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How to Travel to Canada With a Felony Charge - WikiHow How to Travel to Canada With a Felony Charge
Traveling can be a stressful experience. The customs requirements, banned items that cannot be taken across borders and fine print you neglected to read before you boarded that plane or sat behind the wheel of your car for a road trip may cause delays and frustration when you finally reach your destination.
Couple this with traveling internationally or across borders with a felony conviction, and it could be a recipe for disaster. Canada has been known for especially strict entry requirements when it comes to persons with felony convictions. Get prepared in advance so your entry into the country can be as smooth as possible.
Steps Know your conviction details. What was the charge or conviction? If you weren't convicted, there is still a strong possibility that an arrest or charge will still be on your record. Canada weighs a conviction in the United States and other foreign countries against their own legal statutes. A DUI in the United States is a rather common incident, but this mark on your record can easily bar you from entry into Canada. On the same note a misdemeanor in the United States may be considered a more serious offense there, so do not assume your "minor" conviction isn't enough to cause a problem.
Gather all information about your conviction. The date you were convicted, all sentencing stipulations, probation time allotted (if applicable) and community service served. If you don't already have this information, be prepared to locate it. You will need it later.
Do you research beforehand. Despite some internet information out there, a criminal conviction does not automatically bar you from entry; however, it can make it very difficult. Canada requires that all persons convicted apply for rehabilitation before entry. Rehabilitation considers that five years have passed since probation or parole sentences have finished or since an incident for which you were not charged (but may still be on your record).
Be prepared to pay.
In order to file for Rehabilitation certification, Canada can impose an application fee from $200 to over $1,000. The amount you will pay is tied into the seriousness of your conviction.
Fill out your application. This requires you to give basic information about yourself, explain your conviction, the events that led up to it as well as your statement on why you feel you are rehabilitated. (See the official application for further details.) Be honest. If you lie on your application, and conflicting information turns up, you may not ever be allowed entry.
Allow for enough time. Processing times for your application can be as long as a year. There are exceptions to this rule, but they are quite limited. Enough cannot be said about planning in advance of a trip to Canada.
Understand that each person and situation are unique. Do not be discouraged by your past and assume that you will not be able to gain entry. Do your homework, contact the Consulate and proceed from there.
Tips
Consider outside help to assist you with filling out your Rehabilitation application. A knowledgeable family member or friend can help, as well as a paid lawyer or member of the Consulate may also be of service.
Contact a Canadian embassy in the United States. If you feel you need more updated or personalized information about entry into Canada, there are people in place to help you.
If you were convicted of an offense as a juvenile, you will more than likely be allowed entry. Contact the Consulate to confirm.
Warnings
Do not take Canada's entry restrictions lightly. You may end up sleeping in an airport waiting for your return flight home.
Take caution with driving into Canada. It has been said that it is easier for a person with a felony conviction to pass through the border patrol on roads leading in, but know that you are taking a large risk. Nothing is worse than having to tell your friends or family that they have to come home because you tried to push your luck.
Disclaimer - Though this article was researched, laws and policies of countries can change without warning and may render the contents of this article out of date. It is best to check with the Canadian Consulate for the most current information or contact a lawyer to do the work for you.
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