kathomps

I'm not sure where this thread is supposed to go, but I will be bowhunting on this trip if I can go. Anyways, a couple months back, I was invited to go on a black bear hunt in Canada in May, which obviously, I was excited to have the opportunity. Then about a week ago one of my friends in the group somehow found out that if you have a dui on your record in the past 10 years, it is very difficult to enter the country. I, very stupidly, got a dui 3 years ago. Now since I found this out, I feel pretty helpless and demotivated about the whole thing. I know I have no one to blame for this but myself, so I'm not looking for any sympathy. But I would like to know if anyone has had a similar experience and is there any feasible way around this so I can get into Canada?

The Rev

I think I would drop an email to the Canadian Customs Immigration Department and just ask a simple question.

AF Hunter

I doubt very seriously that the border officials are checking everyone's criminal history as they cross the border. You can check if you want, but I think your friend was pulling your leg.

SouthDakotaHunter

A buddy from work went (tried actually) on a fishing trip several years ago to Canada and his brother got turned away at the border because of a DUI. Don't know all the circumstances but sounded like he looked into it and I believe there was some type of process to get a 'pardon', waiver or whatever they call it in Canada - but had to be X number of years ago etc etc - sounded like a hassle to him so he just dropped it. Now if they go on a fishing trip with his brother that has the DUI they pick a destination state side.

I would certainly check into it before you get to far into planning for the trip...



http://www.tripadvisor.com/Travel-g1...nvictions.html

"Thinking about traveling to Canada? You'd better reconsider if you have been convicted of DWI or DUI (Driving While Impaired or Driving Under the Influence) within the last ten years. Any type of impaired driving offence is considered the equivalent to the Canadian Criminal Code offence of impaired driving. This includes misdemeanor convictions. Canadian law considers impaired driving to be a serious offence... "

GMMAT

I travel over the border a couple times/yr and have for several years, now.

Never once have they looked at or asked for anything other than our passports. I wouldn't worry about this at all.

Krypt Keeper

Like mentioned they don't check everyone, but I would call and ask what you can do. They will ask why you are visiting and the moment you say "hunting" your going to be searched.

I remember yrs ago around 1991, before I had a drivers license they wanted to deny me entry cause I didn't have photo ID. Had other info just no photo ID.. I was 12 yrs ago and yet they couldn't figure out why I didn't have a drivers license.

Fieldmouse

Wow, that's news to me. Maybe that's why I use my forged documentation when I enter Canada. it shows I'm a Muslim from Yemen and I get in right away.

Don't think they don't check your stuff. There is this thing called a computer. Perhaps you may have heard about them. When you hand them your passport, it gets scanned into the system.

GMMAT

Unless that computer's in his head, I'm telling you they don't check every passport - every time.

Like I said, we fly into Buffalo...and our CA friends drive across to pick us up. We drive across the Canadian/US border at least 4X/yr. (twice - each way).

Could he be punching in our passport numbers as he's talking with us? I suppose. But, I'm also pretty sure they have bar codes on them (would seem a lot simpler to scan them).

AF Hunter

When your passport is scanned at the border, it checks to see if you are on a terrorist list and if you have any wants/warrants out for you. It DOES NOT pull up your criminal history for DUI's etc. In order for a criminal history to be pulled there has to be probable cause that you are involved in criminal activity.

kathomps

Well I know now for a fact that they do check your criminal history because I have had people tell me first hand that some have been turned away at the border with dui's that didnt know about the laws before they drove all the way up there. The only way they were let through was by filling out a set of $200 temporary citizenship forms, which is basically just a bribe. And Ive heard that even with those forms, you are still under the discretion of the border officer whether you get in or not.