Buyer beware: US entry waiver service providers

The first time you're refused entry at a US border crossing you are inevitably in transit for some crucial business meeting. Or perhaps it is for a personal event like a family vacation or other personal related matter. Either way, it's frustrating often sometimes embarrassing that you didn't get to your US destination.

US I-194 waiver – it's like the 'get out of jail free' card from monopoly – the golden ticket!

You call the US consulate in Toronto, Vancouver, or maybe the US embassy in Ottawa. They tell you that you'll need something called a 'US entry waiver'. An 'I-194 waiver' to be precise. In a panic you Google 'US waiver' and ultimately stumble on 1 of a growing number of US entry waiver service providers who charge a fee, so the US GOV'T can 'process your waiver faster'. You reach out to them and become hopeful when they council you about your eligibility for an I-194 waiver of inadmissibility. You are relieved when you hear them say they can process it quickly within 90 days, or even quicker with an extra fee so DHS can processes it faster.

It's a legal issue so you feel content knowing you have the best lawyers acting on your behalf. In your mind it's like a will and testament, or a mortgage. It's something you shouldn't try to tackle yourself. The representative for the waiver service provider tells you they'll send a package in the mail and within a few days you receive the package.

Inside, are a bunch of legal documents and a task list with steps. One of the first steps asks you to complete something called a C-216C form with the RCMP, with locations for fingerprint offices. There is an extra fee of approximately $25 CDN (you may or may not have been aware of this extra fee). Fortunately you are close to an electronic finger print facility and within a week or two you receive the completed C-216C in the mail. On to the next step...

The task list next asks you to complete a personal statement in your own words. If you are inadmissible because of a criminal conviction the statement you write includes circumstances of each arrest, conviction and the sentence or fine imposed and a description explaining how you have been reformed or rehabilitated, such as counselling, current employment, marriage or community service. It may have been a long time since your conviction and the circumstances may be cloudy but you drill through and complete step two in the task list. On to step three...

You might be asked to get court records, or perhaps they'll do it for you. Either way, there is an additional fee which you may or may not have known about. Retrieving court records can take time, sometimes depending on how many convictions it could take months. You are lucky because it takes only a few weeks to get yours. At this point you review the task list to see that the first three steps have taken between 3 and 4 weeks.

Step four and five have you completing the G-325A and I-192 waiver forms (both need to be completed solely by the individual applying for the waiver). Filling out these forms is tedious and often confusing and you are starting to wonder why you paid these lawyers all this money when you had to do all the work by yourself. Catching on?

The final step is to make an appointment at a border or pre-clearance facility. You discover that you will need to attend alone (without the lawyer) and you are asked to bring $585 CDN for the waiver application processing (you knew about this fee as the waiver service provider guy described it in the task list).

So the day has come, you show up to meet the border guards and process your waiver. You find that you aren't alone. There are 2 or 3 others also having the same waiver applications processed. While waiting you get to chat with them. You discover that you all have similar circumstances, with one exception: they did not pay a US entry waiver service provider hundreds of extra dollars to expedite their waiver but you did. You might still feel content, thinking that your waiver should be processed quicker (in fact, it won't be).

What they paid? Less than you... The look on your face? Priceless.