Come February 2010, hordes of visitors will flock towards Canada, eager to see the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, British Columbia. Packing lists, event tickets, hotel accommodations, and other typical planning matters will be in the front of everyone's minds. But has anyone given thought to whether than can actually get INTO Canada? I've got some information that can help you figure out if your past (sordid or otherwise) will keep you from seeing your favorite winter sports in 2010.
As someone with a clear background, I've never given any thought as to whether I might be able to enter a country when I'm traveling. But, after reading this heart-wrenching article in the Seattle Times, I couldn't help but think about the consequences of Canada's immigration laws for uninformed travelers trying to come see the Olympics.
What, exactly, are the types of crimes that can keep you out of Canada? Besides the obvious, war cimes and terrorism, alomst any serious criminal offense on your record can render you "criminally inadmissible." The most common offense I've seen referenced is a DUI/DWI conviction, but some sources report that something as little as a shoplifting conviction can revoke your Canadian access.
Ok, let's say that you've got something on your record that will prevent you from crossing the Canadian border. What can you do? If your conviction, and subsequent completion of your sentence, is recent (within 5 years), you're pretty much out of luck. If it's been more than 10 years since completing your sentence, you can be judged by an immigration official to be rehabilitated under a system called deemed rehabilitation, and able to cross the border freely. But if it's been more than 5 years but fewer than 10 years, you'll need to seek "rehabilitation" under Canadian law. Essentially that means that you have to jump through some major hoops to be even considered: you'll need to file some paperwork, take and submit passport size photos, get proof of your clearance from the police & FBI (if you live in the US), and shell out 200-1000 dollars for fees. (Keep in mind, that simply filing won't guarantee acceptance, and it can take up to a year to be processed.) If you're accepted, however, you won't have to answer to the Canadian government again and should be able to cross the border freely. So, before you go and shell out money for those tickets to Vancouver, dig through the skeletons in your closet and figure out if the fine folks of Canada will have you.
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