Crossing the border into Canada

[Fishbone†]

My Dfiance is planning a fishing trip into Canada this summer. He got a DWI 14 years ago, and while it’s no longer on his record here (it was his first offense and his record is completely clean since), I read somewhere that they have access to records at the border up to 20 years back, and that this may prevent him from crossing into Canada. Does anyone know if this is true, or what the probability of this is?? Has anyone had any experience with this?

He’s been running into various obstacles and plans falling apart for one silly reason (family illness, work overload, people backing out, etc) or another lately, and I was just hoping one exciting thing would go smoothly for him. He’s so excited about this trip, and I know he’s going to have the time of his life….. I would hate for any show-stopping surprises to pop up.

Thank you!!!

 

[golfgal]

I don't know if they have records or not but an old DWI isn't going to be an issue most likely. Does he have a passport though? He will need one now.

 

[Fishbone†]

He is getting a passport – just for the ease of it, and because he’ll need one eventually, but actually, the need for one doesn’t go in effect until the end of December 2006.

 

[kbkids]

Don't know for sure, but heard that it could be a problem. What I want to know, is how is it no longer on his record? I've always been told that you can't seal those records, that it's always going to show up.

 

[monsterkitty]

Yes, it will be a problem.

Last summer my uncles and their fishing buddies made their annual fishing trek to Canada. My oldest uncle is 60 and was not allowed to cross because he was cited for reckless driving when he was 16. (He was driving a truck in a parking lot and his friends were in the back with lassos trying to lasso friends doing the same thing in another truck. His friend in the other truck was 17 and was arrested for a DUI. Both were turned away from the border.

This shows two things: they are going back more than 20 years; and the they are looking at records that should have been sealed because both were under the age of 18 at the time of their crimes.

 

[Rajah]

You're kidding me...

They're turning vacationing people away from *one* driving incident 15+ years ago with an otherwise clean record? That's insane.

 

[Fishbone†]

It was a third-degree DWI (which is the least severe of the three degrees of DWIs), and is punishable as a misdemeanor. In Minnesota, at least, unless it’s a felony DWI, it should clear off your record after 10 years. That’s my understanding anyway. I don’t know a ton about it, as I’ve never needed to…. Until now.

 

[damo]

You need to call the authorities to have it checked out. Don't trust the opinions of anyone here when it comes to something that can ruin your vacation. You can't cross the border either way with a criminal record but from what I have heard, you can obtain a letter of permission if you do it enough in advance.

 

[declansdad]

You're kidding me...

They're turning vacationing people away from *one* driving incident 15+ years ago with an otherwise clean record? That's insane.

I have heard of the same thing of people crossing the other way into the US.