If you are interested in traveling to Canada with a felony, you may be wondering if it’s even possible. After all, the United States and Canada have very different values and criminal justice systems, so some rules that apply in one country might not apply in the other, right? The answer is yes… and no. It all depends on which type of felony you have been convicted of and how long ago you were convicted, among other factors.
Who can be denied entry into Canada
Even for those who have never been convicted of a crime, being denied entry into Canada is a real possibility. If you have committed or been charged with a criminal offense in any country, even one from years ago, you may be considered inadmissible to Canada. This includes an arrest that didn’t result in a conviction. It’s also possible for people with criminal convictions to enter Canada; it just depends on your specific situation and how much time has passed since your conviction or charge. (Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada)
Which types of crimes will prevent me from visiting Canada
Most crimes that involve moral turpitude or CIMTs will prevent you from entering Canada. This includes crimes like homicide, rape, assault, and DUI. Some low-level crimes like minor drug possession or shoplifting are also CIMTs. Usually, it’s not possible to visit Canada if you’ve been convicted of a felony in any country (including US states). But it depends on what country you committed your crime in. For example, some countries don’t have data sharing agreements with Canadian officials. If that’s true for your country of origin and you were convicted of a misdemeanor there (e.g., disorderly conduct), then getting into Canada shouldn’t be an issue.
How to find out if you have criminal inadmissibility to Canada
If you’re a Canadian citizen and you want to travel to Canada, you may need to apply for criminal rehabilitation. Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC) gives pardoned people with criminal records permission to enter or stay in Canada. Read on for tips about applying for criminal rehabilitation, how long it takes and what type of record qualifies. How long does it take? You can’t know exactly how long your application will take because CIC processes applications in order of receipt.
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If you have a criminal record, it is possible that you will be denied entry at a U.S. border crossing. Whether you are crossing by air or land, if you have been convicted of certain crimes, your entry into Canada may be restricted or even prohibited. Even Canadians with a criminal record can apply for entry authorization if they want to travel across their shared border for family reasons, business purposes or tourism. Every Canadian criminal record contains a record suspension (formerly known as pardon) which removes certain convictions from your file so that law enforcement agencies in both countries don’t see them when you cross back and forth between our two countries.
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