Police Record Canada Travel

[nurseone]

That answers my questions and I'll let her know but think regardless we'll do US Direct as it sounds like the way to go just from a time frame and NOT have to mess with luggage at the airport. I like this idea very much. We've been in and out of Vancouver prior to 911 and flew into Vancouver just after 911 for pre cruise stay (in October less than a month after 911) and the lines were very long. Again thanks for all the information and help.

[aloisia]

Thank you for the links. I'll pass along the information.

[fann1sh]

It is my understanding that U.S. Direct is NOT a way around Canadian Customs/Immigration requirements. I believe travellers are pre-screened for eligibility when they request this service.

 

Those who are not eligible to enter Canada will be refused, and have to pass through Customs/Immigration in the ordinary way...where there is a good chance their name will already be flagged to be detained.

[Ephraim]

It is my understanding that U.S. Direct is NOT a way around Canadian Customs/Immigration requirements. I believe travellers are pre-screened for eligibility when they request this service.

 

Those who are not eligible to enter Canada will be refused, and have to pass through Customs/Immigration in the ordinary way...where there is a good chance their name will already be flagged to be detained.

 

Not from my understanding, but you are free to call Canadian Border Services and ask. The are kept "in bond" the entire time. They are taken directly from the ship, never go through Canada customs and the bus is considered "in bond" until they get to the airport where they enter past US CBP. Canadian Border Services would have no interest in stopping someone unless there was an arrest warrant for them. They are, for all intents and purposes, never entering Canada.

[sapper1]

There was a story in the news a couple years back about a guy who came into the US from Canada. Guards searched his car and noticed a Machete with "a red substance " on it.

 

Beacause they didn't have the facilities to test what the "red substance" was and otherwise his papers were in order and he checked out OK. He was let in.

 

A day or so later it was reported that an elderly couple were found butcherd to death in their home in Canada and their neighbor (guess who????) was a prime suspect. He was a whack job (Ya think:)) and they had been having a long standing feud about property lines or something.

 

He eventually was caught in the US and brought back for trial. Don't remember hearing how that turned out.

 

Here is a link to the whole story on wikipedia. It was a very local and horrifying story for us. I remember a local newspaper story about a man who was being detained at the US border office (the one in question is little more than a little cabin type building) because he had a 20 year old pot possession record. He was watching in amazement as this guy with the bloody chain saw was questioned about all his weapons and then admitted to the US while he himself was denied entry.

As it turned out the US could not refuse to admit him because he had US citizenship. The border officials contacted the RCMP but at that time the bodies had not been discovered. The chainsaw guy had a court date on another charge that day but because at that time he was not late for court they could do nothing.-----It got a lot of press coverage. The guy even managed to hitchhike to the border with his bloody chainsaw. Things like that just never happen around here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gregory_Despres

[vossjemi]

Ok, just thought I'd post our experience for anyone going to Canada. DH was pulled over for DUI in May 04. We worked out a deal with the prosecutor for an SIS (pleads guilty but gets suspended imposition of sentence) in Sept 04. Basically, no conviction shows of record because if no new incidents occurred during period of 1 year probation, it was to become a closed record. A search of the courthouse records shows no conviction. Basically a public records search shows no conviction, but the driver's license record does show the 30 day license suspension because that is an administrative proceeding as opposed to a criminal proceeding and the license bureau NEVER takes that off. So, the incident itself was just over 5 years ago, but the SIS deal was just under 5 years so we worried that he wouldn't be allowed entry since technically he couldn't even be "deemed rehabilitated" per Canada rules requiring conviction or period of probation being more than 5 years ago.

 

Went to Niagara Falls this past weekend and stayed on US side. Walked across Rainbow Bridge into Canada twice. They scanned our passports into the computer. They asked a few simple questions...purpose of our visit, no weapons, how much $, but didn't ask anything about arrests/convictions. We were permitted entry into Canada both times no problems. I do not know if all the border patrol had access to was open records since his SIS is a closed record. Or if they did have access to his closed record but chose to ignore it since we were walking instead of driving. It turned out to be no big deal at least with the walking across.

