Can a Person with a Recent Criminal Offence Travel to the U.S.?
Every day we help many Canadians to obtain a Canada Pardon or US Entry Waiver (I-194) so that they will be free of the burden of carrying a criminal record in their lives.
Having a criminal record can carry a lot of shame and embarassment for many people for a long time in their life. They continue to suffer from something wrong they did in their past. This suffering can come in the form of depression, shame, guilt, embarassment, remorse to name a few. Also, a criminal record can affect your ability to get a job or travel to the US.
We receive many letters from clients who we have helped to obtain a Canada Pardon and they often express their tremendous emotional relief from the experience.
Here is a letter that really explains the shame some people feel by having a criminal record:
“I felt crippled by the same of my incarceration which prevented me from daring to utter an objecting voice or opinion to my colleagues.”
“I cannot begin to describe how shame can cripple you and turn you deaf, dumb and blind.”
“For years after my incarceration, I refused visits from all but my immediate family and lawyers.”
“I wrote no letters home and dreaded receiving mail. I felt great shame when the world outside sneaked into my prison inside, shame for being a common criminal and so I forfeited my voice, lest anyone hear it, recognize my unworthiness and hold me up to further public scrutiny.”
“To me, social separation from society has been much more torturous than the physical conditions imposed by my exile.”
“So there I was in a prison that afforded me adequate shelter and food, provided me with other amenities, wallowing in shame while fearing for my life.”
“Fear and shame dominated my day to day existence for the first few years of incarceration, and I thought and did little else during that time besides trying to survive and remaining anonymous.”
If you have any questions regarding this topic or about Pardons and US Entry Waivers email us at [email protected] or call 1-877-929-6011.
Pardons Canada undertakes all necessary steps and procedures for removing your criminal record, including: Pardons/Record Suspensions, Purges, Photograph & Fingerprint Destruction, and U.S. Entry Waivers.
