Yes, you can travel to the USA with a criminal record. You may already be eligible or you may need to apply for a waiver. The US takes its border security very seriously. If you have been denied entry to the U.S. once because of a criminal record, you will be denied again. You risk having your car seized and may be detained in the US These same risks also apply to anyone you are travelling with. Even if you are pardoned in Canada, you can still face barriers in the US because of a criminal record.
In order to eliminate the risks of entering the United States with a criminal record, you can apply for a US Entry Waiver. This document, provided by the Department of Homeland Security, overrides the personal discretion of border security officers. It is issued for a set period of time and allows you to cross the border into the US.
In most cases a DUI, will not prevent travel to the US. There are some other offences that will not require a waiver. If you are considering entering the US with a criminal record, contact us for a free consultation.
There are many reasons you may choose to travel to the U.S., including business, work and vacation. Not being able to make these trips because of an old criminal conviction is not only harmful to your working life, but it’s also embarrassing. You can take steps to get an entry waiver that will ensure you can go cross without worry.