[Toni's Mom]

A friend of ours and his wife flew into Vancouver to depart on a Princess Alaska cruise this June. He was denied entry into Canada because of a DUI 4 years ago and ended up flying back to Chicago while his wife cruised without him!

[bethaniesmom]

so, when does all this background checking happen?

we just came back from Alaska, leaving from Vancouver. We flew in to Seattle and took HAL transportation (a bus) to Vancouver. When we got to the border the driver gathered our immigration forms and took them inside, came back out, said that immigrations said to tell us "welcome to Canada" and we drove on...bypassing the 45 minute long line of cars! No one checked anything!

 

Beverly

[LHT28]

so, when does all this background checking happen?

we just came back from Alaska, leaving from Vancouver. We flew in to Seattle and took HAL transportation (a bus) to Vancouver. When we got to the border the driver gathered our immigration forms and took them inside, came back out, said that immigrations said to tell us "welcome to Canada" and we drove on...bypassing the 45 minute long line of cars! No one checked anything!

 

Beverly

Are you saying you have a record & got through?

[Laurab23]

So what about a DUI that was over 30 years ago and nothing criminal since?

[Putterdude]

So what about a DUI that was over 30 years ago and nothing criminal since?

 

You are deemed to be rehabilitated by Canada after 5 to 10 years...so no problem.

[Putterdude]

so, when does all this background checking happen?

we just came back from Alaska, leaving from Vancouver. We flew in to Seattle and took HAL transportation (a bus) to Vancouver. When we got to the border the driver gathered our immigration forms and took them inside, came back out, said that immigrations said to tell us "welcome to Canada" and we drove on...bypassing the 45 minute long line of cars! No one checked anything!

 

Beverly

 

Canadian customs likely knew from HAL who was coming thru, if there had been any issue they would have stopped you, in fact HAL would have probably been advised not to let you on the bus by customs.

[sk8teacher]

We went on the Voyage of the Vikings cruise on HAL which makes stops in Canadian ports. I had a DUI in 1983 and nothing since, so I was concerned about the possibility of not being able to leave the ship.

 

But I knew that up front so I didn't sign up for any excursions. As it turned out I didn't have any problems leaving the ship and had a very enjoyable time. Based on that I have to assume that because of the time frame and with no other instances on my record since that they considered my rehabilitated.

 

A search on CC however will provide instances where cruise passengers have been told that they could not leave the ship in Canadian ports because of "criminal" records.

 

As others have said, if there is any concern on your part, you really need to do the research and ask the questions to the proper authorities.

 

Cheers,

[G'ma]

I have been hearning about poeple with a minor criminal record (DWI) being refused entry to Canada while attempting to go on a cruise starting in Vancouver. Does anyone have the current rules for this or have had a problem in the past Thanks.:confused:

 

DWI is considered a felony in Canada and that charge would prevent entering that country. Here is some information:

 

http://www.recordgone.com/articles/entering_canada_criminal_record.htm

[falling723]

Does anybody have any updates to this? I'm planning a vacation with a small group of people. The Princess cruise leaves Whittier and debarks in Vancouver. We aren't planning on flying home, but renting a car at Canada Place and driving to Seattle right after picking up the car (the car is scheduled to be returned that very night). A friend in our group let me know that he has a misdemeanor record for shoplifting he got about 7 years ago.

 

Will Princess keep him from boarding in Whittier or will they just let Canadian Immigration deal with him in Vancouver? I'm hoping that if we show that we are intending on taking him directly to the U.S. from the ship that they'll let him through, but if he isn't allowed to board in Whittier there won't be any Canadian authorities to talk to. I've heard of people being able to pay a fee of about $200 to be let through one time, but he may not even be able to do that if he's rejected in Alaska. Anybody have some insight? Thanks...

