# A Canadian's first trip to the US - what to expect?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-canadians-first-trip-to-the-us-what-to-expect/233559>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [March 10, 2004, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-canadians-first-trip-to-the-us-what-to-expect/233559 "2004-03-10T22:33:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![5cents](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/46a35a/32.png) [@5cents](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5cents)\
**Post date:** [March 14, 2004, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-canadians-first-trip-to-the-us-what-to-expect/233559/41 "2004-03-14T02:33:10Z")

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> [@gbrohman](#):
>
> One dumb-ass I know said yes, after being heckled by the agent, and said he had been arrested for a misdemeanor assault. Well he got to jump out of the car catch a ride back home, as Canada refused his entry. What also is asked is for D W I"s, and there is no way you will cross the boarder then. I don’t think US customs cares if anyone has a DWI or other such misdemeanor.
> 
> Can the Canadian customs search US court records?  
> Will lying get you through if you have a past?

The US has [Classes of Aliens Ineligible to Receive Visas](http://travel.state.gov/visa;ineligible.html), Canada has [Rules for Inadmissibility](http://www.cic.gc.ca/manuals-guides/english/enf/enf01e.pdf). Boils down to the same thing - if you have done some things, you can’t come in, although if you tell us in advance we might give you a waiver.

The reason dumb-ass was refused entry probably is:

> [@](#):
>
> having been convicted outside Canada of an offence that, if committed  
> in Canada, would constitute an indictable offence under an Act of  
> Parliament, or of two offences not arising out of a single occurrence  
> that, if committed in Canada, would constitute offences under an Act of  
> Parliament  
> A36(2)(b)

or, more likely (since you didn’t mention conviction)

> [@](#):
>
> committing an act outside Canada that is an offence in the place where  
> it was committed and that, if committed in Canada, would constitute an  
> indictable offence under an Act of Parliament  
> A36(2)(c)

Note that “Act of Parliament” generally means in this case “a criminal law”. In Canada, only the federal government can pass criminal laws. And there is no such thing as a misdemeanor in Canada, so in Canadian terms, dumb-ass was picked up for criminal assault.

As for your other questions:  
[ul]  
[li]Yes, the US does care (check the cite). If you want to make sure you’ll never get in, smoke a doobie.[/li][li]Yes, court records are public record. However, I doubt Canada Customs has US court records handy when they are talking to you.[/li][li]Yes, you can lie, and you’ll probably get in. However, if you get caught doing this, you’ll be blacklisted and never get back in.[/li][/ul]

Maybe Dubya hasn’t visited Canada because of his DUI arrest? 🙂

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