he lived in, an FBI check, references, you name it.

He has missed business meetings too. Maybe he is screwed for life, I don't know.

He hasn't tried to get in since the first time he had trouble because he didn't want to get turned away. His lawyer seems to think he will be ok with his stack of documents but I don't like the uncertainty at all.

And he had gone through customs with no probelsm whatsoever in Canada many times before. Like for the last 10 years or maybe more. I don't know what questions they asked but I know he would have never lied. He may have been mistakenly thinking his record was "clean", because it is considered clear in the US. And back then it might have been treated more like a traffic offense. I don't know enough about law to understand if it was considered a criminal offense back then.

Another older guy on the same plane in Victoria was pulled out because he had punched some guy in a bar when he was in college, or something like that. Personally I think that is just a little overboard and maybe the officers could use a little more discretion in these cases.

Just my opinion and I still do not have fond feelings about Canada. Sorry! Every Canadian I have ever met has been very pleasant and nice, so don't take it personally! You are more than welcome to have bad feelings about the US if something happens to you! Believe me, I think a lot of our rules in our country are stupid as hell and punish lots of people for menial things while allowing criminals to go free.

I completely understand your frustration--my experience with Canadian Bureaucracy is that is can be excruciatingly slow-- it seems that document have the wend their way thru various places Toronto, then up to thunder bay for some stamp and so on--
if you are very concnered why not call the canadian consulate in NY or better yet the US embassy in Ottawa?


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they actually may be able to help--if they cannot then call your congressional rep! you'd be surprised what they might be able to do for your husband

PS, don't hate canada--it is a lovely country filled with amazing places and people and culture--really--its a lovely place....taek a trip to Georgian bay or banff/lake louise--or vancouver (present rioting, excepted), the queen charlotte islands-- montreal during jazz fest--the maritimes--Fjords!!! in NOrth AMerica ! who knew???

and where else can you get a butter tart or poutine (eck--but some swear it is the perfect post bar crawl food), pea meal bacon, molson export, stompin tom connors, cheap as hell really great summer camp and really terrific hockey!
AND- they discovered insulin! in Canada! those genius saviours from the north!!--and they are quaint! they still have a Victoria day and DOminion Day--I mean really --it's cute to celebrate your former imperialist conquerers--we just shoved their tea in the ocean and look what that got us?
and the flag--I mean a maple leaf--it's lovely--
and their national anthem is a lovely melody that can actually be sung by anyone! and--if you were ever on a trip abroad and (god forbid) get kidnapped by a group of terrorists--you could probably pretend you were a canadian......and it might just save your life....
so Don't hate Canada.....

Admittedly, I like Canada. I have spent time in several parts of Canada and really like being there. On one trip I was mistaken for being Canadian and I took that as a compliment. I like Canada and have always had a wonderful impression of the Canadian people.

We don't have a right to go to Canada. It's a privilege that the Canadian government may or may not extend to someone and may also revoke.

In Canada, a DUI is a felony (these folks seem serious about not wanting people to drive drunk). They make rules to suit themselves and generally seem to do a pretty nice job of being a country. I wouldn't expect that the officers enforcing the policy are given much discretion.

One quality of Canadians that I've always admired is that they seem very fair and reasonable. So, as is the case, I would expect that they do have some sort of waiver or mechanism to rehabilitate a record. I would also expect that red tape and legal process could go around and around.

But rather than focusing on a slow-moving, inefficient bureaucracy, I'd focus on your lawyer. He supposedly makes a living expediting such matters. You hired him and gave him money to take care of this for you. He hasn't taken care of it and is advising your husband that it will be okay if he just brings a stack of documents along. If the lawyer I have isn't getting things done, I look at the lawyer rather than at the system. The lawyer is supposed to be able to work the system, which is why you got him and what you pay him to do. Press the lawyer and get another if he can't produce. A call to your senator or congressman could be very helpful. Since your husband's company is based in Canada, I'd also wonder might have some influence.

and i should add--canada gave us Neal Young, gordon lightfood and leonard Cohen (among many others)
bachman turner overdirive, barenaked ladies , crash test dummies-- i mean NEAL YOUNG--DUde! right there is a reason to LOVE canada!!!

Loria, you're funny. I don't hate the beavers, the maple syrup, the hockey teams or the awesome views, cities, nice people ,etc. You know I'm not a hater:).

I'm just pissed at the bureaucracy and canadiens should be pissed that good people are being discouraged from spending money there. Over 20 years ago?

And yes Lex you are spot on that the lawyer is not doing her job, she sucks. I chewed my husband out about that last night and he is afraid of confronting her and pissing her off and her not helping him. He has already paid, I don't know why he agreed except maybe that was the policy and he never expected a problem.

The whole thing sucks. I might give our congresswoman a call, she is very good.

Loria, you forgot William Shatner! He's a Canadian too!

I have been to many places for work and for pleasure and by far the most hardcore intense border people were in Canada. Love the country though but they do not mess around.

Hope he gets it sorted and you get to Paris... I would hate to have to leave my hubby behind

Wow, I feel bad for you but really, if you think they have a lot of rules in Canada, try living in Germany! I've worked for a German company for 23 years, lived over there for two. There's a law for just about everything you can imagine.

But certainly the bummer is you feel you've lost control over the situation. For sure I'd move my flights as someone else mentioned. Good luck!