Demystifying Eligibility Criteria for Record Suspension
If you’re traveling to the United States in the coming months, it’s important that you have all the information you need to safely pass across the border between the U.S. and Canada. For those with a criminal record, the border crossing process is not always simple, and you can be turned back by the U.S. authorities if you have a criminal record.
Imagine making the plans, packing and making your way to the border only to discover you aren’t allowed to go through. Not only would it be an embarrassing situation, but an incredible waste of time and resources. If you’d booked hotels or had tickets for shows or sporting events during your time away, it would all be for nothing.
If you’re in this position, it’s important to understand your options and determine the ideal process for streamlining your passage across the border. And so within this latest post, we’ll review two of the leading options: Record Suspensions and U.S. Entry Waivers, and the differences between the two.
U.S. Entry Waivers
In order to be admissible into the United States while you have a criminal record in Canada, you may apply for a U.S. Entry Waiver. The Entry Waiver system is designed to allow those who have a criminal record and have been turned away from their border to have that record removed from review by U.S. authorities to permit travel between the U.S. and Canada. The Entry Waiver is issued to allow admissibility for one, two, or five years depending on a range of factors, including the strength of the application provided and the seriousness and extent of the crimes committed.
A person can visit the United States any number of times as long as the Entry Waiver is in place.
One important consideration in the Entry Waiver process is that the documentation is exceptionally complicated, and even with professional assistance can take up to a year to complete. Without professional assistance, you may make a mistake in the documentation process that causes you to be inadmissible to the U.S. for the foreseeable future. And so it’s critical to work alongside a trusted specialist such as the team at Pardons Canada to complete the Entry Waiver process as seamlessly as possible.
Record Suspensions Allow for the Eradication of Records in Canada
One of the challenges many people face in determining whether they should complete a Record Suspension is that the process may not lead to the U.S. authorities allowing the person into the country. Because the U.S. border control is not beholden to Canadian law, they may still be able to determine that a person has been convicted of a crime, and a Record Suspension will not remove this record from the U.S. systems. When going through the Record Suspension you may also need to consider an Entry Waiver for travel purposes.
If you have not been convicted of a crime but have a criminal record as a result of being fingerprinted or being questioned by police, a File Destruction can help to completely remove the record and allow for seamless travel between the U.S. and Canada. For those taking on the Record Suspension process, it’s important to work with a specialist that can help you fill out the required paperwork and complete all stages according to the legal requirements. A Canadian Record Suspension used to be called a pardon, but that term is no longer used.
Our Expert Team Can Guide You
Here at Pardons Canada, we’ve helped thousands of clients achieve full admissibility to the United States through the Record Suspension and U.S. Entry Waiver processes. We can help you determine which path to take to ensure effortless travel between the two countries and ensure your record is protected for the years ahead. To learn more about the differences between a Record Suspension and a U.S. Entry Waiver, contact our office today. A specialist can guide you in making the right choice for your future.
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.
