If you're in the airport, I believe you'd just not be able to leave and enter the country. If your plane had mechanical issues and there was a new flight scheduled, you'd just stay in the airport and go on the next flight.

Canada has this rule? Canada? The whole country is wasted.

This is all documented on the government websites for both US and Canada. No need to hypothesize.

What you can do
Depending on the crime, how long ago it was and how you have behaved since, you may still be allowed to come to Canada, if you:

convince an immigration officer that you meet the legal terms to be deemed rehabilitated, or
applied for rehabilitation and were approved, or
were granted a record suspension or
have a temporary resident permit.
https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility/overcome-criminal-convictions.html#a1

Otherwise, they might just make you stay in the terminal.

I had a super cranky immigration officer in Sweden almost deny my family entry for a night we were planning on spending there on a long layover. She tried to get my young kids and husband to sleep on the airport floor since we didn't technically *need* to leave our transit area. I had to show documentation of the hotel we had reserved, as well as explain to her in very detailed terms how even though the hotel's check out time was 11am, we would be leaving at 6am in order to catch our flight. I've also had officers in many countries just stamp my passport with nary a question at all. (I have no criminal history of any kind, ftr).

Basically, in many cases you're subject to the whims of the immigration officer and they could either say "that was 20 years ago and you meet our criteria to be deemed rehabilitated" or "you don't, sleep on the floor."

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is this a self-declared thing, or does Canada immigration have access to US (and worldwide?) criminal records? I can’t imagine that there is this level of international cooperation - maybe between the US and Canada but not the rest of the world

US and Canada are part of "Five Eyes" and share intelligence. But lowly DUIs may not always make it up from the local police to the national databases that are shared with Canada.

I’m from another 5 Eyes country but have never heard of this level of cooperation for such small crimes. Not that it’s a bad idea, I’m just really surprised by it

This happens all the time in Europe. You get people flying from Asia (India and Middle East in particular) to US or Canada via Europe. They don't have a Shengen visa. The plane makes an unexpeted landing in Europe, necessitating an overnight while the issue is addressed. They put them in up in the airport -- some have a holding area, or just use the gate area.

With Canada and DUIs, CBSA (Canada immigration) can waive rules in an emergency situation.

Also if you do have a DUI and want to enter Canada, you just need to apply for permission in advance and it's usually granted.

Anonymous wrote:Is this a self-declared thing, or does Canada immigration have access to US (and worldwide?) criminal records? I can’t imagine that there is this level of international cooperation - maybe between the US and Canada but not the rest of the world

US and Canada are part of "Five Eyes" and share intelligence. But lowly DUIs may not always make it up from the local police to the national databases that are shared with Canada.

Hah, I had to be rerouted to Gander once.

I wouldn't worry about it. It's not like you were trying to enter Canada.

Is this a self-declared thing, or does Canada immigration have access to US (and worldwide?) criminal records? I can’t imagine that there is this level of international cooperation - maybe between the US and Canada but not the rest of the world

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re fine. It was 2003. I believe they consider you rehabilitated after 10 years. At the 5 year point after your sentence is complete (so whatever probation/jail time), you can apply to get a rehabilitation waiver to cross into Canada. Anything more recent and you’re SOL.

Canadian border agents do have access to these records though!!

Yes, this! A little more info - OP you are not banned from Canada for life. More than 10 years have passed and you can enter Canada just as you would had you never got convicted. You don’t need to apply for any waiver because your dui was prior to 2018.

If it was in 2018 or beyond, you’d have to apply for the waiver even when 10 years have passed.

So go to Canada! The Canadian Rockies have some of the most beautiful scenery in the world!

NP

Nope. Wrong.

Unless OP applies for the TRP and receives it ($350 each app, btw) it IS a lifetime ban on entry.


The US is the only first world nation that lets people with criminal records stroll unchecked across its border. Canada doesn’t put up with that stuff.

This is patently untrue. A friend of mine who leads a rather Paris Hilton (late 90s not now) lifestyle visited us in London this summer and has traveled throughout Europe numerous times. She has multiple DUIs and drug run ins. Why I am friends with her is another matter, but she has no problems with immigration control at “first world countries”.

Anonymous wrote:Is this a new law? My husband has a DUI conviction and served a few months in jail for it (play stupid games, win stupid prizes) and had no trouble entering Canada on more than one occasion. This was a while ago, and within 10 years of his conviction.

It’s new in that it became a much more serious crime in Canada in 2018. Hence, if you have a dui conviction prior to 2018, and 10 years have passed, you can enter Canada. Otherwise, you are going to have issues. I traveled to Canada in 2019 with my dad who has a dui from 1999 and he got in, no issues.

Is this a new law? My husband has a DUI conviction and served a few months in jail for it (play stupid games, win stupid prizes) and had no trouble entering Canada on more than one occasion. This was a while ago, and within 10 years of his conviction.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They will not let you in. You will need to turn around and go home.

Correct. I’ve seen this numerous times with tour busses (I worked as an interpreter during college) crossing from Niagara Falls. Invariably, if it was an American tour group, at least one person on the bus would be forced off and sent on their way elsewhere as the bus continued on with the tour.

Oddly, I have NEVER seen a non-American denied entry for a DUI - only Americans seemed to ever admit to them. And I seriously doubt that Americans are the only people that ever drive drunk. I guess literally the whole rest of the world just lies about it.

I don’t think so. In the UK and Europe drink-driving is much more serious. I don’t know anyone in my social circle that ever did it. In the US it is, if not fully socially acceptable, at least a lot less anathema than in the UK.

Anonymous wrote:This is exactly what happened to those Israeli kids in Tehran (the series). Much higher stakes, admittedly. But same concept.

Those of you being dismissive of this concern are liable to end up face down in the toilet in some third world prison one day. Keep your head on a swivel.

You know what's great about third world countries? Immigration officials can usually be bribed. Makes jail less likely.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You’re fine. It was 2003. I believe they consider you rehabilitated after 10 years. At the 5 year point after your sentence is complete (so whatever probation/jail time), you can apply to get a rehabilitation waiver to cross into Canada. Anything more recent and you’re SOL.

Canadian border agents do have access to these records though!!

Yes, this! A little more info - OP you are not banned from Canada for life. More than 10 years have passed and you can enter Canada just as you would had you never got convicted. You don’t need to apply for any waiver because your dui was prior to 2018.

If it was in 2018 or beyond, you’d have to apply for the waiver even when 10 years have passed.

So go to Canada! The Canadian Rockies have some of the most beautiful scenery in the world!

They do indeed! I remember them well. I hope I get to see them again some day. Not enough people from the US do. Many more asian tourists than US tourists there.