A Pardon, or more specifically, a Canadian Criminal Pardon is an erasure of a criminal record in Canada granted by the Parole Board of Canada. It holds zero weight with the U.S. authorities and will not help with entry to the U.S.
A U.S. Entry Waiver is a document provided by the Department of Homeland Security that allows a non-U.S. citizen to enter the United States that was previously considered inadmissible.
The most common reason for inadmissibility is having a criminal record that involves crimes considered to be ‘Crimes Involving Moral Turpitude’ like theft/fraud/mischief/etc. The other types of crimes that make you inadmissible are drug charges, and aggravated/sexual assault charges.
Stayed Offences, Non-Convictions, Minor Convictions and Entering the United States
A Canadian citizen with minor criminal charges not considered to involve ‘Moral Turpitude’ may still be admissible to the U.S. Stayed offences and non-convictions shouldn’t prevent a Canadian citizen from entering because they weren’t found guilty. But, if they were to admit to committing offence in any way while being questioned by a USCBP agent, it doesn’t matter if they were convicted of it or not, they will need a waiver.
Do I Need a U.S. Waiver If I Was Denied Entry to The U.S.?
Not necessarily. It all depends on why you were denied entry. Consider this scenario: If a USCBP agent thought you might be staying for an illegal job at a previous crossing, but years later on making another crossing attempt and there is no reason for an agent to deny entry, a waiver wouldn’t be needed.
Being denied entry to the U.S. is alone not a fool-proof indicator if a person needs a U.S. Entry Waiver.
How Long is A U.S. Entry Waiver Valid For?
Waivers generally vary from 6 months to 5 years in length. The most common terms issued are for one year, three years, and five years. A typical waiver will allow for multiple visits to the United States. The good news is that it can be renewed prior to expiry allowing continuous access the U.S. How much Does a U.S. Entry Waiver Cost?
How much Does a U.S. Entry Waiver Cost?
US Customs and Border Protection have a $585.0 USD processing fee for each application. If you’d like assistance from a 3rd party such as us than they will have applicable fees for collecting records, etc.
Check Your U.S. Entry Waiver Eligibility
Mitch at Pardon Services offers a free confidential U.S. Entry Waiver eligibility consultation. To contact Mitch, call 204-453-0099 or use the contact form on this page. All consultations are private and always free of charge.