Over 25 years ago I stole some merchandise from a department store in Toronto. The police were called and I was charged. I was asked to go to the police station and have my finger prints done and also given a court date. This was my first offence. The judge dropped the charges. However when I was going to Buffalo United States about 10 years ago, the custom officer asked me if I had any criminal record? I said NO. He got mad at me for lying and said "you have a criminal record for theft"! I was shocked!! Then he searched my purse and let me enter USA. What do I do now? PLEASE HELP!!
Nancy

THey celarly have it in the Canadian system then (they share both ways). If you found out about this 10 years ago.. what is with the sudden urgency?

THey celarly have it in the Canadian system then (they share both ways). If you found out about this 10 years ago.. what is with the sudden urgency?

I have been listening in the news recently that people have been denied entry to the USA due to the criminal record that took place 20,30 and 40 years ago. I travel to USA quite often and am afraid to cross the US border in case they will deny my entry. This could also happen at the Pearson Airport.

Criminal record is a criminal record... a lot of countries bar convicted criminals from entering, its not just the USA, it works going the other way as well... but if the charges were dropped in your case, then you weren't convicted and it should not be appearing in the Canadian database... which our Customs people access. As long as it's there... its assumed to be correct and valid.

You should hire a lawyer and look into it. Considering the elapsed time ( from the shoplifitng incident)...it might take a long time to do anything because its doubtfull everything pertaining to it is digitized and on computer systems.