A U.S. Entry Waiver (Advanced Permission for Admissibility) is a document that allows people who have been convicted of a criminal offence to legally enter the U.S. You may have often passed through the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) after answering a few standard questions about your citizenship and the purpose of your trip. You have been lucky. It is becoming more common for U.S. immigration officers to ask for identification for the purpose of conducting a criminal record search.
Is a US Entry Waiver Right for me?
US Entry Waiver Details
If you must travel to the U.S. before your Canadian criminal record is pardoned or destroyed, you will need to apply for a U.S. Entry Waiver to legally enter. Essentially, you will be admitting and giving details about your criminal record to the U.S. federal government. If you have already been turned away at the border a U.S. Entry Waiver is essential for re-entry.
You will be required to submit fingerprints for certification to the RCMP. In addition to the basic application, there are supporting documents that Pardons Canada can help you acquire.
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If you have a criminal record, no matter how minor or how long ago you were charged, you may be refused entry to the U.S. Trying to enter the U.S. without declaring that you’ve been arrested, could result in permanent ineligibility or worse – detention.
Pardons Canada can help.
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Pardons Canada can help you determine the required next step, taking into account the date of your offence, the nature of your offence, current U.S. sentiment and practices, and your personal situation.
Attaining A US Entry Waiver Makes Crossing The Border Possible
You’ve decided to travel to the United States (USA) for a vacation. But, having a criminal conviction from your past can lead to being denied entry to the US. Without a US Entry waiver (I-194 or I-192), you face being turned back, and being made permanently ineligible for returning. Or worse, you may even be imprisoned. Even if you have been charged with a criminal offence and the charges were later dismissed, withdrawn, stayed or discharged, you could still be denied entry to the US as the Americans don’t recognize absolute or conditional discharges.
The experience of being denied entry can be humiliating. At this point, you will likely be notified that you will need to obtain a US Entry Waiver (I-192 or I-194) if you want to enter the US again. You might be fingerprinted, photographed and have your information downloaded to an FBI file, leading to further questioning.
A US entry waiver application is something you must do in order to travel to the United States if you have a criminal conviction from your past.
What Is A US Entry Waiver Application?
A U.S. Entry Waiver (Advanced Permission for Admissibility) is simply a document that allows someone who has been convicted of a criminal offence to legally enter the US.
If you need to travel to the United States before your Canadian criminal record is pardoned or destroyed, you must apply for a US Entry Waiver (I-192 or I-194) to legally enter – essentially admitting to your offence and providing the details about your criminal record to the US federal government.
Please be aware that you may have entered the US before by answering a few standard questions about the purpose of your trip. Since June 2009, the US has required every Canadian to have a passport to cross the border, making it easier than ever before to pull up criminal records. Therefore, applying for a US Waiver is a necessity, not an option, if you do not want to face serious legal consequences at the US border.
The US Entry Waiver Application Process
When completing your US Entry Waiver application, you will be required to submit fingerprints that will be certified by both the RCMP and the FBI. Beyond the basic US Waiver application, you can add a variety of other supporting documents that can make your application stronger.
Approval of your US Entry Waiver application is not a given. The more thoroughly and convincingly you make your case, the better your chance of having your US Waiver granted.
For your best chance at getting into the United States, you need the help of someone like the experienced team at Pardons Canada. We are a national non-profit organization that assists people in removing past criminal offences from public records and helping with US Entry Waivers.
The process of getting a US Waiver can be lengthy and complicated – you need proven experience on your side. To find out how we can help you get your US Entry Waiver, contact us today. At Pardons Canada, we have more than 32 years of experience in taking all of the necessary steps for removing criminal records, including: pardons/record suspensions, purges, photograph and fingerprint destruction, and US Entry Waivers.