US Waiver for Canadians

Here are the most recent steps to apply for the I-194 waiver  (advance permission to enter the United States)  after being denied entry to the US because of a criminal record. Find your  local fingerprint office  (call to see if you need an appointment). Bring your passport, photo identification that shows your address (driver's licence for example) and approximately  $25 CDN (call to confirm, most places seem to accept debit / credit cards). RCMP is now processing  electronically captured fingerprints  only. Wait about 1 week ( current processing time on the RCMP website is 3 business days ). When you receive your completed C-216C from the RCMP ensure it includes the fingerprint chart with a date stamp and the documentation related to your conviction and disposition. Complete a personal statement regarding your intended activities in the US. Don't forget to specify if your travel intentions are for business (B1 visa), or pleasure (B2), and/or bot...

Waiver of inadmissibility or not, being denied entry to the US can happen to anyone. Understanding how bad things can go, properly ensuring you have appropriate documentation and clear intent on your visit is paramount. Keep in mind, traveling from Canada to the US is a privilege not a right, and US border guards have complete jurisdiction on whether or not you are allowed to visit the United States of America. Simply crossing the border with fruit , can get you refused (trust me, this happens – I've actually seen someone get pulled into secondary because they had an orange in their hand) . B1 / B2 visa primer Visiting the US for business or pleasure is really more complicated than it appears. When you arrive at the border and fill out that blue card, you are in essence, completing a US visa application. There are 2 main types of American visas that are commonly issued for US travel (determined at the actual border or pre-clearance facility for us Canadians) . The first is c...