Toronto Record Suspensions, U.S. Entry Waivers & File Destructions

Any Torontonian with a criminal record knows how it can negatively impact your life. Travel to the U.S. and other destinations can be difficult; you can lose out on valuable job opportunities, and it can make it hard to find a place to live. Even people who have been charged with a criminal offence in Toronto but not convicted can face some of these difficulties if the record of their arrest remains on file.

Pardons Canada is the leading authority on helping Canadians remove a past criminal offence from the public record. As a national non-profit organization, we have helped thousands of people get Pardons, Record Suspensions, U.S. Entry Waivers and File Destructions.

Formerly known as Pardons, Record Suspensions are the removal of a criminal offence from the Canadian Police Information Centre (CPIC) database, which is used for criminal record searches.

An individual can apply for a Toronto Record Suspension following a waiting period of between 5 and ten years following the sentence, depending upon the type of conviction. The determination of whether a Record Suspension will be granted is made by the Parole Board of Canada and can take between 6 and 12 months for them to process it.

Entry into the United States for anyone with a criminal record can be denied if U.S. customs does a search and uncovers the record. Subsequent attempts to enter the United States without a Toronto U.S. Entry Waiver could lead to the seizure of property, being detained for several hours, getting fingerprinted and handcuffed, and getting your airline ticket voided without the possibility of reimbursement.

While getting a Record Suspension is preferable, since it also eliminates many other difficulties associated with having a criminal record, if you need to travel to the U.S. before one can be granted, a U.S. Entry Waiver will be necessary. A request for a U.S. Entry Waiver gets reviewed by the INS and can take between 5 and 12 months to be processed. The preparation of your application package will also take time; therefore, it is best to start the process well in advance of your travel date.

People who have been charged and fingerprinted for a criminal offence that was subsequently withdrawn, dismissed or for which they were acquitted are often surprised to find that the record of the charge has shown up in a criminal search. If you were fingerprinted when you were charged, your fingerprint number, as well as police and court records, photos and details of the charge may remain on record. The effect of this can range from difficulty in traveling to missing out on possible employment opportunities, among others.

To prevent this from happening to you, you will need to request a Toronto File Destruction. A request can be sent to the RCMP and the local police agency that laid the charges five months after the charges have been withdrawn, dismissed or acquitted for review. Once approved, the fingerprints, photographs and details of the charge are destroyed and cannot be accessed again.

No matter if you’re looking for a File Destruction, a U.S. Entry Waiver or a Record Suspension, Pardons Canada is here to help you. Call us Monday to Friday between 8:30 AM and 5:00 PM at 1-877-929-6011. One of our expert counsellors will be glad to answer any questions you may have.