Border Crossing - Your DUI and what you should know

There is finally some movement on the side of the Canadian Government in recognizing that some of the border inadmissibility rules were far too stringent and were a detriment to tourism in our country.  This was particularly the case for people with a single DUI or minor offence in the past.   Bob took part in a meeting with selected tourist lodge owners and government officials recently to hear about, and discuss TRP (Temporary Resident Permits" and border crossing in general.  

Here is a recent announcement from the office of our Member of Parliament, Greg Rickford

                                         "Tourism Facility Action Plan (TFAP)

• Our Government is committed to facilitating the travel of legitimate visitors to Canada, while protecting the health, safety, and security of Canadians.

·       We are also committed to promoting economic benefits to Canada, such as an increase in trade and tourism with our trade partners.

·       That is why we are introducing the Tourism Facilitation Action Plan, to ensure that those who want to visit Canada, and are approved by CIC and CBSA, can more easily visit our country.

Two part plan:

1)     Visa application centres (VAC)

2)     Discretion on Issuance of TRPs and fees

a.     Public Policy on Minor Criminal Inadmissibility

b.     Transit without a Visa Program

VACs

·       Visa Application Centres are an innovative network of third party visa offices that provide timely visas for those interested in visiting Canada.

·       VACs are run by private companies and international organizations, consequently, they are able to operate efficiently and respond to market demands. New centres open where market demand is high and in areas convenient to individuals applying.

• CIC currently has 60 VACs in 41 countries.  Under the new global VAC model, our government will expand this network to up to 150 VACs by 2014.

·       This is another example of our government’s innovative approach to efficiency, cost-saving measures, and promoting Canada as a tourist destination.

Discretion on Issuance of TRPs and Fees

·       This public policy initiative will provide the CBSA with some discretion in waiving the fee for a Temporary Residency Permit in cases that are warranted.

Minor Criminality

·       Many tourists are stopped and denied entry at our borders because they are deemed inadmissible for having a minor criminal offense on their record. Often, these are outdated misdemeanours or minor infractions that took place decades ago.

·       Particularly, US citizens trying to enter Canada for a family vacation or fishing trip are being turned away.

·       It is a dubious and intrusive rule, and the current process for those refused is overly burdensome and requires substantial supporting documents and records that are not easily available. This rule results in millions of dollars in lost revenue from would-be tourists and has a negative bilateral effect.

·       That is why we have created this public policy option for a one-time exemption to facilitate entry for individuals in this circumstance. Those who meet the security and criminality criteria will then be permitted to enter Canada as tourists.

Transit without a Visa Program

·       Some foreign travellers, due to unforeseen travel circumstances, find themselves in Canada without proper visiting documents. These individuals will no longer be forced to pay the $200 fee for a Temporary Resident Permit.

·       This applies for those who transit in Canada on their way to another country, and those who arrive on an aircraft that is forced to land in Canada under emergency-related circumstances."

We'll update as we find out more.  If you have an issue that makes you concerned about regarding your admissibility to Canada, feel free to drop us a line or phone call and we'll do our best to either answer your questions, or get you off in the right direction for someone who can.  

Full details of this Special Public Policy will be available on the Canadian Citizenship and Immigration website on March 1st.  

www.cic.gc.ca .