Tag: Crossing the Border
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Fly Direct – Inadmissibility to the United States Means You Need a US Waiver Even For a Layover
It is no secret that many travel destinations involve a brief stopover in the United States. Most locations in South America, many in the Caribbean, plenty in Europe and just about any location in the world that is not within Canada will have a very good chance of a layover in the United States. This…
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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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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…
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Possession of a Controlled Substance
One of the more common charges we see here at the National Pardon Centre falls under the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act. Most commonly we deal with marijuana convictions but we also see cocaine, hallucinogens and the rest of it. Interestingly enough it’s actually quite rare to see a possession charge all on its own, but…
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Clearing American Customs
When you travel to the United States from Canada you clear customs at the airport you depart from, rather than the airport you arrive in. In other words, you need to clear customs before you even get the plane or – obviously – leave the country. It probably seems obvious to most of you but…
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Federal Pardon Waiver
Federal Pardon Waiver There is actually no such thing as a Federal Pardon Waiver simply because there is no such thing as a Pardon Waiver. Pardons and Waivers are separate applications. Both are submitted to federal authorities however. A pardon is granted by the Federal Government in Canada, specifically the Parole Board of Canada. A…
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US Waiver – Restrictions at the US Border
US Waiver Application The application for a US waiver often causes a lot of confusion among the people I speak to so I am going to try and clear up some of the common misunderstandings that arise from a US waiver application. Applying for a US Waiver When you apply for a US waiver you…
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Travel to the United States With a Criminal Record
It’s that time of year again. The phones will start ringing as soon as the holidays have passed and a lot of those calls will be from people who were stopped, detained and/or turned away at the border. I will hear the same story over and over and it will center on the same theme.…
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Clarifying US Entry Waivers
Clarifying US Entry Waivers We would like to take this opportunity to clarify some of the confusion surrounding admissibility to the United States. The only way to guarantee access to the United States is to apply for an I-192 waiver. Pardons are not recognized by the US government. If you tell a customs officer that…
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United States Border Guys
Every single day I come to work I can be guaranteed to hear a horror story from someone who experienced unpleasant behaviour from a United States Border Guard. This is not to suggest that they are all bad because considering the number of people crossing the border and the number of border guards there to…