# Legal Issues That Temporarily Prevent US/Canada Border Crossing **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 8, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-issues-that-temporarily-prevent-us-canada-border-crossing/624552 "2012-06-08T20:42:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![fumster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9c0ed/32.png) [@fumster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fumster)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-issues-that-temporarily-prevent-us-canada-border-crossing/624552/1 "2012-06-08T20:42:11Z")
I’m working on a short story that requires someone to be prevented from crossing the US/Canadian border for 10 years or so and then being allowed to again. Would being on parole for a felony (or its equivalent) in Canada prohibit someone from entering the US? When they finished parole could they then enter the US again legally? Would a US citizen on parole in Canada be deported back to the US? ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-issues-that-temporarily-prevent-us-canada-border-crossing/624552/2 "2012-06-08T21:23:21Z")
Look up the conditions for a waiver; you write to the US consulate in Canada for them. Your hero could finally decide to apply for a waiver after being traumatized by being denied entry. IIRC, if you try to cross without one once you’ve been denied entry, you could be charged with a felony and arrested; so it’s not like he’d try and was denied entry every year. Unfortunately, the impediment to crossing is entirely arbitrary. There are not hard and fast rules. I know 2 people who were denied entry based on juvenile convictions, one at the age of almost 60 because he was somewhat rude (so I heard) to the customs officer. Meanwhile, people with serious convictions seem to visit the USA all the time - so who knows? ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-issues-that-temporarily-prevent-us-canada-border-crossing/624552/3 "2012-06-08T21:30:29Z")
Here’s some information from the Canadian government to start out with: > **[Find out if you’re inadmissible - Canada.ca](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/services/immigrate-canada/inadmissibility.html)** > > Find out if you’re inadmissible In terms of a US citizen being temporarily denied entry into Canada, it looks like a DUI would do it. If he has no other offenses then he might qualify for “deemed rehabilitation” after 10 years, though it looks like he could _apply_ for rehabilitation before then (whether he’d get it is anyone’s guess). Remember that immigration officials may have wide leeway to admit (waive inadmissibility) or deny based on other criteria. ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-issues-that-temporarily-prevent-us-canada-border-crossing/624552/4 "2012-06-08T21:40:32Z")
Oops, sorry - going INTO Canada? I’m not aware that a lot of people get blocked, since they are not as picky as the US; a DUI will prevent Canada from approving you for NEXUS, the fast-pass system; but not the US. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2012, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-issues-that-temporarily-prevent-us-canada-border-crossing/624552/5 "2012-06-08T22:33:06Z")
> [@md2000](#): > > Unfortunately, the impediment to crossing is entirely arbitrary. There are not hard and fast rules. I know 2 people who were denied entry based on juvenile convictions… And how! I am convinced that they need to turn a few people around a day to make themselves look good, and will get people to admit to very minor, ancient offenses (that they couldn’t possibly have any documentation) and then deny them entry. For a country full of hunters and drunks, Canada doesn’t seem to like firearms or drinking related offenses. Do your own research… They are all a bunch of chili-holes up there. ---
**Author:** ![Hari\_Seldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hari_seldon/32/5173_2.png) [@Hari\_Seldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hari_Seldon)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-issues-that-temporarily-prevent-us-canada-border-crossing/624552/6 "2012-06-09T01:22:36Z")
Pierre Trudeau was once denied entry to the US because someone decided he was a Commie or something. Some think that that is why when he became Prime Minister, he opened the border to American draft dodgers. I am not certain of that; did the border suddenly open when he became PM? ---
**Author:** ![Donnerwetter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b2d939/32.png) [@Donnerwetter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Donnerwetter)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 8:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-issues-that-temporarily-prevent-us-canada-border-crossing/624552/7 "2012-06-09T08:30:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Canadian professor denied US entry for taking LSD in 1967 > > Vann sez, "Vancouver psychotherapist Andrew Feldmar has been barred from entering the United States. The reason? During a random stop-and-search at a US/Canadian border crossing, a Google search of his name led to his article from the Spring 2001 ‘Janus Head: Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature, Continental Philosophy, Phenomenological Psychology, and the Arts.’ In it Feldmar describes two acid trips he took under the supervision of his graduate advisor in psychology – in 1967. This turns out to have been enough to earn him a life-time ban under the grounds of ‘admitted drug use.’ > "Feldmar _was_ told he could apply for a waiver, and that after a year, and at a cost of around $3,500, he had a ‘90% chance’ of its being granted. > > “Oh – and he’d have to go through the process each time he wanted to travel to the US.” > **[Canadian professor denied US entry for taking LSD in 1967](https://boingboing.net/2007/04/24/canadian-professor-d.html)** > > Vann sez, "Vancouver psychotherapist Andrew Feldmar has been barred from entering the United States. The reason? During a random stop-and-search at a US/Canadian border crossing, a Google search of his… ---
**Author:** ![md2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-issues-that-temporarily-prevent-us-canada-border-crossing/624552/8 "2012-06-09T11:31:12Z")
Farley Mowat, famous Canadian author and peace activist, was once quoted in an interview as saying he’d like to get his rifle and take a few shots at US B52’s that flew over Newfoundland (obvious hyperbole about an airplane at 40,000 feet). He was denied entry into the USA when it was time to promote a film Disney made from his book “Never Cry Wolf”. The US administration would not actually say why they denied him entry. The resulting world-wide criticism caused the Reagan administration to allow him one visit for the film promotion; he turned them down since he said the “one visit” offer was insulting. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 9, 2012, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/legal-issues-that-temporarily-prevent-us-canada-border-crossing/624552/9 "2012-06-09T16:51:56Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > And how! I am convinced that they need to turn a few people around a day to make themselves look good, and will get people to admit to very minor, ancient offenses (that they couldn’t possibly have any documentation) and then deny them entry. > > For a country full of hunters and drunks, Canada doesn’t seem to like firearms or drinking related offenses. Do your own research… > > They are all a bunch of chili-holes up there. **Moderator Note** **Gatepescado** , political jabs are not permitted in GQ. No warning issued, but don’t do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator