US Waiver for Canadians

The Admissibility Review Office (ARO) located in the Washington, DC area and a department within Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has been the sole agency adjudicating I-192 waiver applications since 2005. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) created the ARO in an effort to achieve consistency in the adjudication of all nonimmigrant waivers ( CBP Memorandum from March 22, 2005 ). Processing times Application processing for the I-192 waiver can vary from case to case. AROs goal is to process each application within 120-180 days of the filing date, but there are many cases in which the processing period is much longer. The delay is not always with the ARO, but sometimes with other federal agencies responding to the necessary background and security checks (often referred to as secondary security checks). First time waiver applications usually involve the longest processing time with subsequent waiver applications being completed much quicker – often within 90-120 days. Recentl...

Expect to have your pot record expunged once marijuana is legalized? Think again. Why? Well, when someone is charged with a crime, the laws in place at the time of the offence dictate how that individual will be punished if convicted. An exception is outlined in Section 11(i) of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms : “Any person charged with an offence has the right . . . if found guilty of the offence and if the punishment for the offence has been varied between the time of commission and the time of sentencing to the benefit of the lesser punishment.” The Charter says nothing about granting amnesty to a convicted individual whose offence later ceases to be a crime. That’s why, if marijuana is legalized in Canada, the legislation will probably not come with an amendment that allows all those previously convicted of possession of marijuana to be pardoned and have their criminal records expunged. Tens of thousands of Canadians are charged with possession each year. Pardons woul...

You can be refused US entry due to a past drug conviction or simply for admitting to have done drugs in your past. The current US border policies are long overdue for an update. As this article points out: "There's no reason to believe America is safer when we exclude or harass foreigners who are honest about drug use—and that's the only thing this policy achieves." Read the complete story: Why is it Still Illegal to Visit the US if You Admit to Using Drugs?

Whether denied entry to the US because of an overstay, criminal record or other reason, the visa application is often unnecessarily bureaucratic. The following is list of important reference links that will hopefully assist you in successfully being permitted into the US for travel. Forms: I-192 waiver application   G-325A, Biographic Information   RCMP fingerprint form C-216C (info site)   All other US Immigration forms   Background information about the  United States Waiver of Inadmissibility (Wikipedia) Do you actually need it? US waiver inadmissibility decision chart Discuss your application:  I-194 Waiver forum   Ask a question, get an answer  

Not YouTube Everyone who reads this blog already knows that you don't need a lawyer to get an I-194 US waiver. The application and interview – although bureaucratic – is something you can do yourself. Well, it's the same with a Record Suspension (formally called a Pardon) and the Parole Board of Canada (PBC) is doing their best to teach the public this important fact. The Parole Board of Canada on YouTube Last February the PBC created a YouTube channel that already has a surprisingly good list of helpful content. While not recognized by the US , it's still quite obvious that getting a Record Suspension is a good idea. If you've started your application and need some help, PBC has created this short 4 minute video " Tips for completing a Record Suspension Application ". The main point PBC is trying to share is that you don't need a pardon services company to make an application for a Record Suspension. To emphasize this point, PBC has even crea...

I flew down with family during the holiday from Ottawa to St Petersburg, Florida and stayed through January 1st. Although it was Christmas break, customs and border protection seemed to be lightly staffed as we were the last flight of the day heading to the US. As with all other times – when travelling with my wife and children – we were not passed on to secondary screening. Once the border officer had taken my digital fingerprints and mug shot we were sent on our way. Quite painless. Total time through customs was less than 5 minutes. Of note, Ottawa pre clearance has not yet implemented the  automated passport control systems  which have been popping up in other parts of Canada.

The I-194 waiver is typically issued in durations of 1, 3 or 5 year increments. Here's another poll on the duration of entry waivers. Take a moment and provide your feedback below.