No matter how big or small the crime, Canada is quite strict when it comes to immigration rules for those who commit criminal offenses. In fact, entering the United States is a lot easier when compared to entering Canada. Regardless if the crime occurred several years ago or merely a couple of days, anyone with a criminal background will have difficulty entering the country. Many incidents have happened wherein people weren’t permitted entry either justifiably or wrongly. This is why if you are considering going to Canada, you may want to consult with an experienced immigration lawyer and discover if you will be given permission to enter the country or not. These are some tips to keep in mind:
• There are those who have a criminal background check performed to know if they have a spotless record, or a case that they might not know about.
• There is a chance that Canadian immigration officers won’t have a clue to your background cases unless of course you have a record with Interpol.
• If you choose to be honest and speak of small violations you’ve had in the past such as littering, there is still a chance that you will be deported. Make it a point that you don’t litter when in Canada.
• If your origin country is the UK, then a good thing to know is that crime based records aren’t shared with these 2 countries.
Below are a few actual issues that have denied people access into the country.
• DUI - Driving Under the Influence
o Really this situation can happen to anyone. Driving back home drunk after a party may lead you to get caught by the police and even booked. Don’t forget that matters such as these could easily be leaked to the immigration officers. One couple was denied access into Canada after 8 years of moving between borders. The security denied them access into the country because of a DUI incident of the husband, which is an incident that took place 30 years ago.
o Also, another recent story was when a father and son were denied entry at the border due to a DUI the father had at 14 years old.
This is why if you are thinking about going into Canada, then you should get in touch with an immigration law firm to find out if you will be allowed entry into the country. Most immigration attorneys especially the ones available on this website are highly experienced and will give you information on if your qualifications are suitable to enter the country or not. To do this, you will be required to take an assessment exam that will get details on your personal life, job, and past criminal records. After the test, the immigration lawyers will let you know how to go about having a record regardless of the severity. If you want to go into the country as a tourist, then you may also want to get a Temporary Resident Permit. When the immigration attorney has all your documents ready, you can easily go into the country as a student, go for vacation, or for business trips. Even then, keep in mind that there are still instances that you may be denied at the border.
