Pardons Canada: Can I Travel to the US with an Assault Conviction?
Assault is the most common criminal offence in Canada. An assault conviction can come in many different forms including domestic assault, assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm. Many assault charges are settled prior to a conviction being handed down in the form of a peace bond, stay of proceedings (stayed), withdrawn, dismissed, absolute discharge or conditional discharge. Regardless if it was a conviction or a charge, the fingerprints need to be removed from the public record otherwise it can get in the way of gaining employment and travel to the US as well as volunteering and coaching.
If you have been convicted of assault whether it was a domestic assault, assault with a weapon or assault causing bodily harm, you will need to apply for a pardon or record suspension to remove the criminal record. The waiting periods to obtain the pardon or record suspension will depend if the assault conviction is a summary offence or indictable offence. If you have been charged of assault but not convicted you will require a file destruction to remove the prints from the RCMP and police database but you will not need a pardon or record suspension.
Here is a recent email from a person we helped to obtain a pardon for a domestic assault conviction which carried a one year probation:
“On one particular night I opened my mail box and there was a brown envelope lodged in the box. Because of its slight oversize, I had to work to get it out; in doing so, I was able to read the address in which it came from, Pardons Canada. It was that letter that I had been expecting. I walked into my small flat that has been home to me for what seems like forever and went over to the couch, threw the letter un-opened down on the table, knelt down and prayed.”
“Thanking GOD for the answer weather good or bad, as fear tried to overcome me, I proceeded to open the letter still not sure what to expect inside. Still afraid of the answer, I quickly moved to the back page. When I read your letter of congratulations the relief came like a flood. I was finally free!!!”
“I was then curious to read the rest of the letter and after reading the boards decision I really felt that it is a great honour to have this pardon for my assault conviction and that my life was now changed forever.”
“Never understanding the true meaning of the word “freedom”, as it started to sink in, it was like a heavy yoke had been lifted off; a similar feeling was experienced when I got saved and realized that God had forgiven me.”
“I am now a new man, and I am truly repentative of the past and am so thankful that the Parole Board of Canada considered me a good candidate for a pardon. I believe it to be a great privilege and an honour to receive this fresh start in life after death.”
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.