[6rugrats]

Does anybody have any updates to this? I'm planning a vacation with a small group of people. The Princess cruise leaves Whittier and debarks in Vancouver. We aren't planning on flying home, but renting a car at Canada Place and driving to Seattle right after picking up the car (the car is scheduled to be returned that very night). A friend in our group let me know that he has a misdemeanor record for shoplifting he got about 7 years ago.

 

Will Princess keep him from boarding in Whittier or will they just let Canadian Immigration deal with him in Vancouver? I'm hoping that if we show that we are intending on taking him directly to the U.S. from the ship that they'll let him through, but if he isn't allowed to board in Whittier there won't be any Canadian authorities to talk to. I've heard of people being able to pay a fee of about $200 to be let through one time, but he may not even be able to do that if he's rejected in Alaska. Anybody have some insight? Thanks...

Nothing has changed with the law since this thread was started.

 

Have your friend start doing some research here:

http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/seattle/imm/inadmissible-interdiction.aspx?lang=eng&menu_id=63&menu=L

[falling723]

I am aware of those rules, but what we're wondering is if all passengers are run through the system prior to boarding or if they deal with Canada Immigration when arriving in port in Vancouver.

[6rugrats]

I am aware of those rules, but what we're wondering is if all passengers are run through the system prior to boarding or if they deal with Canada Immigration when arriving in port in Vancouver.

 

All passenger information is run through the system prior to boarding. Your friend could indeed be denied boarding in Whittier. No idea if he will be, but he needs to deal with this now, unless he wants to take the chance he will lose the money he paid for his cruise.

[elcuchio24]

I live in Maine, so I grew up jumping over the border pretty often. If you have a DWI/DUI in the past 5 years they will deny you entry. You can get around it, but must submit a ton of paperwork and get a special ID to cross.

 

On the flip side, I am talking about a person in a car crossing the border. They check you out pretty well. On a cruise ship with 3000+ guests getting off at the same time? My guess is they glance at your passport and say "welcome to canada! buy some maple syrup!"

[falling723]

OK. So Canada Border Services was finally called to get the scoop. If there is a question of inadmissibility you will be spoken to upon arrival in Vancouver. You would be allowed to cruise from Alaska to Vancouver (would not be blocked from boarding the ship). Just thought I'd share what we found out.

[mileena]

We went on the Voyage of the Vikings cruise on HAL which makes stops in Canadian ports. I had a DUI in 1983 and nothing since, so I was concerned about the possibility of not being able to leave the ship.

 

But I knew that up front so I didn't sign up for any excursions. As it turned out I didn't have any problems leaving the ship and had a very enjoyable time. Based on that I have to assume that because of the time frame and with no other instances on my record since that they considered my rehabilitated.

 

 

You assumption is wrong. People with DUI's from 30 years ago have been turned away at the border.

[mileena]

You are deemed to be rehabilitated by Canada after 5 to 10 years...so no problem.

 

This is incorrect. People with misdemeanors from 20 years ago have been turned around at the airport.

[mileena]

OK. So Canada Border Services was finally called to get the scoop. If there is a question of inadmissibility you will be spoken to upon arrival in Vancouver. You would be allowed to cruise from Alaska to Vancouver (would not be blocked from boarding the ship). Just thought I'd share what we found out.

 

Correct. The ship can only block you if you have current arrest warrants that show up, not for criminal record. If he has a record and they find out, they will deal with him appropriately at the Canadian port.

[mileena]

 

The US government has refused to accept pardons issued by the Canadian government. Because of this, Canada refused to accept pardons issued by the US government. There is unfortunately a lot of politics involved in this and reciprocity is the end result.

 

The bolded part is incorrect. Canada accepts all US pardons, but not vice-versa.

[cruiseryyc]

Mileena - this post is over a year old.