Category: US Waiver Information
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Drugs at the Border
One of the things that will certainly get you barred from entering the United States is having illegal drugs on you. In fact, even having drug paraphernalia will land you in hot water and could very easily end with you being denied entry to the United States. Of course this should be common sense. Recreational…
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Crossing the US Border by Land or Air
Is it safer to cross the border by land or air? This is a question I’m frequently asked by would be travellers who have a criminal record but don’t want to process a United States entry waiver. What they mean by “safer” is crossing comes with a better chance of not getting caught. The reality is…
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US Entry Waivers Aren’t Permanent
Unfortunately it’s true. US entry waivers aren’t permanent. But there was once a time when that wasn’t the case, at least for some. Currently US waivers are issued for a period of 6 month – 5 years. The most common scenario we see with our clients is a 1 year waiver issued after the first…
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DUI Charge in Canada and the United States Border
DUI Charge in Canada and the United States Border Interestingly the one charge that we normally consider fairly serious in Canada will not get you banned from the United States. We have many people who come to us requesting a US entry waiver for a DUI charge and we are forced to turn them away.…
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What are RCMP Accredited Fingerprints?
A recent trend in the pardon and waiver industry is for newer companies to claim that they use RCMP accredited fingerprints in order to help you get a Canadian pardon or a US entry waiver. So I would like to clarify what this means because it is simply a gimmick used to get the words…
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DUI charge in Canada and the United States Border
Interestingly the one charge that we normally consider fairly serious in Canada will not get you banned from the United States. We have many people who come to us requesting a US entry waiver for a DUI charge and we are forced to turn them away. Why? Because for some reason the United States does…
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Canadian Criminal Record Information at the USA Border
One of the major obstacles of a criminal record is the restriction it places on travel. If you don’t already know it is illegal in most cases for someone to cross the Canada / USA border if they have ever been convicted of a crime. It can also be a problem if you have simply…
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Fingerprinting for a Pardon or Waiver
The process for a Canadian pardon and a US entry waiver both begin with the same procedure – fingerprinting. The purpose of fingerprinting is to retrieve your criminal record from the RCMP. Since it is possible to falsely identify someone based on name and date of birth alone, the RCMP requires you to submit fingerprints,…
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Why do I need to Submit Fingerprints Again?
Many people are surprised to learn that the fingerprints they get done for various immigration and legal purposes actually expire. In the U.S., for example, fingerprints are good for fifteen months after they are issued. People’s surprise usually stems from the fact that fingerprints are generally unchangeable features, just like blood type and eye color.…
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Quebec resident refuses to give up phone password during a customs search
Alain Philippon, a Quebec resident returning from a holiday in the Dominican Republic, was charged with obstructing customs officers from performing their functions, under section 153.1(b) of the Customs Act. The reason? He refused to give up his smart phone password as part of the customs search. He could now be facing a maximum fine…