Montreal Record Suspension, U.S. Entry Waivers & File Destruction

Montreal is one of the great cities in Canada and the world, with a vibrant, multicultural population and plenty of opportunities for personal and professional growth. However, to make the most of what the city and the rest of the province have to offer, a clear permanent record is often required.

For some, the presence of a criminal conviction on a record has a huge negative impact. Finding jobs, settling down in a nice home, and even just travelling to the United States are all affected by a criminal record. We can help. Pardons Canada is a non-profit organization with expertise in record suspensions in Montreal, U.S. entry waivers, and file destruction, and we can assist you if you have these issues. Our assistance with Quebec record suspensions may be the leg up you need to take control of your life and steer it in the right direction.

The tem “pardon” got a name change in recent years to “record suspension,” but the function remains the same. When an application for a record suspension in Montreal is approved, the presence of any criminal record is purged from the Canadian Police Information Centre or CPIC.

This means that any new criminal background checks conducted on you by private citizens will show a clear file. The same is true if the American Customs & Border Patrol carries out a first-time search. Any job, rental agreement, or other application process that requires a clean record will now be easy and stress-free, knowing that the decision no longer hinges on the presence of a criminal conviction.

While it doesn’t happen to every single person arriving at an airport or driving to the border between the U.S. and Canada, background checks are 100% legal. At his or her discretion, a CBP officer can decide to conduct a background check. The presence of a criminal record gives that officer the right to deny entry to America permanently.

A U.S. entry waiver (I-192 or I-194)  is the only way to legally enter America again once a person has been marked as having a criminal record. Even a record suspension won’t be adequate since the presence of the criminal record is now in the CBP database, which is separate from the CPIC database. If you need to travel to America regularly but have a criminal record, Pardons Canada can help you successfully apply for U.S. entry waivers in Montreal.

While not every arrest and trial in court results in a criminal conviction, that doesn’t mean that you still have a clear record. In fact, even with a case dismissal, a case withdrawal, or an acquittal, the arrest and fingerprints are still on a permanent record, and this information is still accessible in any legal background check. 

File destruction in Montreal is a process that can remove your fingerprints and the details of the charge from the CPIC database for good. As if the incident never happened, it will no longer come up on criminal background checks. If you want these trace remnants removed from your permanent record, a file destruction request in Montreal can be your best chance at a clean slate.